The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-16
Especial correspondence.)

At the usual given TO visit
ing and local journalists by Mr.. Bennitt
and his staff in h Press building at
the Pan-American exposition, Wednes-
day evening, Captain Richmond Pear
son Hobson was invited TO make a short
talk on the needs of the navy and the
merchant marine. Captain Hobson rec
commended a large appropriation for
the navy, a subject about which few
men know more. and strongly urged the
establishment of a powerful merchant
marine. He said.
CLOSELY allied with the navy, indeed,
in~separable from it, is the merchant
marine. In huge organizations like
those of a great nation, provision should
be made for the control of t~ransporta-
ton commensurate with production. \
nations independence and greatness are
not complete until that nation possesses
the ships tina carry it's products to dis
tant markets over the seas, the ques-
ton of this transportation being of so
vital Importance hat it cannot safely
be left in the hands of the outside ma
tons. 1t wolves not only the saving
of payments and a prOpOrtiOnate in
crease in expenditures and activities at
home, but it also invilves the vital ques-
ton of the protection of waterborne
vi Il 4No4Ao o. olAAAdIIAy III
lions to foreigners for ocean freights.
Hundreds of millions of American prop
erty are carried under foreign flags and
can only look to those flags for protec-
tioE. A condition of war in Europe at
any time would be liable to embarrass
and in a measure destroy the efficiency
of the ocean transportation of Amer1-
can products. We cannot look upon
ourselves as independent of Europe
until the important matter of the trans
p%ortatiOn of our products to their for
eign markets is in our own hands.
Furthermore, the appearance of the
flag in distant markets has a profound
influence upon securing, holding and ex-
tending those markets. And this will
be a matter of ever increasing impor-
tance as the competition of the various
nations for those markets increases.
But it is not from economic reasons
alone that the merchant marine is i'm
pOrtant to all great nations; for strate-
gic and military urposes also it is OF
the first Importance. 1t is only neceS-
Sary to refer to the great expansion
that naVieS must undergo in times of
war This expansion involves he TAX
ing into the naval service of large num-
berS of merchant vessels of all kinds
for auxiliary purposes, for scouting,
for dispatch vessels, for GOLFERS, supply
vessels, for transports and for auxiliary
coast defense purposes. Besides, the
crews OF all war vessels must De duS-
mented and numbers of war vessels
ordinarily out of commission must be
put into active service and these addi-
tiOnal Seamen can only be drawn from
the merchant marine. A great nations
merchant marine should be of such
proportion that this large expansion for
naval purposes would still leave ample
facility for usual transportation pur-
poses of commerce., either unprotected
or under convoy So important is this
feature of a merchant marine that it
may be said to be the basis of naval
power, nj throughout history no ma
ton has ever created and maintained
great naval power without having a
large mercantile marine.
THE great nations of Europe have
come to appreciate this important ques-
ton and have not heSitated even with
their heavy budgets to contribute in the
form of subsidies, to the creation and
maintenance of steamship lines, requir-
ing in return that these lines organize
and prepare their vessels n be ready
for calls in case of war for auxiliary
naval purposes The United States,
however, may almost be said to be
without a merchant marine. and has
exhibited an apathy toward his i'm
pOrtant branch parallel to the apathy
toward the navy that followed the civil
war. 1 will not go into the particulars
of the causes that have brought the
lSdDDcdTdICS vi our lit mai lAiO,
when it had been prior to the war the
largest in the world. We are familiar
with the blow that the war struck at
this m and with the advent or
iron ~shipbuilding shortly afterward
when the United States lacked facilities
for such building, nor Will / enter into
particulars about the economic situa-
ton that apparently caused American
capital and American men to seek 9TH
er channels. nor TO the part played by
the subsidies of foreign ship lines by
foreign governments. / wish simply to
call TO the present situation.
to the urgent and imperative demand
for the upbuilding of our merchant
marine and for the facilities at our
command for such upbuilding. We car
now build ships as cheaply as any ma
ton in the world. Indeed. there is nc
reason why American ~shipbuilding,
like American bridge building and SIM
liar industries. should not lead the
world. Nor do 1 admit that foreign
companies can manage and maintain
mercantile vessels better or more
cheaply than Americans. for American
methods of organization can be ap-
piled with as much advantage in this
department as in the other Department.
of modern arts and Industries i be-
lieve on the contrary that in building
and maintaining merchant ships Amer
lea has important advantages, and will
equal chances. can become not only
her own carrier but the common carrie:
for the worlds sea borne
As to the matter of subsidies no ont
can question Americas ability and
believe her willingness to compete will
any foreign nations that endeaVo
through government aid to secure tn
worlds carryig trade. and reap tn
benefits of the possession OF a grea
mercantile marine.
Il believe that the question of tn
merchant marine and the navy IS be
ginning to receive the serious attention
of the American people. I think the!
should go hand in hand and SHOULD
be ~furthered by all thoughtful Amerl
cans. 1 see the conditions ripening anC
if l am spared to live to the allotte'
span of, human life I expect TO see tn
United States navy IN the world ant
the United States merchant marine tn,
largest merchant marine in the world