The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-08
FOR 4 MERCHANT MARINE.
GREAT NEED POINTED OF By
NAVIGATION COMMISSIONER
America should Extend Direct Cow
ernment Aid TO Vessels Built In
the Unised states and Thus In

WASHINGTON. Dec The annual re-
port OF Navigation Commissioner Cham
berlain was made public today.
The report Is devoted mainly TO statistics
and facts in support OF the project for the
creation Of the American merchant marine
recommended BY Secretary Gage. The ton
mage of vessels entered and cleared ar sea-
ports Of the United States in foreign trade
for 1897 comprised 7.2is.ee5 tons American.
| and q s3e. Az tons foreign shipping. In
oversee navigation to foreign ports more
4. than l.5oo miles distant. American shipping
amounted TO only 2.oss.s5s tons. compared
with zI.iis,o2e tons foreign
Only three practical courses, at the pres
ent time, are open 10 the United States
Ffrsf-We- may retain our laws un-
| changed. ignore national navigation and
continue TO rely or vessels under foreign
| flags for the transportation OF cur exports
| and imports.
Second-We may permit foreign built
vessels to register under the American
flag. ship crews abroad and increase ma
ttonal navigation.
Third-We may extend direct govern
ment aid TO vessels built In the United
States and thus increase both the Ameri-
can navigation and national shipbuiidfng.
American Ships Must Increase.
The last name II these three courses is
S~SSN~~SN
new relation to the rest OF the world Ev-
cry maritime possession mus, correspond
to our pretensions. and TO attain this result
American shipyards and American ships
must be increased, and reasonable contr.-
buttons from the treasury toward this re-
suit should not be grudged. Largely
through Indifference we have lost the
share In transa tiantic navigation which
was once ours. The growing trade of the
Pacific Is rapidly slipping away from us.
Forelgn nations are now skiiifuily fol-
develop their navigation in the Pacific To-
ward steamship lines TO the east coast of
Asia alone Great Britain last year contrib
uted 81 30 go; France. ST. 200: Germany.
coo. Austria. 100. and Italy S27f.010 The
United States paid only $4,000 to American
liners TO Asia at regular mail rates We
nave deluded ourselves into the belief that
| the Pacific trade will become ours without
taking ordinary precautions TO meet COM
petition.
Liberal extracts are published from the
report on which the reichstag last year in
creased 10 o.51l.Oo marks subsidies to Ger
man vessels in the Pacific showing that
Germany is already endeavoring TO fore
stall the United States in securing the
commercial control of the Pacific
The act Of 1891 was designed 10 secure
the largest and quickest steamships in the
world for the American service on the At
iantic. Marine construction, however. has
already advanced beyond the size and
speed contemplated when that act was
passed. II has proved inadequate for the
Pacific. Its maximum rates for that trade
are s.. 20 per nautical mile outward for
ment pays S2s2 TO the Peninsular and ORR
entail and $40 10 the Canadian Pacific
lines; the German government pays $2.N
for H-knot vessels of the German Lloyd
and the French government $2.9s to the
Messageries Maritimes for the equivalent
OF an inferior service to Asia
Even Spain II More Liberal.
Spain imposes annual charges of $3.50. 600
on Cuba, $25.60o on Porto Rico and $4,000
ton. and herself contributed 1905. 900 more
for that purpose. The Spanish total is
about double the entire support the Unit
1887 rhe we have bR IN
taking Porto Rico and the Philippines. an
nex.ng Hawaii and governing Cuba, thus
require US 70 make larger .pproprtaioins
weakness by abandoning navigation to
Great Britain. Germany. France and ia
pan.
We must also take steps for the quail
flied admission OF foreign ships to Ameri-
can registry, In order to enter Immediately
into active competition for Asiatic trade.
of Is knots. We have only ten sea-going
steamships OF over 1900 tons. All OF these
are American transatlantic liners, and two
New York-Cuba mail liners already under
contract. The Arizona, $500 tons Is knots.
IS the only vessel complying with the re-
Quirements OF the act OF 1881, and she was
can registry and bought up by the war de-
partlGent.
The China. admitted by congress at the
same time, is 1910 tons. Il knots. The two
remaining vessels are the City OF Picking
6.0So tons. but only Il knots built in ISL
and the Ell RIO owned by the navy de-
parsment under the name of Dixie.
II will require at lease eighteen months
| to build vessels OF over 5000 tons and Is
knots, needed to meet new conditions In
the Pacific. Meanwhile combination OF
4 rOa &rvv,a H,na ntz II
| reichstag, It's Fastening to complete steam
| pos.cy in Asia.
| A relaxation OF the registry law was
| necessary to establish our Transatlantic
line. and a similar relaxation is now nee
essary 10 meet conditions on the Pacific 1t
| il proposed that foreign built vessels he
| admitted TO American registry on condi-
| ton that equivalent tonnage be built In the
| United states, as was done in the case OF
the Paris New we, York St. Paul and ST:
| up within fourteen years its great ship
i yards.
| The report considers differences in cost
! Of construction and operation under the
! American and British flags. and concludes
| that on the average fer cargo steamships
| now generally in use by foreign nations,
! this difference amounts 10 about cent per.
! ton for each 100 nautical miles
! Possibilities for the United states.
On the basis considered an average an
/ nual expenditure OF isho., s5ooaNN for
/ twelve fifteen years aided by indus
! trial development. will give the United
I States a becoming maritime rank Ry in
ySstiug the necessary capital. the United
/ States can become a shipbu.lding power SUI
! perier 10 Germany and close competitor
{ NlIh Great Friiain
Trade between the United States and
/ Porto Rico, now nv executive order re-
| strtcted ~ American vessels. should be so
| confined by statute The restriction OF
/ trade between the United States and FTa-
/ wau 10 American vessels Is even more i'm
/ iortant- or that trade - per cent Is al
| ready carried on by American vessels and
/ over 10 per cent. ~ the remainder hy Ua-
/ waiian vessels. which VIII doubtless be
/ admitted - American registry by con-
! Eress. American vessels now Ieayiny in