The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-17
SHIPS THAT FLY
AMERICAN FLAG
Report of the Navigation
Bureau.
STEAM TONNAGE INCREASED
CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN
a YEAR AGO.
Alaskan Trade Has Added Numerous
Vessels to the Merchantmen
Plying on the Pacific
Coast.
STEAM TONNAGE INCREASED
CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN
a YEAR AGO.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON. Oct. Incomplete
returns received by Commissioner
Chamberlain of the Navigation Blu
Teau of the Treasury Department show
that the dccumented American mer-
chant shipping on June 80, 1898, COM
prised %, 705 vessels of 4,747, 73S gross
tons, compared with 22,633 vessels of
4,769, 020 tons on the like date in 1891
The decrease of 1922 tons is more ap-
parent than real, as 1000 tons of this
amount is due to dropping fractions of
tonnage in the accounts and 66.1l3 tons
were sold to the Navy and War de-
partments to carry troops supplies and
provisions and have merely changed
employers.
The total steam tonnage amounts to
6712 vessels of 2,3I1, 923 tons, compared
with 6599 vessels of 2, 358, 558 tons for the
previous year. The vessels sold to the
Government were all steam vessels, so
the true increase is greater than thefig-
ures indicate. Sailing vessels have de-
creased from 1904, 1913 tons for 1897 to
1885, 1927 tons for 1888 DOcumented ca
nal boats and barges amount TO 541,9SS
tons. compared with SOC, 800 tons for the
previous year. The increase is chiefly in
barges, which are superseding sail yes
sells especially in the coal trade.
Tonnage on the Atlantic and Gulf
coasts has decreased from 2,641,I96 tons
for 1897 to 2,553,l39 tons for 1898. Inc
Great Lakes tonnage shows a slight IN
crease, 49,, 500 tons, as compared with
1.410 103 tons. The new Alaskan trade
has increased the Pacific Coast marine
from 439 DIP tons to 1876, 787 tons. West
ern rivers have decreased from 2I2, Jos
TO 261. 732 tons.
New York State retains the first place
with tonnage reduced from 1.311.I43 to
1299,S 25 tons; Michigan is still second.
with a reduction from 4II,602 to 45S.l00
tons, and Ohio stands third with $780,
61S tons, an increG of about 5000
tons. The greatest increase is in Wash
ington, from 81, 796 to 152,16S tons; ard
Alaska from 1924 TO 1856 tons. New
England shows a large decrease and
the Gulf States an appreciate increase.
Vessels registered for foreign trade
number 1916, of 73I, I09 tons. compared
with 1880 of sos, 5S4 tons for 1897. These
figures are the lowest since 1892. The
decrease is wholly in sailing vessels. of
which 159 of 103 900 tons, or about 20
per cent, have been lost, laid up or gone
into domestic trade during the year.
Registered steam vessels have increas-
ed from 220136 tons TO 245.059 tons
Through the greater efficiency OF steam
vessels- our feet for the foreign trade
does NO. show decrease in carrying
power.
The effect Of the war is shown in the
sale of ei~hty-four vessels of 35. All tons
to foreigners compared with sales of
S249 tons the previous year. The sales
were chiefly de to high premiums on
American vessels and cargoes demand
ed by insurance companies during the
brief neriod while mines and torpedoes
were being placed in our harbors. The
effect of the war is also shown in the
admission by acts of Congress of 81
824 tons of foreign vessels to American
registry. chiefly for transport purposes.
During the preceding eight years only
J * o02 tons were so admitted.