The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-20
SMALLEST IN HISTORY
Few American Ships in the For
eign Trade.
OTHER NATIONS METHODS
Senator Hannas Bill Strongly Recon-
mended-Some Partial Solutions of
the Problem--Three Steam
ship Lines Needed.

! Washington, Nov. '19-The annual
report of Mr.. Chamberlain, the COM
missioner of navigation, shows that
american shipping industries shared
in the general prosperity of the eoun-
TRY during the past fiscal year. The
returns disclose more satisfactory con-
tlitions than those of any former year
an the bureaus history. The total
<locumented tonnage on June so, 1899,
comprised 22,72S vessels of 1884, SS
gross tons, which is our largest since !
1885.
i The tonnage operating under our /
coasting laws, 1887 vessels of 4,olo,992
gross tons, is the largest in our history
and greater than the coasting tonnage
of any other nation. Our steam TON
mage, 2,476011 tons for the first time
exceeds the tonnage Of all other craft.
In the rest of the world steam tom
mage II years ago exceeded sail ton
mage. Our tonnage registered for tor
eign trade remains small and last year
American vessels carried fraction
less than 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 de-
creased from a. 1885 tons to S.693.I69
tons. a decrease of 40 per cent. The
decrease in the United States has been
at the average rate. The worlds sea
going tonnage in the same period has
increased from 432S, 1893 tons to 1S,SST,-
1872 TONS or $50 per cent. The phenom-
email increases have been NorWay's 400
per cent, and Germanys nearly 700
per cent. The increase of the United
States has been only 6S per cent, and
the increase Of American tonnage reg
istered for foreign trade at the Atlantic
and Gulf coast has been only 81 per
cent. The development Of Alaska with
in the past few years has caused a.
rapid increase in the Pacific coast ton
mage. Within the past few years the
United States, in seagoing tonnage, has
dropped from the second place next to
Great Britain, to the fourth position,
below Germany and France, and if
steamships in foreign trade alone are
considered, below Norway and Spain,
and only slightly ahead of Japan.
The report reviews briefly the legis-
lation of other nations in behalf of the
merchant shipping, showing that last
year European nations and Japanese
expended more than $26,000,000 to pro-
mote it in various forms, while the
United States spent only $29S, 22l. On
their steamship lines to China and ia
pam foreign nations expended about
$5060 600, while for the same purpose
the United States expended less than
$40 900 The establishment Of two or
4 more fast American steamship lines
on the Pacific coast to connect with
Asia will furnish the capitals of west
Il ern Europe with closer mail and pas
senger connections by from three to
five days than is now possible by the
heavily subsidized British, German and
! French steamship lines through the
SueZ canal.
The reasons which impel other ma
tions to develop their merchant ship
ping, says Mr.. Chamberlain apply with
/, equal force to the United States.
Among them are, first, the relations OF
: the navy to the merchant marine as
an element of national defense; sec
ond, relations of merchant marine to
insular territory; third, it's relationship
to the markets in Asia, Africa, Aus
tralsa and South America, fourth, the
necessity of the best ocean mail facili-
ties under the flag; fifth, the relations
of the merchant marine to exports and
the imports and the value of the car
rying trade. and finally, the promo
aion of shipbuilding and contributary
Industries. By various methods of
computation the annual value of the
ocean carrying trade of the United
States is estimated at s175ooe,ooO. in
GLIDING passenger and immigrant fares
and payments for ocean mails to and
from the United States. The argument
that American shipping in the foreign
trade is handicapped by tariff duties
is met by reference to progressive leg
islation beginning in 1872, by which for
the last five years all materials for the
construction of American vessels in
the foreign trade and all supplies for
such vessels have been exempt from
duties. Tonnage taxes which are inn
posed equally on foreign and Ameri-
can vessels are the only form of fed
eral taxation Of American shipping.
The proposition to repeal tonnage taxes
would therefore in effect be equiva-
lent to a bounty of about $4,000 an
nually to foreign shipping, and would
relieve American shipping of only
S., 600 taxes annually.
The report then takes up the methods
which have recently been suggested
for the promotion of the American
\ merchant marine. 1t is pointed out
that discriminating duties on cargoes
In foreign vessels or on the tonnage
OF foreign vessels are an irlpra ctica-
Bile remedy on account Of treaty pro-
visions. The same objections also APP
ply to the proposition TO grant boun-
ties on exports in American vessels.
The proposition to grant American
registry to foreign built vessels in the
foreign trade is not regarded as feaS-
ible In view of the fact that the cost
of operating vessels under the Ameri-
can flag is concededly much greater
than the cost of operating foreign YES
sells
The proposition to develop the mer-
chant marine through ocean mail sub
sides is only partial solution OF the
question. While the need of al least
two fast mail steamship lines to Asia
and one to South America is indisputa-
BILE the establishment of steamship
lines would not suffice to put our nav
igation and shipbulding on satisfac-
tory basis.
The report is In the main devoted TO
the consideration of senate bill $3.50
reported by Senator Frye at the last
session as a substitute for the bills
introduced by Senator Hanna and Rep
resentatiye Paine. 1t is pointed out
that the maximum expenditure under
that bill for any one year is fixed al
$4,000. 900; this, however should be re,
duced $1,50o.0o0, the present cost OF
carrying our ocean mails on American
vessels, which will continue, whatever
the fate of the bill may be. The &C
n