New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-20
PROSPERITY IN SHIPPING.

PROSPERITY In SHlfflNN.
AMERICA LEADS THE WORLD IN THE
TONNAGE OF coAsrING VESSELS.
COMMISSIONER CHAMBERLAIN POINTS OUT THE
NEED OF AN IMPROVED MERCHANT MARINE
-ENGIAND's EXPERIENCE WITH THE
FREE SHIP POLICY.
Washington. Nov 10 CspeciaD.-The annual re-
mort OF Mr. Chamberlain, the Commissioner Oh
Navigation shows that American shipping ihdus-
tres shared in the general prosperity OF the coun-
try during the last fiscal year. The returns disclose
more satisfactory conditions than those OF any
former year in the bureaus history -
The total documented tonnage on June 80 1889
committed % 72s vessels Of 4,Sa2SS gross tons
,b,ob e. the largest since 1865. The tonnage OPP
Grated under United States coasting laws h''''
vessels of 4015,s92 gross tons, Is inc iarseSt III
American history. and greater than the coaS""s
tonnage of any other nation. The steam tonnage
47s OH tons for the first time exceeds the tonnage
of all other craft. In the rest OF the woro steah'
,o,nage eleven years ago exceeded sail tonnage
American tonnage registered for foreign trace re-
mains small, and last year American Vessels co.
red a fraction less than per cent or the eApoi"
and imports The smallest percentage IN the hs'os
~ the country Based on Bureau Veritas returns
~ or,d,s seaeoing sail tonnage In the last quar-
tor ~ a century has decreased from A.lSSsSo tons
to $3.50 769 tons, a decrease OF ~ per cent ine "
crease in the United States has beeh al Inc
rate The worlds seagong steam tonnage i" 'he
eore nerod has increased from 4SS,ls3 tons 10
"a ss7 1872 tons or 1856 per cent The phenomenal IN
r.ases have been Norway's over 400 per cent
and GArr1hhe's nearly TOO per cent The increase
NJ the United States has been only oS per cent, a'o
the increase OF American steam tonnage resisleieu
| for foreign trade on the Atlantic ana Gun coaS
he
Alaska within the last few years mas caussu a
| rand increase in Pacific Coast tonnage "ltnip
| the last twenty years the United states III SEASONS
| steam tonnage has dropped from the secohu poee'
rext To Great Britain the fourth position Deio"
| Corronv and France and, II steamships In foreign
| trade alone are considered, below Norway ana
| CT, and only slightly ahead OF Japan. The re-
mort reviews briefly the legislation OF other NATIONS
| in behalf of their merchant shipping showing 'hat
| last wear European nations ana japan eApe"ueu
over s26 900 900 promote It In various iorMs' WINS
| the United States spent only ssss,2n On their
steamship lines to China and Japan foreign nations
| axnended about 100000, while for tho same Dur-
| nose the United States expended less than AscW
| The establishment Of two or more tast American
| steamship lines on the Pacific Coast TO connec.
with Asia will furnish the capitals OF western
| Eurone with closer mail and passenger connections
| nv from three TO five days than is now possible by
the heavily subsidized British. German and french
steamship lines through the suez Canal
IMPROVING THE MERCHANT MARINE
The reasons which impel other nations to develop
their merchant shipping. says Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
| apply with equal force to the United states
| Among them are first. the relations OF the Navy
10 the merchant marine as an element OF national
de,apcc. second relations OF a merchant marine
IN insular territory; third It's relations to new
markets In Asia Africa, Australia ana oou'h
America: fourth. the necessity for the best ocean
mail facilities under the flag; fifth the relation OF
the merchant marine 10 exports and Imports ana
| the value of the carrying trade, and. nnalIy the
| nronotion OF ship building and contributory In
| dustrles BY various methods OF computation the
| annual value OF the ocean carrying trade OF the
| limited States is estimated at about Nfo.VU,W IN
| cIud,ne messenger and immigrant fares and pay
| ments for ocean malls TO and from the United
states The argument that American shipping In
| the foreign trade is handicapped by tariff duties
"a met by reference to progressive legislation. be-
ginning In 1872 by which for the last Ave years all
materials for construction or American vessels
IN the foreign trade and all supplies for such YES
sells have been exempt from duties. Tonnage taxes
a which are imposed equally on foreign and Ameri
can vessels are the only form Of Federal taxation
| on American shipping. The proposition TO repea
tonnage would. therefore. In effect be equiva
: lent to a bounty Of about $4,000 annually to for
/ eIgn shipping, and would relieve American ship
( | ping OF only $1,000 Of taxes annually
( The report then takes up the five methods which
e have recently been suggested for the promotion
q Of the American merchant marine. 1t is pointed
| out that discriminating duties cargoes IN for
o eign vessels or on the OF foreign vessels
j. | are an unavoidable remedy account of TIT
proyisions In the OF the United States will
r. | nearly all the nations Of the world. prescribing
q | equal treatment for foreign and American vessel
- On the matter OF duties and charges. The same OBJ
: | lection also applies TO the proposition to gran
bounties on exports in American vessels. as by th
terms OF the principal treaties America is obige'
s 10 grant the same bounties on exports In foreign
vessels as in American vessels. The proposition e
gran, American registry TO foreign built vessels II
o | tbs foreign trade Is not regarded as feasible II
view of the unanimous rejection Of that PROPOSE
, | tian four years ago by the Senate Committee oil
a | commerce and on account Of the fact that Ameri
N | can chin owners and ship builders are united II
l. | onnoaition 10 the measure. IT is also pointed GU
: that regardless Of the merits or dement's or IN
nronos,t,on its adoption would probably disappo4n
its advocates In view Of the fact that the cost o
GENERATING vessels under the American flag is con
cededlv much greater than the cost OF operating
foreign vessels
70 THE FREE SHIP POLICY
The adoption of the free ship policy by Grea
:, | Britain has not contributed In any way to he
- maritime development. vessels for many year
I'd have been built more cheapy 10 Great Britain tina
as elsewhere and In point Of fact. vessels built ou
IL sids of Great Britain seldom registered unds
~ the British flag with occasional exceptions In IN
colonies. The success OF the FREQ ship policy