Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-11-13
AMERICAN SHIPPING PROGRESS.

Great Increase OF Tonnage On the
Lakes and In the Coasting Trade.
The report of Mr.. Chamberlain, the
United States commissioner Of naviga-
tion, states that the past fiscal year has
BILE prosperity and growth in American
shipping, exceeding the two previous
years. The extent and nature Of work
under way or projected in ship yards
promises an even greater growth for
the current fiscal year.
American tonnage has now attained
practically the former maximum OF
1861. The figures Of 1901, compared
with 1861, show an increase in coasting
trade vessels from 2,7O4,544 tons to A.
5S2, ,6S3 tons (two-thirds of this increase
being on the Great lakes), a decrease in
foreign trade vessels from 2,496,9S4 tons
to s7s, ,595 tons, and decrease in whal-
ing and fishing from 338,375 tons to 61,-
$40 tons.
OF our total tonnage 3,623, POI tons are
wooden vessels, and only 1901, ,O17 tons
are iron or steel. In 1900 Great Britain
launched 1,44O,O0O tons Of steel vessels.
Although registered American ves-
sells increased 62,435 tons during the
year, American vessels carried only S.2
per cent. of our exports and imports,
the smallest percentage In our history.
Our fleet Of ocean steamers in foreign
trade, the report says. Is too small to be
compared with that Of foreign nations.
It is compared with the fleets Of our
large British and German steamship
corporations, each Of which exceeds the
American fleet in tonnage, mileage and
business.
The tonnage built and documented in
the United States during the past fiscal
year comprised 1850 vessels and 4S3, 1863
gross tons.
The steel vessels under construction
or under contract during the current
fiscal year will much exceed similar
tonnage built In any previous year.
The bureau is advised Of SO such mer-
chant vessels of 355,645 gross tons, to
be valued at about s36.0O0,00O. Beside
these II naval vessels Of 281, ,148 tons
displacement are building at contract
prices Of $7S,0OO,0O0. In this work A
plants with a capital Of about $68, 8,OOO,-
900 employing about $4,000 men are en-
gagged.
The building Of ten transatlantic
steamers presumably rests on antici-
pated legislation by congress. Six for
the Atlantic transport line are building
from the same plans used in building
steamers for the same company. The
American cost of a steamer OF the
"Minnehaha" type will be s1,S64,0OO, the
British cargo steamers will be $729,OO0,
for which the British price ranges from
1854, 900 to s4S6,OO0.
The difference in wages on Ameri-
can and foreign vessels is considered
in detail. In illustration, the payroll
(excluding MASTERY of $50. men on the
steamer st. Louis Is $11,30O; Of AT on
the British steamer Oceanic Is $500,
and of 500 on the German Kaiser Will
helm der Crosse s7,715. The German Is
the fastest steamship and the Ameri-
can is the smallest.
The report contains a detailed state
ment of the foreign voyages Of Amer
lean vessels last year, showing that
the American flag was seen much Of
tener on the North Atlantic during
President Jefferson's embargo QSOS)
or during the cruises Of the Alabama"
than at present Foreign shipping in
our Pacific trade has doubled in three
years.
The purchase Of the Leyland line Is
considered as evidence that American
capital Is willing to invest in ocean
steamships, that there is an advantage
to American exporters In American
control of ocean steamships, even If
not under the American flag, and that
in the coming development Of our
ocean transportation facilities the un-
ion of trunk railroad lines and steam
ship corporations will be an important
factor.
Including the Leyland purchase
American capital owns fully $4,000 tons
of steamers under foreign flags, which
in actual carrying power exceed all
American vessels now engaged in for
eign trade. The war and navy depart
ment also own 126,847 gross tons of
foreign built transports and colliers.
By various special acts, Sc foreign
built vessels Of 132,1S7 tons have been
admitted to registry. American money
accordingly of late years has purchased
931, 900 tons of foreign built steel