The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-20
Tonnage Greater Than That of
Any Other Nation.
THE HANNA-PAYNE SUBSIDY BILL
Consideration of Substitute Introduced
by Senator Frye-Legislation for
Protection of American Sail
ors Has Proved Beneficial

Washington November 19.-The annual
report of Mr.. Chamberlain, the commission
er of n, n.a,vigation, shows that American ship
ping industries shared in the general pros
perity of the country ;luring the past fiscal
year. The returns disclose more satisfac-
tory conditions than those of any tormer
year in the bureaus history.
The total documented tonnage on June 80,
1S99 comprised %, ,72S vessels of 1864 2SS gross
tons, which is our largest since 1866. The
tonnage operating under our coasting laws,
81 1897 vessels of 4,O15 1892 gross tons, was the
largest in our history and greater than the
coasting tonnage of any other nation. Our
steam tonnage, 2,476,011 tons, for the first
time exceeds the tonnage of all other craft.
In the rest of the world steam tonnage
eleven years ago exceeded sail tonnage. Our
tonnage resigtered for foreign trade re-
mains small and last year American ves-
sells carried fraction less than nine per
cent, of our exports and imports, the
smallest percentage in our history. Based
on bureau returns, the worlds seagoing sail
tonnage in the past quarter of century
has decreased from IA, $50 $50 tons to $685., ,769
tons, a decrease of 40 per cent. The de-
crease in the United States has been at the
average rate The worlds seagoing steam
tonnage in the same period has increased
from 4,32s193 tons to 1887, 1872 tons, or 1866
per cent.
Some Phenomenal Increase
The phenomenal increases have been Nor
ways, over 1,4OO per cent, and Germany's,
FI~t.- -.
United States has been only 68 per cent.
and the increase of American steam ton
mage registered for foreign trade on the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts has been only 3S
per cent.
The development of Alaska within the
past few years has caused rapid increase
in Pacific coast tonnage. With the past
twenty years the United States, In seagoing
steam tonnage, has dropped from the sec
ond place, next to Great Britain, to the
fourth position, below Germany and France,
and of steamships in foreign trade alone is
considered below Norway and Spain and
only slightly ahead of Japan.
The report reviews briefly the legislation
of other nations in behalf of their mer-
chant shipping, showing that last year Eu-
ropean nations and Japan expended over
$26 900 600 to promote 1t In various forms,
while the United States spent only $99S,211.
The report then takes up the methods
which have recently been suggested for
the promotion of the American merchant
marines. 1t is pointed out that discrimi-
mating duties on cargoes in foreign vessels
or on the tonnage of foreign vessels are an
tmpracticable remedy on account of treaty
provisions. The same objection also ap-
plies to the proposition to grant bountfes
on exports in American vessels. The pro-
position to grant American registry to for
eign built vessels in the foreign trade is
not regarded as feasible in view of the fact
that the cost of operating vessels under the
Amrican flag is considerably greater than
the cost of operating foreign vessels.
Only Partial soIution
The proposition to develop the merchant
marine through ocean mail subsidies Is
only a partial solution of the question.
While the need of at least two fast mail
steamship lines to Asia and one to South
America is indisputable, the establishment
of such lines would not suffice to put our