The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-05
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS-
DOWN TO ACTUAL BUSINESS,

why nny man should favor free phIps M
q remedy. In this connection he refer
rcd to the ship yards OF the United
Stntes md expressed the opinion thnt n
great maritime nation illee ours might
nS well be WITHOUT n constitution us to
be without ship yards. a,
Mr.. Frye showed how much greater
wns the cost OF building and operating
shlps under the American flag. II
these exports were rot greater. he said,
there would be no excuse for tho pend
Ing bill and Its foundation would fall.
He presented. therefore, nm array of ng-
iires to prove that It cost not only more
to construct American ships. but more
TO operate them after they were built
than foreign ships. His figures lndI-
Gated that ships OF Great Britain had
an advantage OF from 81 80 to $5 per
gross ton over American ships in tho
expense OF construction and operation.
He related the incident cited by Mr..
Clyde. OF the Clyde Steamship Com
pnny. before the commerce ecinrllttcr,
OF tn! operation OF q ship under the
Norwegian iiag AMI nm exactly similar
vessel under the American flag. The
expense OF operating the Norwegian
ship. he said. was Just half that OF
operating tho American ship between
the same ports. HI EE"
Can't Compete With othor Nations.
Mr.. Frye referred to the limo OF veg.
sells run by the late John Roach. from
New York to BraZil. They cana into
competition with n limo OF Spanish SHIPS
exactly similar In size and speed TO the
American ships. The Spanish vessels
had yearly advantage OF $l.1.05) over
the American ships and could make
money carrying freight at IS per ton.
while tho American vessels, In order to
make money. Ind to charge 81 20 per
ton. Mr.. Roach was forced to sell the
line OF vessels and Mr.. Thurber and tho
other purchasers Of the ships eventually
lost their ontirc investment.
Mr. Frye then took up that provision
of the bill which provides the amount
Of subsidy TO be paid vessels and ex-
planned how tho payment was regulated.
Flo sald that by the terns OF tn. meas
ure, n ten-knot vessels for 115 days
would draw $4,000 n year beyond the
cost of her coal handling and that the
amount OF subsidy would in percentage
diminlnh with the Increase of the speed
Of the ship. ~ /, II.
Advantage to Slow Speed Vessels. I
Mr.. Clay. tGcorgia), asked II 1t were
true that u twcnty-onn knot ship would
draw under the bill 1904 900 year.
Mr.. Frye replied that the amount
drawn by such vessel would bo about
$4,000 In excess OF her coal consump-
ton and handling. 's"
But" persisted Mr.. Clay, "is not the
gross amount OF tho subsidy OF the
twcnty.one knot ship s3oi,O9O per year
under this blll7"
Mr.. Frye admitted that It was. II
understand" said Mr.. Clay. chat the
ten knot and twelve knot ships which
carry the agricultural products OF the
country do not derive moro than one
third the subsidy OF tho fast passenger
vessels which carry no agricultural pro.
ducts"
"And | was showing" responded Mr..
Frye, that the low Epccd vessels were
tho ones which received the actual ben
cllts from the subsidy and not the fast
passenger ships" .., .,'
At thls point Mr.. Frye yielded the
floor for the day md tho senate at 1866
p. M. hold brief executive session. af-
ter which It adjourned