The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-11
MERCHANT MARINE SERVICE
MPORT1N Mt HE1R RING BEFORE THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE.
Prominent Representatives of American
Shipping Interests Heard Relative to
the BiiI to Promote the Commerce and
Foreign Trade of the COuntry-Mas-
ters of the Globes Trade.

Foreign Trade of the Country-Mas.
ters of the Globes Trade.
Washington, Jan. 10.-Prominent rep
resentative of American shipping inter-
ests Were heard to-day by the house
committee on merchant marine and
fisheries relative to the measure intro
duced in the senate by Mr.. Hanna and
in the house by Mr.. Payne "to promote
the commerce and increase the foreign
vide auxiliary cruisers, transports and
seamen for government use when nee
essary." The main feature of the meas
ure is graded subsidy to American
ships based on tonnage and service.
Among those present We're ex-senator
Edmunds of Vermont, who appeared for
the shipping interests; President c. A.
Criscom of the International Navigation
company; Commissioner of Naviga-
tion Chamberlain, Edward r. Char
wood, secretary of the Philadelphia ma
rne exchange, and President Hyde of
the Bath Iron works.
Mr.. Edmunds made the opening state
ment, appearing in behalf of shpbuild-
ers and ship owners, the great major
lty of them Americans Foreign ship
interests were naturally opposed to this
measure, said Mr.. Edmunds and it was
possible, he added, that some of the
great railroad lines felt that an increase
in the water carrying trade initiated
against them. Throughout his twenty
five years of service in the senate he
had sought to secure aid to shipping.
One mode of doing this was by scrim-
mating duties, but a careful examina-
tion of our treaties had satisfied him
that there were many difficulties in the
way of carrying out this plan. 1t
would require the abrogation of many
treaties and this would be followed by
retaliation from many foreign countries.
He next dealt with the plan of free
ships" as a means Of stimulating ship
ping This was based en- getting for
eign built ships and giving them an
American registry, but Mr.. Edmunds
pointed out that the cheaper first cost
of the ship abroad was offset by the
extra cost after the ship was under
American registry. Moreover he said,
going abroad for ships meant the aban-
donment of American shipyards, so that
in time of emergency there would be no
shipyards to turn to. Having urged the
futility of other plans he argued that
the measure was the most practical
means of reviving American shipping
and with it extending American COM
merce. Trade followed the flag, said
Mr.. Edmunds. Once the American ship |
and the American flag appeared at any
point in South America or South Africa, |
or any other place on the globe, the
commercial man and his salesman fol- |
lowed with American goods.
Mr.. Edmunds said events of recent |
months had shown in particular the I
value of carrying out trade to the far |
east. The largest opening of the sur
plus products of people like our own, he
said. was in Eastern Asia, above the /
tropics. Below the tropics the people
needed little of the food, clothing, etc,
that we produce But above the trop-
les there was a great stretch of country
in Northern China and Southern Rus
sa, thiclly populated by Industrious
and intelligent people, forming a vast
market for our products it was of the
utmost Importance to our people that
this market should not be so neglected
other producing nations. The carrying
of our products to foreign countries was
the keynote for this improvised meas
ure. He expressed the earnest hope
that changes would act so that this re-
vival of American shipping might begin
during the coming summer. Once be-
gun, hd was confident that it would be
demonstrated that we were the masters
of the trade of the globe.
President Ki1nball of the Norfolk and
Western Railroad company, stated
that if this bill was passed his line
expected to establish a new line of
steamers to South American ports. This ;
would overcome the trouble the COM
pany now experienced in carrying Vir- J
ginia coal to South America. The pro-
posed line would run as far south as
the river Platte with a side line up !
the Amazon.
President Beach of the National Man
ufacturers' association, of the United ,
States spoke on the needs of restoring
the American flag to the seas He
said our manufacturers We're greatly
hampered by not having the ships to I
carry their goods abroad. Mr.. Griscom
said his company was 100000 worse off
by running the New York, Paris, st.
Paul and ST. Louis under the American T
flag than it would be if the ships We're r
under the British flag. F. B. Thauber
Of New York, president of the United !,
States Export association, said the ex- +
porters had found that American ship Il
pers were required to carry American +
goods, as every ship was a missionary t
for it's goods q
Mr.. Clyde of New York gave figures b
lpon which to base calculations for f
subsidies to ships in order to equalize il
conditions between American and for II
sign ships. He spoke of the great ser Il
vice performed by the American liners t.
n the war with Spain. Mr.. Clyde also +
rave a brief review of the means by g.
which Great Britain had secured the
trade. Mr. Chamberlain of
he bureau of navigation, treasury de- +,
,artment, said that the Red D line,
mining between this country and
South America, the only one now fly
ng the American flag in those waters, "
would lose money if it had to give up l.
is mail contract to accept subsidy. d
Mr. Sewell of Maine said he did not 81
Wish to have the bill regarded as a ben b.