The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-09
OUR MERCHANT MARINE
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMITS
sIONER OF NAVIGATION.
Notable Growth i'm construction, but
LamentabIe Decrease i'm Tonnage
Carried Across the Ocean.

WASHINGTON, Nov. S-The report OF
Mr.. Chamberlain. the United States COM
missioner Of navigation. says the past fiscal
year has been the third successive year OF
notable prosperity and growth in American
shipping. exceeding the two previous
years. The extent and nature OF work UNI
der way or projected in ship yards prom
iseS an even greater growth for the current
fiscal year. American tonnage now has at
tanned practically the former maximum OF
1861. The figures Of 1901, compared with 1861.
show an increase in coasting trade vessels
from 2,O4.544 tons 10 Assess tons two
thirds OF this increase being on the great
lakes), a decrease in foreign trade vessels
from 2,496.S9 tons to S79.595 tons. and a de-
crease in whaling and fishing vessels from
SSS,S75 tons to 6l,940 tons. or our total ton
mage, 3,62S,21 tons are wooden vessels and
only 1,9Ol,0l7 tons are iron or steel. In 1900
Great Britain launched $4,000 tons OF
steel vessels.
Porto Rico appears in the returns with
twenty-five vessels Of 5,297 tons. and Hawaii
with sixty-four vessels of 81, li9 tons. In the
Philippines, 2.S40 vessels Of 1O2. 5S1 tons (of
which 14S vessels of 1888 tons are steam
vessels) are under American protection.
Until Congress has so enacted. the report
says, philippine vessels are not vessels OF
the United States.
Although registered american vessels in
creased 81, 1875 tons during the year. Ameri-
can vessels carried only So per cent. OF our
exports and imports, the smallest percent
age in our history. our fleet OF ocean
steamers in foreign trade. the report says,
Is too small 10 be compared with that of
foreign nations. The fleets OF each OF the
four large British and German steamship
corporations exceeds the American feet in
tonnage, mileage and business. The ton
mage built and dOcumented in the United
States during the past fiscal year comprised
1,5S0 vessels Of 1874 69 gross tons. The steel
vessels under construction or under con-
tract during the current fiscal year Will
much exceed similar tonnage built i'm any
previous year. The bureau is advised OF
eighty-nine such merchant vessels of S55.645
gross tons. TO be valued at about $36.O00.0O0.
Besides these, seventy-one naval vessels or
PSI. las tons displacement are building. In
this work forty-four plants with a capital
of about SOS, 100000, employing about 10000
men, are engaged.
The building OF ten transatlantic steamers
presumably rests on anticipated legislation
by Congress. Six for the Atlantic transport
line are building from the same plans used
In building steamers in England Tor the
same company. The American cost OF a
steamer of the Minnehaha type Will be
81. SAC. 500. the British cost. Si.4l9,9OO The
American cost of the smaller TRANSATLANTIC
cargo steamers Will be $4,000, for which
the British price ranges from S34,OO 10
$4,000. The difference in wages on Ameri-
can and foreign vessels is considered in de-
tail. In illustration the pay roll excluding
MASTERY of $50 men on the steamship 81.
Louis is 81, 800; of Az men on the British
Oceanic is $500, and OF 500 men on the
German Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse; S'na.
The German is the fastest steamship, the
American is the smallest.
The report contains a detailed statement
of the voyages of American vessels last
year, showing that the American nag was
seen much ~oftener on the Atlantic during
President Jeherson's embargo CSOo), or
during the cruises OF the Alabama IMAM
at present. Foreign shipping in our Facinc
trade has doubled in three years
The purchase OF the Leyland line 10
| spoken of i'm the report as evidence that
American capital is willing 10 invest IN
ocean steamships; that there is an advan-
tage 10 American exporters IN American
control of ocean steamships, even N not
under the American flag, and that in the
coming development OF our ocean transport
tation facilities the union of trunk railroad
lines and steamship corporations will be an
important factor. Including the Deyland
purchase, American capital owns fully 3D.
coo tons of steamers under foreign flags,
which in actual carrying power exceed all
American vessels now engaged In foreign
trade. The War and Navy Departments
also own 1854 gross tons OF f~oreign-bult
TRANSPORTS and Golfers. BY various special
acts fffty-six ~foreign-built vessels, OF l52,lSI
gross tons, have been admitted to registry.
American money of late years has pur-
chased g31. 900 tons of fOreign-built steel
steamers. while since 1891 there have been
built in the United States 1.0O6,OO0 tons OF
steel steam vessels of al kinds. The prin-
cipal American and foreign ocean mail
contracts are printed IN full, and IL is
shown that at the present prices OF steam
ships British ocean mail contracts are
more advantageous for steamship lines
than American contracts under the act or
1891.