Evening journal., 1900-11-23

only y, OF aolsDOu IONS, owned Dy Lne
International Navigation Company,
are American.
The export trade Of the United
States requires about 20 per cent. Of
the worlds seagoing tonnage in for
eign trade, including the largest, fast
est and most expensive steamships.
The weight OF our exports by sea in
1899 was 24,O00,0OO tons, Of 2,24o
pounds. To carry these exports and
passengers. including immigrants, re-
quires steady employment throughout
the year of about ] 200 steamships, ag-
.gregating $500. 900 gross tons, and / 300
sailing vessels of 100000 tons. The
number Of tonnage Of vessels actually
engaged is, Of course, larger, as many
vessels are engaged only part of the
year in the trade of the United States.
In the past ten years Great Britain
has built 4,6SS steel steamships OF o.
$4,000 tons. while the United States
has built 465 steel steam vessels Of
743, 900 tons, Of which 1913 OF 450, 900
tons were built on the great lakes.
Our entire construction for the decade
Is not much more than half of Great
Britain's output of 100000 tons dur
ing 1899. We have built for the for
eign trade since 1890 only twenty-four
steel steamships of $4,000 tons, and Of
'this total eleven steamships of $4,000
tons were built as mail steamships
under the Postal Subsidy acts.
On August IS. 1900, sixty-eight mer-
chant steam vessels, aggregating 27S,-
900 tons. and forty-seven naval YES
sells, 10000 tons Cdisplacement,) were
building or contracted for Contracts
since That date bring the merchant
total up to 100000 tons, including
about 100000 tons on the lakes. Con-
gross has authorized 179, 800 tons (dis-
placement of naval vessels, not as yet
contracted for. Part OF the merchant
construction will not be completed in
two years more, but the current year
will record much the largest amount
OF steel shipbuilding in our history.
A freight steamship carrying 5000
tons cargo now costs $275,OOO in the
United States. compared with S214,OOO
in Great Britain. though steel is much
cheaper here than abroad. Besides
labor cost. the British advantage lies
in the enormous scale OF production.
Great Britain being the worlds "de-
partment store" Of shipping Monthly
wages on the American vessel are
81 200, against 5000 on the British ship.
Comparisons are made with foreign
subsidies to fast steamships, which ag-
gregate s2OOOO,OOO annually, and the
report holds that the subsidies pro-
posed for similar American steam
ships are not more than adequate to
secure American ocean mail services
to the great continents equivalent TO
those of Great Britain, Germany and
France. In the past sixty years Great
Britain and her colonies have spent
over s24O.OOO, 900 for British ocean mail
steamships.
On the basis Of foreign voyages ac-
tually made by American vessels, ag-
gregating 100000 gross tons, during
the calendar year 1899, the report says
the expenditures under the Senate
Subsidy bill would have been S2,907,-
900, and under the House bill S2,790,-
900. Details and estimates show that,
with the additional shipping eligible.
the cost during the first year Of the
bills operation would be about S4,5OO,-
600. The maximum Of $4,000 600. it is
said. probably would be attained dur
ing ,l90l-5. when a reduction of subsidy
rates would be necessary.
By that time the building Of over
100000 tons Of ocean steamships and
the necessary increase in number and
extent Of our shipyards. the report de-
clares, would have materially reduced
the cost Of shipbuilding in the United
States, compared with Great Britain
and Germany. Under the bill in five
years American steamships in foreign
trade, IL is stated, would doubtless
reach 100000 tons and sail vessels
65O.OO0 tons, sufficient to carry about
one-third Of our ocean trade.
Tonnage taxes were $780, ASP In view
OF Our great expenditures for harbor
improvements and lighting the coast,
the report declares, there seems to be
no reason why our tonnage taxes
should be so much less than cores.
ponding foreign charges.