The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-09
AMERICAN SHIPS
MORE NUMEROUS
Navigation Commission
or Tells Of Growth
Of Marine.

WASHINGTON, Nov. S.-The report of
United States Commissioner of Navigation
Chamberlain says that the past fiscal year
has been the third successful year of
growth in American shipping, exceeding
the two previous years. The extent and
nature Of work under way or projected in
shipyards 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 YES
sells from 2,704,554 tons to 1852, 6S3 tons
(two-thirds of this increase being on the
great lakes; a decrease in foreign trade
vessels from 2,496,S4S tons to S79,595 tons,
and decrease in whaling and fishing YES
sells from 1886, 375 tons to 81, $40 TONS
OF our total tonnage 1928, 210 tons are
wooden vessels and only 1901, OH tons are
iron or steel. In 1900 Great Britain
launched 1,44O,0OO tons of steel vessels.
Porto Rico appears in the returns with
twenty-five vessels of 1927 tons and Ha-
wait with siXty-foUr vessels of 81, 149 tons.
In the Philippines 2S40 vessels of I02 5Sl
tons (of which 149 vessels are steam)t are
under American protection. Until Con-
gress has so enacted, the report says.
Philippine vessels are not vessels of the
United States.
Small American Cargoes.
increased 81 ,635 tons during the year,
American vessels carried only So per cent
Of our exports and imports. the smallest
percentage in our history Our fleet of
ocean steamers in fofeign trade, the re-
port says, is too small to be compared
with that of foreign nations. The fleets
OF each OF the four large British and
German steamship corporations exceeds
the American fleets in tonnage, mileage
and business. The tonnage built and
documented in the United States during
fiscal g
of 49, 469 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 eighty-nine such merchant
vessels of $50 1865 gross tons, to be valued
ty-one naval vessels of 281 ,148 tons dis
placement are building. In this work
forty-four plants, with a capital of about
$6S,O00s00O, employing about $4,000 men, are
engaged.
The American cost of building a steam
er of the Minnehaha type is 81 SAG, 800, and
the British cost is $1,419, 200. The Ameri-
can cost of the smaller r,o transatlantic an
cargo steamers will be $729, 900, and the
British price ranges from 1854, 900 to $780,
0O0
Wages on the Vessels.
The difference of wages on American
and foreign vessels is considered in
teri. the report says, of $50 men on the
steamship ST. Louis is $11 300; of 427 men
on the British steamship Oceanic is $4,000
and of 900 men on the German steamship
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse $7715.
The report contains detailed statement
of the foreign voyages of American YES
sells last year, showing that the American
flag was seen much oftener in the North
Atlantic during President Jeffersons en-
barge OS09 or during the cruises of the
Alabama than at present. Foreign ship
ping in our Pacific trade had doubled III
three years. The purchase of the Ley
land line is spoken of in the report as
evidence that American capital is willing
to invest in ocean steamships; that thei t
lis 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 union
of trunk railroad lines and steamship cor
porations will be an important factor.
Including the Leyland purchase, Ameri-
can capital owns fully 100000 tons OF
steamers under foreign flags, which in
actual carrying power exceed all Ameri-
can vessels now engaged in foreign trade.
The War and Navy Departments also own
1854 gross tons of foreign built trans
ports and GOLFERS.
The principal foreign and American
ocean mail contracts are printed in full.
and 1t is shown that at the present prices
of steamships British ocean mail contracts
are more advantageous for steamer lines
than American contracts under the act of