The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-19

cal year promise an even more satisfac-
tory record. For the first time since the
civil war broke out the documented tom
mage Of the United States exceeds 5000, 0OO
gross tens. On June 80. 1900. American
documented tonnage comprised 1888 YES
sells Of 5,164,S39 gross tons, an increase
OF 100000 tons over the previous fiscal
year. Our maximum tonnage was $685.
S13 tons in 1861. (our shipping was then
larger than Great Britain's, and nearly
equaled the British Empires. British
shipping now amounts to 1921 900 gross
tons.)
American vessels are almost wholly
confined to the coasting trade, which en-
ployed last year 4,33S,145 tonsA or more
than the total tonnage of Germany and
France. Our tonnage in the foreign trade
was only SIG, l95 tons. and carried last
year only per cent of our exports and
imports. century ago American ship
ping registered for foreign trade was &c.,
S21 tons. while this tonnage now in the
thirteen original States amounts to 49,. 9O7
tons.
FOR serious competition with foreign
nations in the ocean carrying trade we
steamships over 1000 tons, aggregating
2oo,S25 tons. Single foreign steamship
corporations own greater tonnage. Japan
mas 50 ocean steamships of over 1000
tons, aggregating $4,000 tons. Besides
these steamships we have 125 registered
square-rigged sail vessels. over ]. 600 tons
each, for the deep-sea trade. More than
naii OF these are over twenty years old,
ana as such vessels disappear their places
are not supplied by new construction.
Our tonnage is distributed between I'll.
Atlantic and. Gulf Coast, 2,727. S92 gross
tons; Great Lakes. 1,565.5S7 tons; Pacific
Coast, including Hawaii. 612.9O4 tons;
mississippi and tributary rivers, 25S 456
tons Our steam vessels amount to q
65I,7s1 tons; documented canal boats and
barges to $4,000 tons. and the remainder,
1,SS4,S42 TONS are sail vessels and schoan-
er barges.
The increase in our shipping during The
decade was 740,342 tons. of which 2.523
tons stand to the credit of the Great
Lakes The increase in ten years on tn.
Pacific has been 1874, 512 tons, due mainly
10 Alaskan and Hawaiian trade, and on
the Atlantic and Gulf Coast only IS. 297
IONS. while the tonnage on the Mississip-
pi and tributaries has decreased &c. COO
TONS
The report is chiefly devoted to the re-
lations of the United States to the worlds
ocean carrying trade, and for this pur-
pose changes in the worlds shipping dur
Ing the past ten years are examined in
some detail. Since 1890 the worlds
steamships have increased from u $50. GOD
gross tons to 22,369,00O gross tons. sail
vessels have decreased from 9. 166 600 tons
TO 6.614,000 tons, and the effective carry
Ing power of the worlds merchant fleet
has increased 60 per cent.
The most notable change in the worlds
shipping has been In the size of steam
ships In 1880 there were 2IS ocean
steamships Of 1000 tons or over while
now $50 such steamships aggregatine
5,600.000 tons constitute one-fourth of the
worlds steam tonnage. Increased speed,
though great, has been less noteworthy.
VI the ocean steam tonnage of $780, Is
per cent, a23 screw steamships, 1,65O, 900
tons, were Of II knots or over. or ocean
steam tonnage in 1900, "a per cent, 1.109
screw steamships Of $3.50. 600 tons are of |
IL knots or over 1
Revolution Caused by Steel.
The hulls of 60 per cent of the worlds |
shipping are now made of steel compared |
with only 20 per cent in 1890 Steel has
radically changed the Industrial organi-
zation Of the worlds shipbuilding and
chinery, great capital, and the employ
nent Of large numbers of specially trained
thus concentrating the worlds
A list Of thirty principal |
of the United States. Great |
Britain. Germany, and France is given
which build 60 per cent of the steamships
built in the world during a year includ-
ing war vessels except those building in
Government yards.
ont ~ nr nj 6a L
Ing has been as notable during the decade
rs the Capitalization of shipbuilding.
list is printed of the thirty principal |
steamship companies of the world which
own 1000 steamships of 5.616, 600 gross
tons dncluding some vessels now build
Ing), or one-quarter in tonnage and more
that one-quarter in carrying power Of the
worlds ocean steamships. OF these only
nine of 81 600 tons. owned by the Inter
national Navigation Company are Ameri-
can. Ocean carrying. through regular
passenger and freight lines, is being as
Simulated to the methods and conditions
Of trunk railroad transportation.
On the basis of the gross earnings re- |
ported by principal foreign steamship COM |
,anies IL is estimated that during 1899 the
,ross earnings of steam and sail vessels
Z the foreign carrying trade Of all nations
mounted to S7Go 900. 600.
eQuires about 20 per cent of the worlds
eagoing tonnage In foreign trade, includ-
ng the largest, fastest, and most expen-
i've steamships. The weight OF our ex-
,crts by sea In 1899 was "a 600 600 tons, |
4 2.240 pounds. To carry these exports and
essengers including immigrants requires
teady employment throughout the year Of
bout Lice steamships. aggregating $780,
90 gross tons, and 300 sailing vessels of
600 900 TONS The number and tonnage OF
essels actually engaged is. of course
arger as obviously many vessels are en-
aged only part OF the year in the trade / /;
( the United States.
The problem of ocean transportation at |
his time is essentially one OF transporta- !
lon by steel screw steamships. The pur-
oses TO which wooden fore and aft YES |
els and steel sQuare-rigged vessels are
dapted are important hut restricted. The
uez Canal reduced opportunities for sail
essels, and the Nicaragua Canal will fur ,
her reduce them.
Present Outlook Promising.
In the past ten years Great Britain has
uilt 1888 steel steamships Of 9,7a300
ons, while the United States has built | I
s. steel steam vessels of 743, 900 tons, of $
'hich 1875 of $50 900 tons were built on the .
reat Lakes. Our entire construction for q
he decade is not much more than half of 4
reet Britain's output of 100000 tons s
urlng 1885. We have built for the foreign | I
rade since 1890 only "a steel steamships of Y
D 600 tons and OF this total II steamships
Sc. 900 tons were built as mail steamships '
nder the Postal Subsidy acts. II the e
utlook for the building of steel steam +
hips In the United States were not at
resent more promising than Of late years II
'gislation for the development OF Ameri- e
IN shipping would probably prove futile. ! II
On August L. 1900, es merchant steel 4