The times., 1899-11-20
THE MERCHANT MARINE
Annual Report Of the Commissioner
of Navigation.

American Vessels Garry Less Than
Nine Per Cent of the Country's For
eign Trnde-Argun1ents in Favor Of
Senator Frye's Subsidy BiII-Ex-
PenditUres of other Governments.
The annual report Of Eugene T Cham
berlain. the Commissioner Of Navigation,
has just been issued. The returns disclose
more satisfactory conditions than those Of
any former year in the bureaus history.
The total documented tonnage on June
30 1899. comprised 22. .72S vessels, CT 4,S64,-
23S gross tons, which is the largest since
1860. The tonnage operating under the
coasting laws, 1887 vessels OF 4,O15,992
gross tens. is the largest in the country's
history and greater than the coasting tom
mage of any other nation The steam ton
mage. 2,476.0l1 tons, for the first time. eX-
ceeds the tonnage OF all other craft. In
the remainder of the world steam tonnage
eleven years ago exceeded sail tonnage.
American tonnage registered for foreign
trade remains small, and last year Ameri-
can vessels carried a fraction less than
ports, the smallest percentage in its his
tory
Based on Bureau Veritas" returns, the
worlds seagoing sail tonnage in the past
quarter of century has decreased from
14,1S5. S36 tons to s. 693, 769 tons, decrease
Of 40 per cent. Tne decrease in America
has been at the average rate. Tne worlds
seagoing steam tonnage in the same period
has increased from 1923 1873 tons to 49,
0 ,v,InEa
enal increases have been NOrway's, over
l.4O0 per cent, and Germany's, nearly 200
per cent ne increase of America has
been only 6S per cent, and the increase Of
American steam tonnage registered for for
egn trade on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts
has been only 3S per cent.
The development of Alaska within the
past few years has caused rapid increase
in Pacific Coast tonnage, but this has teen
the only increase of Importance. Within
the past twenty years America, in seagoing
steam tonnage has dropped from the sec
ond place next TO Great Britain to the
fourth position, below Germany and
France. ana If steamships in foreign trade
alone are considered. below Norway and
Spain. and only slightly ahead Of Japan.
Legislation ia other Countries.
The report reviews briefly the legisla-
ticn OF other nations in behalf of their
merchant shipping, showing that last year
European nations and Japan expended over
S26,000G0O to promote i( in various forms,
while America spent only $99S21l. On
their steamship lines 10 China and Japan
foreign nations expended about $1,000 600,
while for the same purpose this country
expended less than $4g,O00. The estab
iishment Of two or more fast American
steamship lines on the Pacific Coast to
connect with Asia viii furnish the capi-
tails Of western Europe with closer mail
and passenger connections by from three
to five days than is now possible by the
heavily subsidized British, German and
French steamship lines through the Suez
Canal
The reasons which impel other nations
10 develop their merchant shipping, says
Mr. Chamberlain, apply with equal force
10 the United States. Among them are
first the relations Of the navy to the mer-
chant marine as an element Of national
defence; second relations of a merchant
marine 10 insular territory; third, its re-
latiOns TO new markets in Asia, Africa,
Australia. and South America; fourth, the
necessity for the best ocean mail facilities
under the flag; fifth. the relations of the
merchant marine to exports and imports
and the value of the carrying trade. and
finally, the promotion of shipbuilding and
cOntributoTy industries
BY various methods of computation the
annual value Of the ocean carrying trade
of America is estimated at about SlT5,-
100000, including passenger and immigrant
fares and payments for ocean mails to
and from America.
The report then takes up the five meth
DDS which have recently been suggested
for the promotion of the Ameri an mer-
chant marine. It is asserted that discrim-
mating duties Oh cargOes in foreign vessels
or on the tonnage of foreign vessels are
an impracticable remedy on account OF the
provisions in this country's treaties with
nearly ali the nations of the world, pre-
scribiug equal treatment for foreign and
American vessels in the matter Of duties
and charges The same objection is also
applied TO the proposition to grant bOuntes
on exports in American vessels, as by The
terms of the principal treaties Amer.c1 is
obliged 10 grant the same bounties on eX-
ports in foreign vessels as in American
vessels.
The proposition to grant American regis
try to foreign built vessels in the foreign
trade Is not regarded as feasible by Mr.
Chamberlin, in view OF the unanimous re
lection of that proposition four years ago
by the Senate Committee on Commerce
and on account of the fact that American
shipowners and shipbulders are united in
opposition to that measure. 1t is also
stated that regardless of the merits or de-
merits of the proposition, its adoption
would probably dsappoint its advocates in
view of the fact that the cost of operating
vessels under the American flag is conceded
to be much greater than the cost OF operat-
ing foreign vessels.
The Free Ship Policy.
The adoption OF the free ship policy by
Great Britain, the report shows, has not
contributed in any way to her maritime
development, as vessels for many years
have been built more cheaply in Great
Britain than elsewhere, and, In point of
fact. vessels built outside Of Great Britain
are seldom registered under the British
/ flag, with occasional exceptions in the
colonies.
The success of the free ship policy in
Norway and other Scandinavian countries,
the report says. is due to their very large
maritime population, which renders it nee
essary for the Governments Of those coun-
tries TO encourage the purchase of yes
sells built in Great Britain in order TO af-
ford employment for their seamen. Even
then the tonnage under the Norwegian flag
is insufficient to furnish employment for
Norwegian sailors VINO constitute a large
part OF the crews of British vessels and of
American vessels. both in the coasting and
in the foreign trade. The rates of wages
paid to Norwegian sailors are much lower
even than those paid on British or Ger
man vessels and the general cost of Ope-
/ rating vessels under the Norwegian flag
is less than under the British flag. These
conditions none of which obtain In Ameri-
ca. have rendered the adoption OF the free