The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-15
A Danger to Our Commerce.

There is one consideration. urging the
immediate passage Of legislation to re-
habilitate the merchant marine. which
has not as yet been strongly brought out.
yet which Is of overwhelming Importance.
At the present time 90 per cent. OF all
of the foreign commerce Of the United
States Is being carried on in foreign ships.
British ships do the bulk of the carrying
inroads into 1t. particularly on the At
lantic seaboard. In other words. the en-
tire foreign commerce OF the United
States. involving thousands of millions
of dollars. Ia practically at the mercy of
the ship-owners of, the two nations OF
the world which are this country's strong
great European war is among the
possibilities, indeed among the probabni-
ties of the future. Should such a war
arise, involving Great Britain and Ger
maryland It is more than probable that
both OF them Will be involved In tho
next great international contest--what
will become OF the foreign commerce of
the United States? In case of war to
which Great Britain was a party, her
ships would be the prey of every cruiser
that her adversaries could put upon the
seas. The same would be the case IL
Germany We're party. Whether the
captures approached proportions to affect
seriously the volume of tonnage or not
the additional risk involved would result
In heavily increasing oceanic freight
rates. Further than this. European
war would Immediately be followed by
the withdrawal of an enormous tonnage
of fast merchant steamships from trade
TO he fitted up "a auxiliary cruisers. The
fast steamships which both Great Brit
ain and Germany have been building for
years past have been constructed with
special reference to possible government
requirements in case Of war. and a very
large percentage OF the officers Of Brit.
ish steamships hold today commissions
In the naval reserve. and their services
will be called for In case of the outbreak
| OF hostilities. Add to this the number
| of merchant vessels which viii be with.
| drawn from trade for use as army trans
ports, and as naval GOLFERS ana supply
and hospital ships. and some idea can
be had Of the fatal effect which a general
European war would have upon American
| commerce.
This Is not an alarmIst view OF the
situation, but bare recital OF existing
| conditions. How true Il is Is shown even
| by the prevailing conditions In tonnage
The troubles in China have Withdrawn
| from the merchant service a large num-
Der Of vessels. which ere being used az
transports and supply ships The south
| African war has also withdrawn a large
number OF other vessels The result Il
! seen IN the advanced rates OF charter
/ Of wheat ships from this Coast. and the
ruling high freight rates witch prevail
| on the Atlantic. Every large wheat
raiser IN the state Of Washington has
been absolutely muicsed In a larger sum
of money than his ordinary yearly con-
trlbuiion TO the federal revenues OF bis
own country, through the tonnage short
age which prevails as result NJ wars
which. from an International standpoint.
are insignificant.
In the early days Of the present century
and the closing days o. the last one.
European Wars were the making OF
American commerce, But that commerce
was carried on In American ships; and
| beyond the minor disturbance TO 1t sAus-