The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-12
- THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.

Tn discussing the benefits of the Ship
subsidy bill two or three historical
facts should be called to mind. Pre-.
viousfy to the Revolution of 1176 Eng
land had excluded the carrying of mer-
chandise to foreign nations in colonial
vessels. She had prohibited to a very
large extent the development of manu-
in the colonies, so that on the |
first day of July, TSs. the foreign trace
of the late colonies, which had grown
mn. between 1776 and 1889, a period OF
thirteen years, was only twenty-one
per cent and the total tonnage OF Amer
lean vessels was $4,000 tons. Engiano,
on the day when washington was in
augurAted, possessed more than seven
tv-fye per cent of the total foreign
carving trade of the United States.
At this time as a result of the deal
ings of the colonies with England we
were indebted to her for Imports IN the
sum of s25sO00, 900, which had to be PAID
in gold. 1t is estimated that the tolai
amount of gold in the United states al
that time did not exceed s12, 600 600. Inc
emergency was a grave one ana II pc
came necessary to adopt adequate
assures for the correction OF the eVH'
and the principle of discriminating duty
was adopted. The result was that 'ne
American tonnage, which, on july l.
I17sa was only $4,000 tons, in a single
year developed to 2S5.O00 TONS at .ile
end of two years it was about 44o,ooo
TONS. at the end of seven years, June OF,
1903 If was upwards of S00,0O0 TONS.
,rbe percentage had increased tom
twenty-one per cent July L, 1859. TO
n,netv-six per cent july l. 1870. Inc
ner capita tonnage of the United states
was greater at the latter date than II
| has ever been since in the history u
/ the country.
The provisions of the act of 17S9 We're
rigidly enforced until the year ISL
when. at the instance of England 1t
was modified by a treaty of that year.
so that the discrimination would no
Longer prevail against England ana
cher dependencies in Europe. IT is the
belief of those who are familiar Wltp
this subject that the act of 17s9 was the
| sole cause of the wonderful develop
iment of American shipping. 1t is also
asserted with equal confidence that
had it not been for the develop
ment of the American merchant ma
Irine. the American Navy, which achlev-
I ed the glorious victories of the war Oh
1912 would never have had an exist
4 ence From 1917 to 1923 England was
constantly soliciting the repeal OF the
provisions of the act of 1883 ana TINS
contention on her part was continued
with great pertinaeity until the veal
1885. when it WIS practically abrogated
Gradually the United States departed
from the wise policy of discrimination
Treaties were made with nearly all the
other maritime nations in which twas
, provided that the discriminating dut'
!. should not be imposed except Wnef'
the same discrimination was imposed
, upon vessels of the United states. Ips
, tonnage of American ships, however
/ continued to increase until the yea
, t1S57. due in part to the superiority Q
. the American clipper ship and TO TN
, new commercial business which foi
, lowed the discovery of gold IN CailIor
' mia On those accounts the graduai los
of the advantages gained by the act o
17S9 was not severely felt. But In loo
, came the Civil War, which pract1cali
-1drove American commerce. from IN
4 seas.
I On the 30t's day of June, 1861, Sixty
: five per cent of our American roreis.
q carrying trade was. done by America
y vessels: on the Goth day of June 1867
$ at the end of the Civil War. we retain
: ed only twenty five per cents The re
v duction of forty per cent was accom-
r Iplished by the fitting out of Confederat
4 cruisers by England and by the 1ac
+ that the British and other forelg
: II,loyds had perfected and adopted
a system of discrimination in the rate
ION American vessels which tended
- AL 10 nj ~
From June 30. 1865. to June 80, 1S9
: the American carrying. trade decrease
so that but eleven per cent was. in tn
lclosing period, carried by America
. vessels. British ships getting eighty pc
! cent Since then the Spanish war, b
extending the sphere of American inflr
ence and building UP a new transpol
and trading service, has helped to re
store a 1.-THE of the trade in America
bottoms. but our merchant ships are We
strangers on the North Atlantic Sout
- Atlantic and South Pacific trade route
,s 1t was proposed, in the terms of tt
Dingley bill. to restore the discrimina
g ing duties of 1889, but SO man
, treaties were in the way that nothin
- could be done. substitute measul
was soon devised in the form of shi
- subsidy bill, so much bounty beir
~ rated to ships of American register Ell
- tering the carrying trade. If this bi
"a passes, the result must inevitably
:, vastly stimulate the American shil
=, building industry, to attract our hare
;. young men back to the sea and to cal
= for America the vast profits now goir
- elsewhere which are made in the dee
:, water transportation of American pro'
~ ucts.
ne
es MRS. NATIONS CASE.
ne