Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-02-07
rHE SIP SUBSIDY ELL.
Actual Effect of the Measure Now
Pending In Congress.

committee on merchant marine and
fisheries thus exposes the actual eff
fects of the ship subsidy bill which
Senator Hanna and bis friends in the
international Navigation company are
making such strenuous efforts to get
through the present congress:
A careful examination Of the terms
of the bill and of the conditions of
shipbuilding and shipownlng, as stated
by the commissioner of navigation.
bas convinced us that the real effect
of this bill viii not be to encourage
the building Of ships which would
not otherwise be built or to in
crease trade, but to further increase
the profits of the already prosper
GUS lines which without subsidy have
been built or contracted for the very
ships to subsidize which this bill is
framed
Mr.. Grlscom in House Hearings,
pages "a and 25, explained as to ships
which would be specially favored;
81 should say oThand that the II
knot ship of the largest possible size,
that would carry about 10000 tons,
would be the ship that under that
Subsidy bill would get the best com.
pensation-tha Is, II knots IS about
the speed that we think is economical
speed to do the business, especially on
the Pacific and also on the Atlantic.
We have ships building Of between
10000 and 1900 donsl and Of moder.
ate speed. great many are building
in Great Britain now which will carry
10000 tons If cargo and not measure
10000 Registered TONNAGE
"Of such ships there are c0mpnIa-
lively few Ia the world today. II Is
only recently that they have been
built ut all. In 1893, the greatest year
for shlpbuildlng Of which we have
read in the worlds history. bot six
ln all were turned out four IN Great
Britain and two In Germany But on
Sept 80, 1879. there were then building
Of such vessels 10 Ia Great Britain and
several IN Germany largely for subsidy
promised hy this bin"
AS mos, Of these ships were being
constructed under contracts made iu
1907 md 1895 and for The lines repre-
scented on the committee whIth drew
thc original subsidy Till and sent Il %
congress IN isyS. Il only remains 10 be
stated that. az senator Frye has cN.
planned tsouato hearings y. p Il was
IN 1897 TINT the culcrie lphiud this bin
was formed Having originally plan
ned q bet IN oHly foreign ships con.
trartrd fer abroad Jan J. 800 they
Immediately proceeded TO place their
contracts
The date was not changed 20 Ian. ].
1900. until II WIS too tate f0r those out
side az this coirrie 10 secure contracts
on that date
We sec no reason why pnll a favored
few should Doe permitted GO bring 10
foreign ships md get subsidy upon
them and believe thni tile date should
be SCI ahead 20 thal ail wili hare an
equal opportunity % take advantage ~
our cuuniry~ generosity
The "argo" amendment, while it VIII
probably not hurt aufhndy will cer
fauy never touch Jhe ovnrrs u gas
aongp steamers Under So steamships
lir the ft E8ul would uat nrei o. ear
- more tHau 1870 or 2pap taaa 81 car
go lo rgt thn ipll utRl3y. while they
newer rrr our pHu VIII rrfl lo
thau q fHH cargo $3.50 20 2Eo toms
Should It nvcr Happen TINT lHrF would
" % Or iaave our ports wIiJ less than
l.r0u toms tisr owners hn,r iBt 20 srn