The times., 1898-12-20
TO DEVELOP COMMERCE.
ABill of Importance to Ameri-
can Shipping Interests.
INTRODUCED BY Mr.. HANNA
Compensation for Steam and Sail Vessels
in Foreign Tradc-Boun.y for Fishing
Boats and American Citizens Engaged
in the ayorl, The Conditions for Amer
lean Registry of fForeisn-built ships.

those interested in navigation was in
troduced in the Senate yesterday by Sena-
tor Hanna and in the House at the same
time by Representative Payne of New
York. The bill is designed to encourage
and promote American shipping and to
develop shipbuilding interests in this
country
The bill provides for the compensation
of American steam and sail vessels en-
gagged in foreign trade by sea with sea-
ports more than 150 miles distant from
the last port of departure in the United
States at the rate of one and one-half
cents per gross ton for each 100 miles
nayigated up to 1.5c0 miles, and one cent
per 100 miles for distances over 1,500 miles.
American steamships suitable for car
rying the mails or as auxiliary cruisers
shall receive additional compensation per
gross ton if over 1,50o gross tons, and of
II knots speed, one cent per 100 miles; 10
knots. one and one-tenth cents: 16 knots,
one and two-tenths cents: If over 5000
gross tons and of II knots, one and four
tenths cents; IS knots, one and six-tenths
cents; 10 knots. one and eight-tenths
knots, two cents: u knots, two and three
tenths cents; If over 1000 gross tons and
% knots. two and seven-tenths cents; %
knots. three and two-tenths cents.
The compensation is not to be paid for
over sixteen voyages during one year, and
10 additional compensation is to be paid
for carrying the malls. Vessels are re-
quired to carry cargoes from the United
ga
and at least one-fourth of the navigating
crew must be American citizens. The
tests of speed are to be the usual navy
tests. !
Vessels engaged in the deep sea fish,
cries for at least three months in a year
are to receive a bounty of 81 annually per
gross ton provided one-thlrd of the crew
are American citizens. and each American
citizen serving in the crew of deep sea
fishing vessel for three months or more IS
to receive bounty of 81 per month for
actual service.
The officers of all vessels must be Amer
lean citizens.
Existing American vessels shall not re-
ceive any compensation until their owners
have contracted to build within five years
in American shipysrds at least 25 per
cert of their present tonnage.
Foreign built steamships now under for
eign flags. of which 80 per cent of the
shares were owned by American citizens
on December l, lsss. and steamships con-
tracted for in foreign yards by American
citizens before February /, 1883. may be
admitted to American registry on condi-
ton that the owners during the next five
years will build in American sVpyards at
least 80 per cent of the tonnags thus ad-
lnitted to American registry.
All such steamships must be of the
highest classification in the American
Record, Lloyds or Bureau Veritas. and
they canrot engage in the coasting trade.
Such steamships must also carry as ap-
prentices one American boy under twenty
one years for each loo tons. All such
vessels may be employed by the United
States as cruisers or transports.
Senator Hanna last night gave an inter-
esting talk on the bill He said:
THE whole country IL keenly alive to
the Importance of restoring the Ameri-
can merchant marine in foreign trade,
and expects Congress to act promptly
This popular demand cannot be more
clearly expressed than in the words of
former Senator George F. Edmunds: 1T
does not chiefly rest upon the Idea of
helping the shipbuilding and shipsailing
interests of the United States on their
own account but upon the element-com-
mon TO all our productive and manufac-
turing industries-of their being one of
the essential cooperating means of gen.
eral prosperity and welfare. The main
thing is to enable the producing and all
other industries of the United States to
regain our lust position in the markets
of the world
The bill is the result Of a painstakins
inquiry into different methods proposed
for the restoration of the American nag
on the high seas. and believe 1t enbodles
the only practicable method at this time.
1 have read over our more Important
treaties recently and find the plan to
give a bounty on exports in American
vessels is not feasible.
''Our treaty of 1915 with Great Britain
provides the same bounties shall be al
lowed on the expectation of any articles
the growth. produce or manufacture or
the United States to his Britannia ma
jesty's territories in Europe, whether
such expectations shall be in British ves-
sells or in vessels of the United States.
MANY other treaties have similar pro-
vision. and the country cannot afford to
wait until all these treaties have been re-
pealed and the State Department has
negotiated new ones. That would involve
a delay of years. The discriminating duty
plan is open to the same objections. The
plan proposed in this bill is a combination
of the best features in the policies of
Great Britain. Germany. France, and
Japan, our principal competitors, and if
adopted is certain to succeed.
THE rates of compensation have been
carefully worked out and are sufficient
10 overcome differences in the cost OF
operation and construction of Amer can
vessels and foreign vessels. / do not
think any reasonable and patriotic Amer
lean can object to such legislation.
1--WE could not hope to compete under
the moderate rates given by this bill II
It We're not for three facts. First. our
Pacific ports are nearer to East Asia
than are the ports of Europe: secaad,
the Suez Canal tolls somewhat handSap
that route as compared with our direct
route across the Pacific, and third this
bill gives a low rate of compensation to
slow cargo steamships which may be o.
Grated in connection with the faster mail
steamships. and thus more nearly equal
ize conditions.
THE additional expenditure involTei
by this bill will be from sI.50o.e01 to
81, 600 for the first year, and in time it
will doubtless equal an annual average of
$500 600 or Sc. eco. We have pa d almost
much as that for single battieship
fully armed and manned. France pays
S.000oC0 a year to promote its merchant
shipping, and even Japan has set out
to pay 100000 annually.
with its enormous resources the
United States can well afford every dol
lar which can be expended as proposed.
1t must be remembered that for every
dollar We pay out under the bill We shall
get back SO in the way of freight money
which now goes to foreign ship owners.
During 1898 we spent s175.0J0.O0) In
freights for our sea borne commerce. over
four-fifths of which went to foreign saip-
owners. 1 hope the bill will be carefully
considered by the country in the light of