Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-03-20
GENERAL PROVISIONS OF
THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL

HIT SHlP SUBSIDY DILL
The title of the Ship Subsidy bill as
passed by the Senate Monday is:
"To provide for ocean mail service |
between the United States and foreign |
ports and the common defence to pro |
mote commerce and to encourage deep |
sea fisheries. "
Title | of the measure deals with |
ocean mail steamships and their sub
sides. Tho postal subsidy act of 1891
is so amended as to direct the Post
master General to enter into contracts
for not less than five nor more than 10
years with American citizens for the
carving Of mails On American steam
ships to such foreign points as will
best promote the postal, commercial
and maritime interests of the United
States, the mail service on such lines
to be equitably distributed among the
Atlantic, Mexican Gulf and Pacific
ports and the contracts to be made
| with the lowest responsible bidder.
Tho vessels employed in the mail ser
vice shall be American built and owned
and oifcercd by American citizens.
| uring the first two years one fourth
of the crew must be American citizens;
during the next three years, one third
must be American citizens, and during
| the remaining life of the contract at
least one half must be American citi-
Zens. The ships must be screw steam
ships of iron or steel and divided into
the following classes, according to
speed:
First class, 20 knots or over; second
class, 10 knots; third class, Is knots;
fourth class, II knots; fifth class, IL
knots; sixth class, ID knots; seventh
class. IA knots.
All steamships of the first five classes
shall be constructed with particular
reference TO prompt conversion into
auxiliary naval cruisers, and shall be
of the highest rating known to mari
time commerce.
The rate of compensation for ocean
mail service "to be paid per gross reg
isUered ton for each 100 nautical miles
sailed from the port of clearance in the
United States to the port of entry in
the United States, according to the
route required by the Postoiiice Depart
ment, shall not exceed the following;
Steamships of the first class, 81
cents second class. 2. 5 cents; third
! class, 2.3 cents; fourth class, 2. cents
! fifth class. l.9 cents: sixth class, Ii
cents seventh class, /. % cents.
/ Tho rates of compensation to any
! vessel carrying mails to foreign port
y in North America shall not exceed TC
: per cent of the maximum rates estab'
y lished.
|, Mail steamships are required to carr!
u as apprentices ono American born DO,
:. for each LOCO tons gross register. III
;, shall he educated in stewardship, anC
;, engineering and rank rs petty officer.
= little = of the bill provides for thu
~ general subsidy to be paid,
:, 1t directs the Secretary of tho Treas
:, ury TO pay to the owners Of any pesse
y in the United States duly Registered
! and engaged in the foreign trade Of tn
~ United States "a compensation amount
" ing to | cent per gross registered to-
> for each 100 nautical miles sailed, no
u exceeding IL entries in any one year
:! and on each entry, not exceeding l6 j
y any one year, for IL period of five year
- from the date of registration of a vesse
W of LOCO gross ton, which shall be CON
~ pleted after the passage of this bill
- fourth of one cent per gross ton fc
- each 100 nautical miles sailed, in add
y ton to the above mentioned compensG
y tion. The bill specifies certain vessel
10 which shall not receive compensatio
70 under its provisions, among thel
~ being vessels engaged in the coastwis
~ trade exclusively.
le Each subsidized vessel is require
o.i to carry as II member of its compan
up one American boy for each LOCO grol
IL tons, who shall be taught seamanshi
= and engineering. The owners of IL
VI vessel must agree before receiving con
" pensation that the ship in emergent
~ may be- used by the United States {,
~ the national defence or for any publ
~ purpose, at fair valuation for tn
IN service.
y. Title 3 of the bill directs the Seer
ny tary of the Treasury to pay to ii
~ owner of a documented vessel engag
r. in deep sea fishery for II least thr
NY months in any one year 81 per gro
ton per annum, provided that at lea
lrd one. third of the crew shall be citiZe
H. ti,, of the United States; and he is {
he rected to pay also to citizen of t
lw. United States serving as member
AN such crew 81 per month for the til
to he is necessarily employed.
pc; Title provides that no vessel shi
Mer be given compensation under two
S ~ more titles of this act at the sal
Tia time that subsidized vessel sh
The not be sold to subject of forei
wer power; and that the President of
the United States shall cause proper reg
igi- lations TO be framed for the executi
me rhe of this act.