The times., 1899-11-16

Much interest has been expressed in
shipping circles in the past week over the
announcement that the Hanna-Payne sub
sidy bill will in all probability be intro
duced Immediately after the reassembIing
OF Congress next month. The bill, which
failed to pass at the last session of Con-
gress, was drafted for the purpose of ar
resting the decline and encouraging a re-
vival of shipping in this country. While
individual shipping men have declared
against individual features of the bill, yet
they believe in general that the beneficial
effects of such an act more than outweigh
possible discrepancies. On the other hand,
there are many who believe that a free
shipping law should obtain while still
others are of the opinion that the present
laws are good enough. The existing statute
prohibits every foreign built vessel from
receiving an American registry, whether or
not the owners are Americans. a few ex-
ceptions to this rule have been allowed.
Under free ship law vessels built in for
eign countries could receive an American
registry. Many of those persons who for
lGIlS DtllENtu III Il Tree snip ldN. uUH ever
are now in favor of the Hanna-Payne bi !
which, if passed, would admit foreign yes
sells to American registry after certain con-
ditions were complied with. The recent
acquisition by this country of Hawaii and
Porto Rico and the occupation of Cuba,
with the consequent possibilities in the
way Of export trade, have now raised in
other than shipping circles. an imperative
demand that some action be taken with a
view to encouraging such trade.
The principal aims of the bill have been
summarized by its authors in twelve sec
tions which are follows:
In order to obtain the earliest possible
action pursuant to the policy of the United
States. the bill provides for bringing under
I the American flag and the protection of
| United States laws, the few foreign built
ships now actually owned or contracted for
by American citizens and in which vessels
and in whose trade American capital has
been and actually is invested. These ships
have been built and their trade established
under a foreign flag because the ships
could not be fitted out and built here and
operated at cost that would enable them
| successfully to compete with ships and
trade Of foreigners, aided as the Europeans
are. have been, and will continue TO be,
| by their own Governments.
In order that American shipbuilders may
not suffer the second section OF the bill
provides that the American registry of
| these foreign vessels is conditioned upon
their owners building here and putting
into our own trade at the earliest practi-
cable time new vessels of tonnage fairly
proportionate to that Of the admitted ships.
! The coastwise trade is protected by the
following: None Of these foreign built
ships and none OF the new ships to be built
here are permitted to engage in our coast
wise trade, but are permitted to engage
in trade with such other ports belonging
to the United States as ships under foreign
! flags are permitted TO trade with.
The sixth section provides that all own
! ers Of American trading ships are re
| quired TO undertake the construction OF
new ships of tonnage fairly proporuonate
| to that Of ships claiming the benefit OF
this act, and all ships so doing must carry
mail free OF charge
All ships must be built so as to be read