Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-30
NowlN FOURTH PLACE.
United States is Falling behind I'm
Tonnage.

| Washington, Nov. 29.AThe annual
report of Mr.. Chamberlain, the com
missioner of navigation, shows that
American shipping industries shared
in the general prosperity of the coun-
try during the past fiscal year. The
returns disclose more satisfactory con-,
ditions than those of any former year
in the bureaus history. The total doc
umented tonnage on June 80, 1899,
comprised 22,72s vessels, of 4,864,23
gross tons, which is our largest since
1865.
Out tonnage registered for foreign
trade remains small and last year
American vessels carried fraction less
thar percent of our exports and i'm
ports, he smallest percentage in our
ishist sGXsy Based on bureau veritas re-
turns, the worlds seagoing sail tom
mage in the past qaurter of century
has decreased from 14,1s5,s36 tons to
5000, 769 tons, decrease of 40 per
cent. The decrease in the United
| States has been at the average rate.
The worlds seagoing steam tonnage
in the same period has increased from
4,32s.193 tons to 1887, 132 tons, or 366
per cent. The increase of the United
States was 6s per cent. Within the
past twenty years the United States in
.seagoing steam tonnage has dropped
from the second place next to Great
Britain to the fourth position, below
Germany and France. The report re-
views briefly the legislation of other
\ nations in behalf of their merchant
shipping, showing that last year Euro
pean nations and Japan expended over
1 $26,00b,000 to promote it in various
| forms, while the United States spent
4 only $99s,211.
/ The reasons which impel other ma
| tons to develop their merchant ship
ping, says Mr.. Chamberlain, apply
with equal force to the United States.
The report takes up the methods
which have recently been suggested for
4 the promotion of the American mer-
chant marine. 1t is pointed out that
in discriminating duties on cargoes in
foreign vessels or, on the tonnage of
foreign vessels are an impracticable
i remedy owing to the treaty provisions.
The same objection also applies to the
proposition to grant bounties on ex-
4 ports in American vessels. The propo-
sition to grant American registery to
foreign built vessels in the foreign
trade is not regarded as feasible in
view of the fact that the cost of oper-
ating vessels under the American flag
4 is concededly much greater than the
cost of operating foreign vessels.
The proposition to develop the mer-
chant marine through ocean mail sub
sides is only a partial solution of the
question.
The report in the main is devoted to
consideration of senate bill $500, re-
ported by Senator Frye at the last ses-
sion as subject for the bills intro
duced by Senator Hanna and Represen-
tative Payne, 1t is pointed out that the
maximum expenditure under that bill
for any one year is fixed at SO, 0OO,OOO
from which, however, should be de-
Quoted $l,500,O00, the present cost Of
carrying our ocean mails on American
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
81, 100000. Assuming that all our yes
sells registered for foreign trade were
fully occupied throughout the year, at
the present time the new expenditure
under the; bill would be in round num-
bers $3,000,00O. Before the maximum
is reached the capacity of our ship
yards must be increased many times,
/ and the tonnage under our flag engag-
] ed in the foreign trade must be multi
piled several fold. This increase in the
capacity of our ship yards and in our
tonnage in foreign trade will show
ability on our part to compete on more
nearly even terms with foreign nations.
The pro-rate reductions in compensa-
ton provided for when the maximum
expenditure of $9,000,00O is reached will
: thus coincide with the lessened need
of government assistance.
During the decade ending 1895, our
tons Of ocean steamships, while in the the
49, period German yards turned out