The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-19
GOOD SHIPPING RECORD
But NOT so GOOD AS 1T EASILY
MIGHT BE MADE.
Statistics of American Foreign Trade
Show the Necessity for Encour-
agement by Legislation.
,ecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special 10 the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1S.-The report OF
Commissioner of Navigation Chamberlain
considers the past fiscal year the most
prosperous period known to American
shipping for some years. Returns for the
current fiscal year promise an even more
satisfactory record.
For the first time since the civil war
broke out the documented tonnage of the
United States exceeds 100000 gross tons.
On June 30. 1900. American documented ton
mage comprised 1888 vessels of 5l64.SS9
gross tons. an increase of 100000 tons over
the previous fiscal year. Our maximum
tonnage was 5,5S9.S13 tons in 1861.
American vessels are almost wholly con-
fined to the coasting trade. which employed
last year 433s.145 tons. or more than the
total tonnage of Germany and France.
Our tonnage in the foreign trade was only
S16.795 tons. and carried last year only 3
per cent OF our exports and imports.
century ago American shipping registered
for foreign trade was 66s,921 tons, while
this tonnage now i'm the thirteen original
States amounts to as, s07 tons.
For serious competition with foreign ma
tons in the ocean-carrying trade we are
practically restricted to ninety-seven regis
tered steamships over 1000 tons. aggregat-
ing 26O.325 tons. Single foreign steamship
corporations own greater tonnage. Japan
has eighty-three ocean steamships of over
1900 tons. aggregating 2S6,0O0 tons. Besides
these steamships we have lbs registered
square-rigged sail vessels, over 1000 tons
each, for deep-sea trade More than half
of these are over twenty years old, and
such vessels disappear their places are
not supplied by new construction.
The report is chiefly devoted to the rela-
tions 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 steam
ships have increased from IL. 9S5, 900 gross
tons to 22.S69.0o0 gross tons, sail vessels
have decreased from 9,166,000 tons TO 6,67i.
coo tons, and the effective carrying power
of the worlds merchant fleets has in
creased 60 per cent.
The most notable change in the worlds
shipping has been in the size OF steam
ships. In 1890 there were 21S' ocean steam
ships of 400 tons or over, while now $50
such steamships, aggregating 5.600,000 tons.
constitute one-fourth OF the worlds steam
MOSTLY STEEL HULLs.
The bulls 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 organiza-
ton of the worlds shipbuilding and ship
| owning. 1t requires expensive machinery,
great capital and the employment of large
numbers of specially trained mechanics.
| thus concentrating the worlds shipbuid-
| ing. A list of thirty principal shipyards 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, including war vessels, ex-
| cept those building in government yards.
Concentration of the worlds ship own
| ing has been as notable during the decade
| as the Capitalization of shipbuiding. A
| list is printed of the thirty principal steam
| ship companies of the world, which own
| loo steamships of 5,66,000 gross tons, in
| Guiding some vessels now building, or one
| quarter i'm tonnage and more tnan one
| quarter in carrying power OF the world
ocean steamships. or these only nine. of
| Navigation Company: are American.
Ocean carrying through regular passenger
and freight lines is being assimilated 10
| the methods and conditions of trunk rail-
road transportation.
| On the basis of the gross earnings re-
| ported by principal foreign steamship COM
| panies it is estimated that during 1899 the
gross earnings OF steam and sail vessels
| in the foreign carrying trade of all ma
| lions amount to xlOO,OOOOOO.
The export trade OF the United States
requires about 20 per cent. of the world
seagcing tonnage in foreign trade. includ-
ing 'ae iarger. fT The and most erpen
| ports by sea in 1899 was 2i.000.0O0 tons Of
! 2,240 pounds. To carry these exports and
| passengers, including immigrants. requires
steady employment throughout the year
of about 200 steamships aggregating $780,
| COO gross tons and 1900 sailing vessels of
l,0cOOOO tons. The number and Tonnage of
larger, as obviously many vessels
gagged only part Of the year in the trade OF
the United States.
The problem of ocean trans portation at
| this time Is essentially one of transporta-
| lion by steel screw steamships. The pur-
POSES to which wooden fore and aft vessels
and steel sGuare-rigged vessels are adapted
are important but restricted The Sues
canal reduced opportunities for sail yes
sells and the Nicaragua canal will further
reduce them
In the past ten years Great Britain has
built 4.o0o steel steamships Of $4,000 tons.
while the United States has built 4s5 steel
steam vessels of 600 tons, of which 1.S.
| OF $4,000 tons. were built on the great
| lakes. Our entire construction for the
| decade is not much more than half OF
| Great Britains output OF 1.3i0.0o0 tons dur
! ing 1899 We have built for the foreign
| trade. since 1890. only a steel steamships
| of 1900 tons. and of this total II steam
| ships OF $500 tons were built as mail
| steamships under the postal subsidy acts.
| If the outlook for the building OF steel
| steamships I'm the United States wero1 not
| at present more promising than of late
years legislation for the development OF
American shipping probably would prove
| futile.
LEGISLATION NEEDED.
| The coasting law and its recent extern
sions, our heavy expenditures for naval
construction. and the building OF vessels
to replace those bought tor transports and
| the postal subsidy law have given steel
ship building its recent stimulus. In the
United States the conditions have now
been established. abundance OF capital.
| cheap materials. practical experience. con-
structive talent and skilled labor. which.
| II brought together by demand for Amss~
lean vessels. created ~ lsolslatien. gnAs-