The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-10
water 1. $50, 2l2 j. oS9, 424 b ,O46. IFS


The expansion in the lake trade-more
than 100 per CENTS a fair index of the
commercial growth of the United States
In the past twenty years. What it would
mean TO the commercial interests of the
country If American shipowners had main
tanned the same command of the growth
in our foreign commerce that they have
of the trade of the lakes may be conceived
by the intelligent reader without the aid
of figures.
One respect In which the United states
compares unfavorabiy with even the weak
est of the five countries mentioned in the
first of the preceding tables is in the con-
troll of its foreign trade. In 1896 the tom
mage of vessels entering American harbors
from foreign ports or clearing from Amer
lean ports for foreign destinations Count
ing only those laden with cargo was o.,
345 S27. OF this, 23n, 730 tons was made up
of ships of domestic registry, while 90,
0s4, 097 tons was under the flags of other
nations. For the same year the tonnage
clearing TO and from French ports was "a
$4,000 only slightly in excess of the fig
ures for the United States But of this
q, $4,000 tons, only 15,900,0 900 was made up
of foreign shipping, while the remaining
$3.50 900 tons was of French registry. In
other words, while two-thirds of Frances
exports and imports are carried in foreign
bottoms, nine-tenths of those passing to
and from the United States travel under
other flags. If the figures for Great Brit
ain had been used in place of those for
France, in making this comparison, the
contrast would have been much more
striking.
1t cannot be said that French ship
owners possess any natural advantages
not within reach of Americans sufficient
to account for this difference They do
possess one decided artificial advantage
however. 1t is the policy of France to
tax foreign shipping for the benefit of ma
tive owners. Thus, In 1897, the navigation
dues imposed at French ports yielded 49,
656 ,655 francs, and the bounties discussed
to French shipping for the same period
amounted to 136S0,731 francs. AS approxi-
mately tWo-thirds of the navigation dues
were paid by foreigners these figures in
dictate that other commercial nations paid
out during 1897 in round numbers 81
00G, 600 for the encouragement of French
Ehip-owners in building up French ship
ping interests The tonnage taxes of the
United States for the same year aggregat-
ed $731, 769. 81 or about one-thrd the amount
collected by France from the same source
The important point is that even of this
amount American ship-owners did not gel
the benefit, as practically the only sums
paid out by the United States for the en-
couragement of its shipping interests are
in the form of mail subsidies bestowed on
few lines.
Although 1t might seem reasonable for
the United states 10 impose heavier naVi-
cation duties than any of the other COM
mercial nations, since a larger proportion
of its commerce is in foreign control and
the burden would therefore fall least heav-
lily on its own subjects, such has never
been the policy of this government In
fact, many rational students of the sub
ject believe that Uncle Sam has followed
the policy of liberality TO his own hurt
since mono of the other nations has seem.
ed disposed to adopt his plan. The com
missioner of navigation evidently inclines
10 this opinion, for he said, in his annual
report for last year:
Although three-fourths of the tonnage
in foreign trade entering and clearing
ports in the United Kingdom is British
shipping, vessels are taxed to maintain
the Lighthouse and life-saving services and
for the improvement and maintenance of
harbors Although three-fourths of the
tonnage in foreign trade entering and
clearing ports In the United States is for
eign vessels are subject to no federal
taxes for the lighthouse and life-savine
services or for the Improvement ana
maintenance of harbors. OF the $50 900. 900
annually expended by the government of
the United States for the benefit of navi-