Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-03
Never nad a Deilar nf snhsids. !

-'f fhtrib ib5ttbH hhH NNuub
occurred in New York City last Tues.
day week. when the Hamburg. Ameri-
can Steamship Company celebrated the
fiftieth anniversary OF its foundation by
a dinner on the Furst Bismarck, the
flagship of the company's line.
The feature of tho occasion was tha
address OF Mr.. Emil Bnas. general
manager OF the company in this coun-
try, who gave a review of The balf-cen-
tury'a results, and among uther things
said:
The company Mt present owns fleet
OF sixtyoDe ocean steamers, fifty ono
river steamors. &C., representing 30I. :
0u1 tons, a larger tonnage than any
other line controls The tremen dDus
strides made In the last dpcade are
Illustrated by the fact that ten years
ago the company nosssssed only twenty
SIX steamers. aggreGaiing GO, 600 tone.
Ihe capital of the company is now
about Sll,0On 600, and it has issued
per nent honds to the amount of about
Sj,3u0, uU0; but it has n reserve OF about
si,uuU. OuO. besides an ample fund for
renewing boilers, large insurance
fund, and about 81, coo. UO, in cash and
sulable investments, including extensive
shops anu nuiltiings on both continents
anu the fine wharf property in Hoboken,
standing on the books at much below
its market value.
A special feature Of the compauy's q
enterprise is the benevolent and pension
fund for the sick, invaiu and retired
employees. TO which liberal contributions
are made each year. The total number
Of employees of the company exceeds
G,000.
Now there Is one fact which stands
out pre-eminently in the history of
this line. and TO which We can point
with pride, namely. that the Hamburg
American Line, in all the fifty years OF
] Is existence, has never RECEIVED ono
cent OF subsidy from any State or gov.
ernnient whatsoever; it has made its
way unaideI, but also unhampered.
fostered by nothing but the demands OF
fraue and traffic. guided with tirm
hand, and safely weathering all ntorns
and many of them there were.
What an answer is contained in the
above statement, to the contention so
often made in this country that great
ocean steamship lines cannot be made
prufitable,or even self.supporting, with
out the aid uf subsidy from the gov.
eminent. Here is steamship line that
has achieved the highest degree of
success, and yet one OF its proudest
boasts Ia that it never enjoyed sun
sidy in any way. shaps or form.
Another significant statement con
taineu in Mr.. Boas' address is given
below:
While it is our business 10 take care
OF and promote our own individual in
terests. we can say with justice that we
have mission to fulfil. Indeed, there
are two misslons first, particular
one. that ia TO help in maintaining the
bond OF union and friendship that has
existed between Germany and tho
United States for SO long ti,re--mny
it never wayer land tho second is to
advance that great factor of civilization
ease and speed of transportation for
the exchange of products OF the human
hand as well as of the human mind
One nation requires another, and only
by interchange can progress take place.
But there is one condition for this pro
gress which is absolutely necessary, and
that is peace, political as well as com
mercial. Let me repeat tbe words of
Emerson: Trade is plant which
grows wherever there is peace, and AS
long as there is peace. | suppose |
may speak Of commercial peace without
treading on political ground. No nation
can afford to isolate itself to day and
stand aloof. and least OF all nation as
eager for continuous progress az the
American There is only one rule for
tho intercourse among nations that will
stand the test of time, as there is for
Individuals, and that is, Give and
take, F" Live and let live" close
with the words of Geo. Grant: Let
us have peace. -
Taken together, these statements con
vey two important truths: First, that
subsidies are not necessary TO tho sue
ccss of steamship lines; Franco. it is
said, makes unusually heavy payments
in the way OF sushitlies,yet the tonnage
OF that country is Eteaaily decreasing.
Second, that trade restrictions between
countries are inimical to the general
prosperity of each. 1t would hnyo been
well had these principles heen recog.
niaed on this side Of the Atlantic years
ago. We might not have been called
upon, in that event, to mourn the de.
cadence OF American Commerce and the
disappearance Of the A American has from
| the high seas