Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-01-31
SOME PREIENSES or
THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.

sill help our foreign mail service.
Al page 81 Mr.. Chamberlain suggests
that
"A reduction In the special rates
proposed for steamships OF IA suots or
UPWARD win preolu3e the possibility Of
establishing new lines Of American
mail steamships to different quarters OF
the globe, and would thus defeat one
of the most important public objects of
the measure. The rates pro
posed for American mail steamships by
both lSenate and House, bills, on tho
other hand, must share in the uniform
reduction when the maximum expendi
ture has reached the limit, So 000, 000.n
This reminds us OF Senator Frye's
claim that OF the 5000, 900 per annum,
contemplated as subsidy, only $500,
000 should be really so considered;
since on his theory, We are now paying
Sl,b00, COO for mail service. for whiuh
the United States, under the Subsidy
bills, would pay nothing. a5
The fact, however, is as no one
would more promptly admit than will
MIR. Frye and Mr.. Chamberlain that,
while there might sometimes he little
benefit to the United States from free
mail carriage tn otrsat against sub
sides paid, its amount would be petty
and uncertain.
For, in the very nature OF things, we
must employ to carry our mails the
best and fastest ships % be secured.
When the pending contract with the
International was made its shipAthe
Paris, and the New York and the
newly built st. Paul, and ST. Louis
were among the fastest in existence
Since that time, however, and notably
within the last two years, marine
engineering has SO developed that,
whereas 10 years since there we're none
faster, and only four others as fast
as the International's them two
steamers; In 1900 there were floated
nine which snrpass them in speed
three by one knot per hour, two by two
knots Fer hour, and four by three
knots yer hour Moreover, line after
line has contracted for ships Of from %
to "a knots sped, until within five
years, a 20 to 2l.knot ship foven now
not considered an eligible carrier for
fast mail between hers and Europe)
will be leisurely going tub, as com
pared with tho faster steamers that
will then carry our mails.
But under the Subsidy bill we are
not likely to have American mail
steamers. In the first place its pro-
motors admit that such Ia not the case.
House hearings, puge 81:
"Mr. Clyde: We know, as practical
men, that the q knot ship is bad
ship for tho shipowner; and we know
from the inquiries we have made as to
what shias will be built II this bill is
passed-that all the vessels coptem
plated will be vessels of moderate
speed, none OF them exceeding II
knots. -
In the second place the bill Is SO
drafted as to discourage the building
of really fast steamers by American
shipyards. It is on every hand con
coded that the cost OF building, fitting
and running steamer increases very
rapidly and out of all proportion to
the speed attained. Ard when we
remember that though scheduled by
Lloyd's as 20-knot steaners-a 80
rated only last year by Mr.. Chamber
lain the internationally flyers are now
considered by Mr.. Chamberlain as com
potent to draw subsidy as 2l-knot yes.
sells (see p. 1887, we evidently have the
data in view of which the Subsidy bill
was drafted WA.
The lnternational's four steamers
could not hope, even on a temporary
test, to be rated as over 21-knot speed;
hence, though the bill provides special
speed subsidy at 2. 80. per gross ton per
100 miles on 21.knot steamers, while
giving only Ia cents for the next fastest
(l7-knot) American steamers ia exist
enoe, 1t provides for no higher rate
for swifter vessels; and, therefore, II
offers least inducement OF all the huIld-
Ing of faster steamers than 81 1knots.
The provisions Ut the bill as to "speed''
subsidy, therefore, are not Intended
to induce the building Of a single fast
American mail ship, but rather to
pauperize four superannuated "grey
bounds of the American Line to the
tune when the Paris shall be back in
service) Of some 81, 500, 900 year.
Instead, therefore, OF any prospect
that our government will save 81, 500, 900
by free carriage of mails In Subsidized
ships, the fact IL that the Interna-
tiopal's mail contracts are mainly in
respect OF vessels that already are or
will soon become unfit fol mail car
riaRe at all; SO that our government
must in any case contract with faster
steamers.
This particularly, applies to shipping
in the Atlantic trade. That is to say
The international 8 four great subsidy
erabbers-the New York, the Philadel-
rhia formerly Paris), the st. Paul and
the st. Louis--last year received
S641, 27S from the United States for
mail carriage under contracts which,
though proper when made, can never
be renewed. 1t Ia now proposed by
the pending bills to double even this
enoi nous subsidy for l0years to come
after they shall have piacrically ceased
to be eligible for carrying the mails at
all.
Indeed, scandal has already arisen
in this connection. At page 10 Of the
report of the superintendent Of foreign
mails, dated October 23d, 1900, appears
the following: 9
"The rules under which the mails
for trans-A tlantic destinations were for
many years assigned to the fastest
vessels available for their conveyance
that is to say, in tine case Of two
steamers leaving New York for Great
Britain at or about the same time, the
mails were assigned to the steamer
which, according to the record of its
three voyages just preceding the as.
signment, delivered the mail IN the
shortest time in London has not been
rigidy adhered to during the year just
closed, preference having been given
to vessels flying the flag Of the United
States. .
1t is not here specifically stated what
American vessels were thus favored,
but on the next page is given a schedule
OF all ships wtrose records were kept in
this connection. This includes no
other Amer lean ships than the Inter-