New-York tribune., 1900-11-03
NEED OF A MERCHANT MARINE.
MUST HAVE MORE VESSELS FOR EXPAND
ING COMMERCE. AFTER MKINLEY
is ELECTED

IS ELECTED.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: This Republican. Administration has been
remarkable for the development of the commerce
of the United States. The exports have increased
by leaps and bounds to .2z7 100000 in value, and
imports $697 200.
Besides our Western farm products, we now lead
In the worlds supply of coal. iron and steel, and
abroad
The volume Of exports by vessels in 1893 is
estimated to be 100000 weight equal to full
cargoes of 1000 steamships of 1000 tons weight ca
pacity. a moderate type of boat which is now in
the carrying trade or about seventy-seven dis
patches each week
Assuming that the people will re-elect President
Mckinley. and that the prosperous times Will con-
tinue. they will advance and we must prepare
for great future needs.
The incongruty IN equipment as leading
nation, for chagrn we contemplate our
great commerce. is our dependence upon the ves-
sells of other countries for the carriage OF our
goods.
Only per cent of exports by sea are being
carried by American vessels. and only "a per cent
OF our traffic with Europe
The industry of American ship owning mas oe-
come almost extinct, but the field is great and
well repays the capital and enterprise that under
take It.
In 17e9 law enacted permitting all vessels
then owned by Americans. whether domestic or
foreign built to be registered for foreign trade and
thereafter only vessels built in this country were
to be granted registry; the coastwise and inland
commerce limited to vessels built in the United
States and owned by citizens and enrolled
This domestic tonnage has grown 10 ABOUT
1000 900 tons and is actively engaged. The tonnage
in foreign trade reached its zenith in lS6l-264S0O
tons.
During the Civil War there sold 10 go under
foreign flags 300 900 tons Our commerce was great
Iy interrupted, and the investment of capital was
diverted to the building OF transcontinental rail-
roads.
The English built iron ships proved superior to
those of wooden construction. and we could neither
build such buy those OF foreign construction
account of the law of 1899, and II resulted that
the protection of the shpbuilders to the vessels
for foreign commerce brought to them no
orders, but afforded to foreigners open course FOR
their vessels without competition.
Now we have of registered vessels about 100000
TONS but not one-half of these adapted to the
over-ocean worlds commerce, not one-tenth of
them the latest type of steamships which the Tor
egners are building and using in our commerce.
The superior quality of American steel and the
equipment Of a half dozen building plants have In
recent years developed construction of battleships
and merchant steamships second to no other ma
ton Our builders do not profess yet to build so
cheaply the English yards. and they are pressed
with contracts for war vessels for our Government
and for other countries and for the foreign and
coastwise trade
President Mckinley has been mindful of our emer-
sency as in his annual message of December. 1898.
he recommended, expressed in detail by the re-
port of the Secretary of the Treasury that for a
short term privileges should be accorded cti-
zens to buy steamships abroad and bring them un-
der American registry for tho foreign trade, pro-
yided that the owners became obligated to also con-
tract for building in the United States a similar
volume of tonnage, and in order to encourage the
growth Of the dormant industry of vessel owning
that a bounty should be paid according to the
mileage Of the voyages from to foreign coun-
tries In commerce. This recommendation was
repeated in the Presidents Message of December,
1899 and marks his craftsmanship.
There will not be. there is not, lacking enterprise