The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-20

be deducted 81, 500, coo, 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 expendi-
ture proposed by the bill is thus in ef-
feet fixed at 81, 800 600. Assuming that
ell our. vessels registered for foreign
trade were fully occupied throughout
the year at itfe present time, the new
under the bin would be- IN
round numbers So. 100000 Before the
maximum is reached, the capacity OF
our ship-yards must be Increased many
times. but tonnage under our flag en-
gagged in the foreign trade must be
multiplied several fold. This increase
in the capacity of our ship-yards ana
in our tonnage in foreign trade will
show ability on our part to compete on
more nearly even terms with foreign
nations. The prorata reductions in
compensation provided for when the
maximum expenditure of $4,000 is
reached will thus coincide with the
lessened need of Government assist
ance. During the decade ending 1898
our ship-yards produced only 213,OO0
gross tons of ocean steamships, while
in the same period German yards
turned out $4,000 gross tons and
British yards 9,6SOOOO gross tons.
The difference in cost of construction
and operation of American and British
vessels is considered in some detail. 1t
is also pointed out that of the 362
steamships of fourteen knots or over
now in existence in the world over 80
per cent. are receiving in one form or
other, assistance from the Governments
to which they belong, aggregating up
ward of $4,000, 0O0. This is deemed
justification for the proposition in the
bill to give a distinct allowance to
American steamships of fourteen knots
or upward.
The report also recommends that
moderate increases in our tonnage
taxes equalizing them with those i'm
posed at the principal European ports,
favors the passage of the bills apply
ing the laws of the United States re-
lating to commerce, navigation and
merchant seamen to Hawaii and Porto
Rico, thus bringing these islands under
the coasting laws of the United States
1t is recommended that vessels owned
by Cubans be placed by law on an
Oqudllly Will vessels belonging 10 the
most favored nation.
Under an existing statute it has been
necessary to impose a tonnage tax of
81 per gross ton-practically prohibitory
upon such vessels, and this Injustice
both to ourselves and Cubans can be
remedied only by legislation. Under the
so-called White bill for the protection
of seamen, American sailors now enjoy
larger degree of personal liberty than
ever before and much more than the
seamen of any other nation, that law
radically changing the nature .of the
seaman's agreement. Reports from
shipping commissioners show that the
allotment sections have been of decided
benefit to seamen and that efforts to
break down these 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 resulting from the
long lows of coal barges along the At
lantic Coast, especially at New York,
Boston and other important harbors.
and of large timber RATS on the Pacific
Coast.