The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-18

l
decided in the face of considerable oppo
sition to keep up the subsidies, although
the operation of the law of 1893 was rad
ically changed.
such eminent French maritime authori
ties as Charles Roux. the Marquis d'Heri
court. and NJ. Bernard. President of tn
Compagnie Nantaise de Navigation. hav
repeatedly said that subsidies will no
build up the French merchant marine
They have pointed out that in the new
kind of competition the British and Ger
mans have shown a willingness to equil
regular lines of steamers which founC
their way into French ports and threat
ened to crowd out the home flag. France
meanwhile contented itself with smaller
and older ships and inferior facilities fol
handling cargoes. In Europe generally
railways were constructed. tunnels
pierced, and eanals -. H.. -, Win v;S,--
! 20 increasing business, but in France this
was not true. To quote the Marseilles
! Chamber of Commerce: We have rela-
/ tions with the Continent by a single route
of commandments Paris, Lyons and
Mediterranean Railway" 1t adds: The
Government at two different periods has
proposed measures to relieve the intoler-
| able situation that we describe and yet
twenty years have elapsed since the pro-
jected canal to the Rhone was first con-
sidered."
The Marseilles Society for the Defence
Of Commerce also advances the following
| reason for the decline of the French mer-
chant marine:
"Great Britain has coal and iron at lower
prices than France. and with it its innumerabe
shipyards and machine shops produce ton
| mage on terms with which builders in
capable OF competing. Not only the ships
supplied at lower cost. but they are supplied
more promptly. Furthermore Great Britain es-
Forts annually thirty million tons of coal and
thus gives its outgoing ships cargo. while with
us we are less and less able TO furnish out
going cargo. although the lowering OF freight
rates necessitates constant increase of tonnage"
France has but three large shipbuilding
concerns. although fourth has just been
organized. 1t is freely said that the Gem
panes virtually combine as to prices. with
figures practically prohibitive. Ship own
ers find that they can have new ships de-
livered from England In nine months,
while the French yards require twenty.
In regard to the price the Marseilles re-
port above quoted says:
I've could cite ship owner for whom one
of our shipbuilders proposed to construct
sci for two million six hundred thousand franes,
while English builders offered to construct the
same ship for one million six hundred and fifty
thousand francs.
NJ. Bernard said to the parliamentary
commission: by the law of 1898 the
French shipbuilders have not only gained
an excessive protsetion-they have a mo-
nopoly. The truth is. our builders see in
the building of ships of commerce mere
side profit. Their existence and their
prosperity depend on orders from the
State
The Marquis d'Hericourt, Consul Cen
eral of France at Leipzig, contrasts the
ting cargoes down TO tide water. He shows
that Germany has organized her lines CT
railway with such care and has paid such
close attention to the system of interior
navigation that German products are more
easily put on board ship than those of
France. He adds: The Germans have
made navigable the great arteries leading
to the sea. The results have responded to
the hopes formed. Bremen has become a
port of the first order. and Hamburg the
most frequented port of the world Thanks
to the development of interior waterways,
raw materials are delivered on such terms
that competition with foreigners has been
made possible, and the merchant marine
has prospered accordingly"
In return for approximately seventy
five millions OF dollars expended for
bounties since 1881, what has France
gained? The benefits may be summed by
Charles Roux. who in his able work en-
titled 'Notre Marine Marchande" says:
The decadenee which is menacing Us is in
ereasing every day. and if do not take care
it Is 20 be feared that before the formidable
elan Of foreign fleets our merchant navy in a
very brief time viii fall into complete ruin
Considerable space has been devoted to
the French subsidy system because Of its
trial and it's demonstrated in
efficiency TO accomplish the objects for
which it was formulated. Other nations
have tried the plan with the same lack
of success Italy has of late years de-
voted considerable attention to the sub
ject of improving her merchant marine
The following are the important pro-
visions of the last law: subsidy of 20
centimes (15.34 cents) per ton, gross tom
mage, per 1000 miles navigated, is grant
ed for three years to all Italian built |
steamers or foreign-built steamers regis
tered in Italy before 1857, for voyages to
and from ports beyond the suez Canal, |
and the Straits of Gibraltar Steamers |
not passing through the canal or Lae
straits are subsidized at two-thirds the |
above rates. The subsidy is reduced ten |
confines every three years, and ceases |
when the steamer is fifteen years old |
bounties are also granted on |
ships built in Italy, with special |
premiums for boilers and engines made |
in that country.
Hector de Castro, Consul General to |
Italy, in his report of July %. 1899, thus
tells how the subsidy business works in |
Italy:
"ln view Of the efforts of the Government TO
Italian shipping, the long seabcard. and
The necessity OF shipping TO the economical life
Of the country, the results certainly fai
rom satisfactory: and il is particularly remark
able that the tonnage Of Italian steamers re- |
mains generally low. while in other countries
he tendency has been toward the employment |
II larger ships more economical in working /
L is sometimes asserted that taxation on the |
chipping industry is SO heavy as 10 kill small |
which, il unfettcred. might grow
md flourish: but, the other hand, the Gov
.rnmcnt point 10 the large navigation slls- |
lies. which for the past year estimated to
.xseed $4,000. Tie further and perhaps more
.orrect explanation OF the unsatisfactory situa-
ion is that the bulk Of the subsidies are paid