Evening star., 1901-11-09
GROWTH OF OUR SHIPPING
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF
NAVIGATION.
American Tonnage Practically At
tains the Maximum of 1S61-De-
crease In Foreign Trade.

The report of the commissioner of navi-
CATION states that the past fiscal year has
been the third successive year of notable
prosperity and growth in American ship
ping, exceeding the two previous years
The extent and nature of work under way
or projected in shipyards promises an even
greater growth for the current fiscal year
American tonnage has now practically at
tained the former maximum of 1851. The
figures of 1901 compared with 1861 show an
increase in coasting trade vessels from
27O4. .j+4 tons to 4,5S2.6 .6S3 tons Gwo-thirds
of this increase being on the Great Lakes
a decrease in foreign trade vessels from
2. 496 S94 tons to S79J9J tons, and decrease
in whaling and fishing vessels from 33s,SIo
tons to 81 $40 tons.
OF our total tonnage 3,623,201 tons are
wooden vessels, and only 1,901,01T tons are
iron or steel. In 1899 Great Britain launch
ed I44O,OoO tons of steel vessels.
Porto Rico appears in the returns with
twenty-five vessels of I,29I tons, and Ha-
wall with siXty-four vessels of 3I,143 tons.
In the Philippines 23t0 vessels of 102.aS1
tons (Of which 149 vessels of - J9S tons are
steam vessels) are under American protec-
tiOn. Until Congress has so enacted the
Philippine vessels are not vessels of the
United States.
Carried Little of Cur Foreign Trade.
AlInOUSn registered American NeSSeIS III
creased s., 435 tons during the year, Ameri-
can vessels carried only 81 per cent of our
exports and imports, the smallest percent
age in our history.
Our fleet of ocean steamers in foreign
trade is too small to be compared with
that of foreign nations. 1t is compared
with the fleets of the four large British and
German steamship corporations, each of
which exceeds the American fleet in ton
mill nd huSiUpSS
The tonnage built and dOcumented in the
United States during the past fiscal year
comprised l.JS1 vessels of 1854 gross tons.
An analysis of this construction was print
ed in July.
The steel vessels under construction or
under contract during the current fiscal
year will much exceed similar TONNAGE
built in any previous year The bureau IS
advised of eighty-nine such merchant YES
sells of 3;I5.645 gross TONS to be valued a
about S}6OOOOn1. Besides these. seventy
one naval vessels of 2s1,liS tons displace-
ment are building at contract prices of SIS,-
O01,O00. In this work forty-four plants with
a capital of about st;S.OD1.OO0 employing
about 46.13p men are engaged.
Depends ON Congress.
The building of ten transatlantic steamers
presumably rests on anticipated legislation
by Congress. Six for the Atlantic Transport
line are building from the same plans used
in building steamers in England for the
same company. The American cost of
steamer of the Minnehaha type will be
81 ,s46s0O, the British cost 200. The
American cost of the smaller transatlantic
cargo steamers will be SI29OOO for which
the British price ranges from 1854, 200 20
S4S6.OO0-
The difference N wages on American and
foreign vessels IS considered in detail. In
illustration the paw roll excluding masterD
of $50 men on the steamer St. Louis is
S11 800: of 42I men on the British Oceanic
is $1,000 and of 500 men on the German
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse S7,115. The
German is the fastest steamship, the Amer
lean is the smallest
The report contains detailed statement
of the foreign voyages of American vessels
last year. showing that the American flag
was seen much oftener the North At
lantic during President Jefferson's embargo
GSGS), during the cruises of the Ala
bama. than at present. Foreign shipping
In our Pacific trade has doubled in three
years
American Ownership of Ocean Steam
The purchase of the LeyIand line is con-
s:dered as evidence that American capital
is willing to invest in ocean steamships,
that there is an advantage to American ex-
pcrters in American control of ocean steam
ships even if not under tie American flag,
ard that in the coming development of our
ocean transportation facilities the union Of
trunk railroad lines and steamship corpo-
rations will be an important factor.
Including the Leyland purchase American
capital owns fully $4,000 tons of steamers
under foreign flags, which, in actual carry
ing power, exceed all American vessels now
engaged in foreign trade The War and
Navy Department also own 126Si7 gross
tons of foreign Euilt transports and col
hers. BY various special acts fifty-six for
eisn-built vessels Of H., ,1S7 gross tons have
been admitted to registry. American money
accordingly. of late years has purchased
93l.0D tons of foreign-built steel steamers
while since 1891 there have been built in
the United States 1.OO6,G00 tons of steel
steam vessels of all kinds.
The principal foreign and American ocean
mail contracts are printed in full in the
report, and it is shown that at the present
prices of steamships British ocean mail
contracts are more advantageous for steam
ship lines than American contracts under
the act of 1891.
The report contains the usual statistical
tables of American shipping. and also ta-
bles illustrating the growth of British ana
German shipping. II will not be printed for
distribution until December.