The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-20


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navigation and ship building on satisfac-
tory basis.
The report in the main is devoted to a
consideration of senate bill $500, reported
by Senator Frye at the last session as a
substitute for the bills. introduced by Sen
ator Hanna and Representative Payne. 1t
is pointed out that the maximum expendi-
ture under that bill for any one year is
fixed at 100000, from which, however,
should be deducted $1,5OO,0OO, the present
cost of carrying our ocean mails on Amer
dcan vessels, which will continue whatever
the fate of the bill may be. The actual
maximum annual expenditure proposed by
the bill is thus in effect fixed at $7,5O0,O00.
Assuming that all our vessels registered
for foreign trade were fully occupied
throughout the year, at the present time
the new expenditure under the bill would
be in round numbers $3,O00,0O0. Before the
maximum is reached the capacity of our
shipyards must be increased many times
and the tonnage under our flag engaged in
the foreign trade must be multiplied sew
eraI fold. This increase in the capacity of
our shipyards and in our tonnage in foreign
trade will show ability on our part to com-
pete on more nearly even terms with for
eign nations. The pro rata reductions in
compensation provided for when the max
imum expenditure of so 100000 cSJ is reached
will thus ccr~.1cide with the lessened need
OIL government assistance.
shipyard Products
During the decade ending in 1898 our ship
01o .
ocean steamships while in the same
period German yards turned out $4,000
gross tons and British yards 9,6SO00O The
difference in the cost of construction and
operation of American and British vessels
is considered in some detail. 1t is also
pointed out of the 1862 steamships of four
teen knots or over now in existence in the
world over so per cent are receiving in one
form or another assistance from the gov
ernments to which they belong agSregating
upwards of sac, 900. This is deemed JUS
tification for the proposition in the bill to
give a district allowance to American
steamships of fourteen knots or upwards.
The report also recommends moderate in
creases in our tonnage taxes, equalizing
them with those imposed at the principal
European ports; favors the passage of bills
supplying the laws of the United States re-
lating to commerce navigation and mer-
chant seamen to Hawaii and Porto Rico,
thus bringing those islands under the
coasting laws of the United States. 1t is
recommended that vessels owned by Cubans
be placed by law on an equality with yes
sels belonging to the most favored nations.
Under an existing statute 1t has been neees-
sary to impose tonnage tax of 81 per
gross ton-practically prohibitory-upon
such vessels, and this injustice both TO our
selves and the Cubans, can be remedied
only by legislation.
Under the so-called White bill for the
protection of seamen, American sailors
now enjoy a larger degree of personal lib
erty than ever before, and much more than
the seamen of any other nation, that law
radically changing the nature of the sea-
mems agreement. Reports from shipping
commissioners show that the allotment
sections has been of decided benefit
to seaen. and that efforts to break down
sections during the spring and early
summer have failed and the law is in the
main successfully enforced. Attention is
directed TO the menace to navigation re-
sulting from long loss of coal barges along
the Atlantic coast, especially at New York,
Boston and other important harbors, and
of large timber RATS on the Pacific coast.