The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-02
NEED FOR AMERICAN SHIPS.
WE SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON For
EIGN SHIPPING.

senate Committee Reports on the
Shipping BiII-Reasons for the De-
cline of American ShippinG-Pas-
sage of the Bill Would Eject n
Great Reduction in Ocean Rates.
What Ii Would Add to Americas
Deficient Merchant Marine.
Washington, March 1.-The report pre-
pared by Senator Frye upon the shipping
bill reported by the Committee on Com
merce of the Senate was made public to-
day.
The report begins by asserting "the
self-evident value of national merchant
marine" explains and deplores our al
most entire dependence upon foreign ship
ping for our ocean carrying, suggests the
danger of reliance upon the merchant
ships of other nations which may become
involved is war, the possible complete eX-
clusion of American exports from their
regular foreign markets in such contin-
gency, and points out that the wholesale
| transfer of the tonnage of a belligerent
nation to a neutral flag would unquestion-
ably involve such shipping in difficulties,
seizures and detentions.
The British Boer war has materially re-
duced means of transportation and en-
barrassed our ocean mail service. The
humiliation of our reliance upon foreign
vessels bought and chartered during our
war with Spain is referred to- and the
broad ground is taken that under those
sections of the constitution which empow-
er Congress TO provide for the COM
mon defenses and general welfare is found
the highest authority for the promotion
OF our merchant marine.
Three prime reasons are given for the
decline of the American shipping in The
foreign trade, namely:
First. The greater cost of building ships
in the United States than elsewhere.
Second. The greater cost of operating
American as compared with foreign ships
and
Third. Causes based on foreign legisla-
tive encouragement.
The suggestions that this situa ton may
be overcome by the free admission of
foreign built ships to American registry
is met by pointing out that if such adj
mission were unconditional, it would re-
suit in destroying existing American ship
yards on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Reduction in Ocean Rates.
The passage of the bill, it is claimed,
would probably effect a reduction of $25,
000CG0 a year in ocean rates on American
commerce, through the additional ship
ping and the competition that would be
created.
Foreign opposition" the report says
lis being concentrated upon the bill, be-
cause foreign shipping interests clearly
see that they viii be seriously injured by
the replacing of American for the foreign
vessels now in our foreign trade.
The maximum annual expenditures are
fixed al 100000 in the bill. About 81 5O0,-
900 is now being paid 10 American ships
under normal conditions for carrying our
malls a sum which should be deducted
from the additional expenses of the oper-
alton of this bill. About 100000 additional
tons of new shipping, costing approx
| mately $40O00,0O0 and occupying several
years in its construction, would have to
be built in the United States if this bill
| is passed, before the maximum expendi-
ture of 100000 could be reached.
More Money for Fast Vessels.
| The special higher compensation provid-
| ed for steamships of twelve knots speed
| and over is also deliberately explained
There are but SOL seagoing screw steam
| ships in the world to-day that come with
| in the size and speed conditions that
| higher compensation is fixed for and of
| these twenty-five are protected by the
| coasting laws of the United States, while
| the balance receive from their respective
| governments upward of $4,000, 900 annually
| 1t equallZeS the advantages enJOye1 by me
| foreign rivals of prospective high-spe9d
| American vessels. 1t is expected that
some of $4,000 tons of foreign built vessels
now owned or building for American cit
! liens will be admitted to American regis
| ter under the terms of this bill, their own
| ers being required 10 build equal tonnage
| in the United States before receiving any
| compensation.
| A vessel cannot receive full compensa-
| ton unless she carries One-half of cargo
The committee states that when ship
| building yards have been sufficiently de-
| veloped and have work enough to keep
| them going all the time, the cost of con-
structing ships in the United States will be
| reduced The growth of shipbuiding in
| the United States would give employment
| to a vast army of men In the ship yards
and in the iron, steel and other industries
| connected with shipbuilding."
The report also states:
LAS the most promising field for the
| future development of our markets for ag-
ricultural products is northern and tenn
perate Asia, the committee believes that
| our grain fields and cotton plantations will
| gain in greater proportion from the enact
ment of the law than the seaboard ship
| building and ship-owning states"