Washington sentinel., 1899-08-26

For some time past there has been a
good deal of discussion in the public
press Of both the United Kingdo and
the United States relative to the { called
danger to the supremacy ofthe British
mercantile marine from the growth Of
the marine OF the United States, A
good deal OF foolish talking auo writing
has taken place on the subject. Il has
been assumed by some writer's that the
Stars and Stripes had already in effect
superseded the Union Jack on the mar.
itime highways OF the world, and that
henceforth British shipping and ship.
building interests would have TO
take second place IN the Sanhedrim of
the Nations. All that il is safe to say
on the outlook of these interests is that
the American people are now much
better qualified than they were some
years ago to compete with our own and
other countries in these important
trades, and that they, apparently, are
ambition to do more on the worlds
ocean highways than hitherto. In many
different directions, indeed, American
shippers and shipbuilders are now giving
proofs Of their earnestness aud determi-
nation in the effort to wrest from Great
Britain a large part, at least, of her
supremacy on her seas But mere reso-
luton is not sufficient to achieve this
great end and this notable ambition. Ii
is also necessary that the aspiraut should
possess that which the United States do
not now possess, although they may
possibly succeed / attaining lt--namely.
the confidence of shippers throughout
the mercantile world, the experience
needed to bring about the most econom-
ical conditions of building and nsviga.
tion, comparatively low range of labor
costs, as we'll as relatively cheap mater
ials Of construction, and the fullest
confidence in the manifest ability Of the
United States to compete ION an even
keel" with Great Britain or any other
country. backed by sufficient capital to
prove the possession Of such assurance.
There is no adequate reason WHY the
United States should not become both a
great shlpbuilding and a great ship
owning nation without necessarily
working ruin to the mercantile marine
Of Great Britain. One OF the commonest
heresies Of the present day is that OF
supposnR that no country can much
progress without largely doing so at the
expense of other nations. If we consider
the relative size of the trading world
twenty, thirty, or forty years ago. we
shall see that this is not by any means a
ioregone conclusion. The increased
trade OF the United States themselves
would alone furnish the means Of
employing a mercantile marine OF
almost the first magnitude. During the
last thirty years that trade has advanced
from an average OF gag dolls. PER CAPITA
to an average OF I6:27 dolls. Per capita
under the head of exports alone. In
1868, the total exports OF the United
States amounted to 7Sz millions OF dolls.
and from tots figure advanced to I,75I%
million dolls. IN 1898 In other words
within these thirty years there was an
absolute advance of $40 per cent. What
is likely to be the corresponding ad-
vance in the next 80 Yearsl If IL again
amounts to close on a thousand million
dolls. the value of the export trade OF the
United States in I979 may be consider
ably over two thousand millions of dolls,
or 6soo ,ooo, ,ooo-the largest export
trade in the worlds history. This is
not only possible but we'll within the
range Of probability. What size of
marine would be required to carry
~ g-.ar,fEtvAa1 nna that
would certainly far outpace any marine
that the American continent has thus
far been able to boast. Indeed, the
American Shipping trade has hitherto
steadily fallen off, instead OF improving
despite all the cry that has been raised
as to the probabilities of American
competition in the markets ofthe world.
| It appears from recent official statistics
that Of the total import andexport trade
Of the United States only 9'5 per cent,
was carried in American ships in. 1898,
against IA per cent. OF the whole IN 1888
and "a per cent. in 1873. 1t seems
absurd in the face of these figures
to speak Of the forthcoming supre-
macy OF the American mercantile
marine, or OF the danger 1t threatens to
our own. But events move rapidly on
American soil, aud there is unquestion-
ably a real impetus pending in the
direction of advancing both the shipping
and the shipbulldIng interests of the
United States. although Il may be some
years before it is strongly telt. When
its existence becomes more pronounced,
and for many years safterwards, American
bottoms are likely to have quite enough
to do IN looking after their own home
trade, The rest of the world IS likely
TO provide quite enough business to
keep the British mercantile marine from
being either unemployed or unremuner
ative, although no doubt there may be
keener and more universal competition
than We have hitherto known.
Besides the assistance to which they
naturally and properly look in the devel-
opment of their marine from the cheaper
cost Of materials OF construction Of
almost every kind, the American
people are satisfied that they are to
benefit very largely by the carry ing out
Of the transisthmisn canal. AS people
the Americans have strongly attached
themselves to the Nicarssuan project in
preference to all others. That project
has not been undertaken by private
capital because of the Panama hasco
and scandal. The Government has not
come to the rescue, because as vet there
| appears to have been no general demand