Evening star., 1901-12-09
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
A New Measure Framed by Senator
Frye.
INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE TODAY
Some Of the Differences From
the Bill of Last Year.
NEW RATES FOR ALL

new ship subsidy bill was introduced In
the Senate today. This bill was framed by
Senator Frye during the recess of Congress
In order to make 1t more nearly conform
to the views expressed in the last session of
Congress by senators who favored some
measure to accomplish the purpose sought
by his bill, but who were not willing to
vote for it in it's form at that time. 1t diff
fers radically from the ship subsidy bill Of
the last two sessions of Congress. 1t is
much shorter and simpler and is divided
into four titles, fifteen sections-in all about
2,7OO words.
Some of the Differences.
The Frye bill does not provide American
registry for foreign ships owned by Ameri-
cans.
IT makes no distinction between fast and
slow steamers except as the former may
obtain mail contracts under the act of
1891
port cargo. on the grounds that it would be
violation or attempted evasion of our
treaties, and, further, is unnecessary be-
cause the subsidy rate is SO low that ample
export cargo must be carried in order to
escape loss.
The first title. ocean Mail Steamships"
Is devoted to amendments to the ocean mail
act of 1891 Under me bill the Postmaster
General Is required to consider the national
defense and the maritime interests of the
United States, as well as postal interests,
IN providing for the transportation of
American ocean mails The purpose of this
amendment is to free the United States
from dependence upon British, German and
French auxiliary cruisers for Its ocean mail
service, and to substitute purely Ameri-
can system.
The present limit of ocean mail contracts,
ten years, is increased to fifteen years to
correspond with the limit of the recent Ger
man and French contracts.
nnf nhCnl orl1 g
classification of mail steamers provides only
four classes-20-knot steamers of 5000
tons, 16-knot steamers OF 5000 tons, 14-knot
steamers of 200 tons and 12-knot wooden
steamers of / 800 tons The FRYE bill pro-
vides seven distinct classes and is based
on the progress of ship building and mail
requirements abroad during the past ten
years.
Changes In Rates of Mail Pay.
Corresponding with the new classification
In vessels are changes in the rates of mail
pay. The present rates, 81, s. 81 and 67
cents, Were fixed by the House of Represen-
tatfves in 1891. The bill passed by the
Senate that year fixed the rates at So, 50,
Sl5e and 81. The experience of ten years
has shown that the present rates are too
low for the faster mail steamers and too
high for the slower. The Frye bill now in
effect restores the old Senate rate of Sc to
20-knot steamers increasing from & 600 to
10000 tons the minimum size, and restores
the rate of So for 16-knot steamers provided
the size is increased from 5000 tons, the
present minimum, to 5000 tons, the modern
BfftSh and German mail size. The bill
leaves at the present rates reduces mail
pay for slower and smaller steamers. It
drops altogether the obsolete wooden steam
er of only II knots longer eligible for
ocean mail service The rates fixed by the
bill are maximum rates. Mail contracts
are open to competition and will be award
ed at rates as much below the maximum as
American mail
The proposed maximum mail rates per
gross ton per hundred nautical miles are:
over 10000 tons, 20 knots, 81 cents; 10
Knots. 20 cents Over 5000 tons, IS knots,
23 cents; IL knots. 81 cents; 16 knots, 19
cents; 10 knots. IL cents. Over 1000 tons,
IA knots, 15 cents
Rates for mail steamers to the West In
oles, Central America and Mexico cannot
exceed 40 per cent of the maximum rates
on account of their shorter voyages and
smaller coal supply.
General Subsidy.
The second title General Subsidy" con-
tains the general subsidy for all vessels,
steam or sail, which are not under mail
contracts. This general subsidy is uniform,
one cent per gross ton per 100 nautical
miles. for not exceeding sixteen entries in
one year. This amount is sufficient ac-
cordfng to the latest figures, to equalize
the difference in American seamens
wages and in the cost Of building ocean
steamers in the United States and Great
Britain, referred to in President Roose-
Nelts message and Secretary Cages re-
port.
To promote the building of new ocean YES
sells an additional allowance of one-fourth
of cent per gross ton is made for five
years.
Any vessel TO receive the general Subsidy
must carry mails, If required; must train
in seamanship or engineering one American
youth for each 1O00 tons The owner must
agree to hold the vessel at the service OF
the government, If required for defense
the pay for such service to be appraised
by a representative of the government and
or the owner. These requirements are taken
substantially from the ocean mail act of
1891.
Any vessel to receive subsidy must be
class Al, and at least one-fourth of the
crew must be Americans.
a vessel going to a foreign port less than
100 miles from the United States OF making
less than half its voyage on salt water is
not entitled to subsidy. Barges canal
boats, tugboats and wrecking vessels are
also excluded
The third title, Deep Sea Fisheries" mo-
yfdes an annual bounty OF 81 a ton for
deep sea fishing vessels, and OF 81 a month
Tor American citizens when engaged in
deep sea fisheries.
The fourth title, General Provisions"
provides that a vessel shall receive only one
form or subsidy and that q vessel which
mas received a subsidy shall not be sold
70 foreigner except by consent of the
Secretary OF the Treasury. The President
shall designate heads of departments to
proNloe regulations to carry out this bill