The evening times., 1900-01-26

The State Department has received
letter from Talbot J. Albert Consul to
Brunswick, which treats of shipbuilding in
Germany Among other things, the letter
says:
The people in the United States do not
yet fully realize the tremendous progress
being made by Germany in all directions.
Only few years ago all, or nearly all,
the steamships employed in the trans-At-
lantic service of Germany were built at
Glasgow or Belfast, or some other English
port Now these conditions are rapidly
changing. Germany builds her own yes
sells. The enterprise of the shipyards of
Stettin, Hamburg, Danzig and kiel bears
witness to this fact. A steamship wholly
constructed and equipped in Germany
the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse-has for
several years had the best record for quick
passages across the Atlantic, and has not
been surpassed by the latest product of
English marine architecture-the Oceanic.
AN article which appeared in the Bruins
wick Landeszeitung, in the edition of No
vember "A last. advocating an increase in
the German navy on account of the in
crease of the country's commerce, says:
GermaDys development is shown not
only by the increase of our exports to over
81 600. 600, 000 but also by the constant inn
proyement i'm the position of Germany
commercial feet and in shipbuilding. OF
course, in these respects England is yet
far in advance. 1t has to thank its insular
position for its standing as commercial
power, and its peaceful colonial policy, al
ready existing more than a hundred years,
which brought il into immediate inter
course with the farthest countries Of the
earth.
d" According to the latest review Of the
commercial fleet of the world made in the
autumn of 1899. Germany has made re-
Gently a greater advance than England.
Germanys ocean steam fleets gained in the
last year PAS 600 gross tons and l49, 600 net;
the English only 100 600 gross and 10000
tons net An increase like that of the
German commercial feet has been shown
by no other country.
" On September 30, England had 1,Si1,-
000 tons of commercial ships in construc-
ton: Germany, 49,, 000. The difference is
still very great but one must reflect that
ten years ago German shpbuilding had al
most ceased. and that our coast and hdr-
bors lie far from the coal and iron dis
tricts.
All other states remain far behind Ger
many in shipbulding. Italy has 81, coo tons
in course OF construction; France, 81 900
tons United States. 6S. 0U0 tons. More
over. France is the only cne of all the
cultured countries which still busies isself
considerably with the building OF sailing
ships the greater half Of those newly built
are OF this class, while Germany and Eng
land cannot be said TO build such vessels
AT all. Among the steam fleets, for the
last ten years, the German takes the Sec
ond place; OF course, at great distance
behind the English Among the sailing
fleets, the American as well as the NoTwe-
gian. stand in advance of Germany. 1t is
not clear to US how much Of the Ameri-
can fleet is really an ocean fleet and how
much is employed On the five Great Lakes.
The Norwegian sailing feet is only ap-
paTenty superior to the German, because
the greater part OF il consists of old and
outrdnked vessels.
In 1899 the merchant marine of the four
leading countries ranked in this order:
Great Britain, Germany United States, and
France
The foregoing article shows that Ger
many now occupies the position which the
United States for many years enjoyed. be-
ing second to England in ocean transpor-
tation. Moreover in spite of many OBJ
stacles. Germany has obtained this posi-
tion in the short period of ten years. Com
pared with many other countries its coast
line is insignificant:
''On the North Sea. from the mouth of
the Ems. the western boundary, to the |
Danish border on the east, the distance is
$50 nautical, or sea, miles. II there be |
added TO this the courses Of the Ems 10 |
Emden t35 sea miles,, the Jade and Will |
helmshayen t25 sea miles), the Weser to |
to Hamburg (7O sea miles,, the German |
North Sea mileage is 80 sea miles.
The length Of the East Sea Kiel to the |
Danish boundary amounts to f60 sea miles |
and TO the Russian boundary, 620 sea miles |
The sea boundary of Germany at most is |
about |, 100 sea miles, and the greater part |
of this lies on comparatively inland sea- |
the Baltic or East Sea. At the same time. |
Germany only possesses two ports of great |
commercial Importance, namely, Hamburg |
and Bremen.
Again. its harbors and shipyards are |
situated at a distance from its coal mines |
and iron industries. which principally lie in |
Westphalia and the Rhine Province, viz: |
Hamburg, 237 miles; Bremen, 6.25 miles; |
Kiel 307.5 miles; Stettin, 413.15 miles; |
Danzig. 64375 miles.
This rapid development Of shipbuildng |
in Germany ii TO be attributed TO the en-
given by the government to
the shipbuilding interests, through liberal |
allowed the different CONNER
cial companies. In Germany. the doctrine
Of lei alone, if it ever had any exist
ence, has been supplanted by the doctrine
of protection.
1T is believed that what benefits one |
class benefits all, and what benefits the
greatest number without injury, or with
the least possible injury, is the true prin-
ciple of government. Since / have been
here / have heard no hue and cry about
class legislation, but each department of |
activity accepts, as if it were a matter of
course, the degree of encouragement and
protection accorded it.
AT the present time, every branch OF |
is neutrality-suspicious. manu-
facture, and commerce"