Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-08

american registry IN Oruer 10 enter
Immediately into active competition
for Asiatic trade. The act OF 1881
calls for 5,000-ton steamships Of Is
knots. We have only ten sea-going'
steamships of over 1000 tons. Four
of these are American transatlantic
liners and two New York and Cuba
mail liners, already under postal con-
tract. The Arizona, $500 tons. 16
knots, is the only vessel complying
with the requirements of the act of
1897. and she was admitted by Con-
gress last June to American registry
and bought by the War Department.
The China, admitted by Congress at
the same time, is 4,490 tons, II knots
The two remaining vessels are the
City of Peking, $3.50 tons, but only IA
knots, built in 1874; and the Ell Rio.
owned by the navy under the name
Dixie"
1t will require at least Is months
to build vessels of over 5000 tons and
is knots, needed to meet new condi-
lions in the Pacific. Meanwhile
combination of four large German
lines, aided by the Reichstag, is has
tening to completion steamships to
carry out German imperial policy in
Asia.
A relaxation of the registry law was
necessary to establish our trans-atlan-
tic line, and a similar relaxation is
now necessary to meet conditions on
the Pacific 1t is proposed that for
eign-built vessels be admitted to
American registry on condition that
equivalent tonnage be built in the
United States as was done in the case
of the Paris, New York, st. Louis and
st. Paul By a similar policy Ger
many has built up within fourteen
years it's great shipyards. From 1885
to 1891 the North German Lloyd spent
100000 in British yards, while from
1891 to 1897 it spent s16.00O.OO0 in Ger
man yards and only 81 100000 in Brit
ish yards.
The report considers differences in
cost of construction and operation I'M
der the American and British flag, and
concludes that on the average for car
go steamships now generally in use by
foreign nations this difference amounts
to about / per cent. per ton for each
100 nautical miles. On the basis con-
sidered an average annual expenditure
of about S. 900, 900 for IL or Is years,
aided by industrial development, will
give the United States becoming mar
thine rank. This sum is substantially
the expenditure for sugar bounties I'M
der the tariff of 1890. BY investing the
necessary capital the United States can
become shipbuilding power superior
to Germany and a close competitor with
Great Britain. This autumn we export
ed plates for the largest steamship
now on the ways in Great Britain. Five
years ago we imported the plates from
Great Britain for our first large steel
rugged ship.
Trade between the United States and
Porto Rico, now by executive order re-
stricted to American vessels, should be
so confined by statute. The restriction
of trade between the United States and
Hawaii to American vessels is even
more important. Of that trade 80 per
cent. is already carried on by American
vessels, and over 10 per cent OF the
remainder by Hawaiian vessels, which
will doubtless be admitted to Ameri-
can registry by Congress. American
vessels now leaving in ballast will suf-
fee to supply the transportation re-
quirements of the islands, if foreign
vessels are withdrawn. Almost the en-
tire value of the annexation of Ha-
wall to the development of American
navigation in the Pacific is involved
in treating the islands as an extension
of our boundaries. bringing us from
1900 to 1000 miles nearer Asia and
Australia. The opposition of British
and German interests to the PROPOSE
ton is anticipated in the line of their
consistent policy by subsidies to de-
ve!op their shipping on the Pacific.
The restrictions proposed, however, is
in strict accord with our national pol
cy and with our treaties, and does not
interfere with existing trades relations.