Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-03-28
NECESSITY OF THE SHIP SUB
SIDES.

in a sDeech before the British Society
of Naval Architects, sounded a sharp
note of warning on the decline in
British shipping. He called attention
to the fact that the percentage Of the
ocean-carrying trade in British hands
is steadily growing smaller year by
year, while Germany, aided by a lib
eral and enlightened system OF sub
sidy. is yearly gaining. Moreover, a
point not made by Lord Beresford, the
growth of German commerce and It's
inroads into trade formerly held by
Great Britain in due proportion to the
rise of that country as a shipping
These facts are not merely
coincidence.
Ten years g the British COM
panies had the largest fleets of steam
ships in the world. Today the largest
fleets owned by single companies are
under the German flag. A little
further back, Germany had no ocean
steamships. Today she is second only
to Great Britain, and is gaining with
enormous strides upon the latter
try. The growth of the German mer-
chant marine, and the consequent rise
Of Germany to a position of the first
Importance commercially, have been
due entirely to the manner in which
the growth of the German marine has
been fostered by a system of judicious
subsidies. Not only do the German
steamship lines carry German trade to
all quarters of the globe, but they
carry more of the American exports
by far than are carried by vessels
flying the American flag.
"But the carrying of American prod
ucts to market is but an incident. The
main purpose in the fostering legisla-
ton which has built UP the German
ocean marine has been to open new
markets for German trade; a purpose
which has been carried out with re-
suits extremely unsatisfactory to the
countries competing with the agrees
sive German traders who can carry
their goods to markets in vessels of
their own country.
1T is likely that Admiral Beres-
ford's warning will not be needed.
Great Britain has been supreme on the
hioh caoc on 10nr f1nt now ~ oro1o r+o
and ship will be slow to realize
that that supremacy is in danger. Yet
the experience of the United States
may well prove the contrary. Half a
century ago the American seaman was
supreme upon the ocean. The Amer
lean flag hoated over more ocean
going vessels than the flag of any other
country. American clipper ships car
ried the bulk of the trade of the world,
and American maritime supremacy
was unquestioned. Today we do not
pretend to compete in the CARRYING
trade on the ocean, and American
ships carry less than 9 per cent of u
own exports.
The changes from wood to steel
and from sail to steam were taken
advantage of by Great Britain. while
the United States Jagged far behind
The development of our internal re.
sources, the construction of our rail
road lines and the upbuilding of oul
manufacturing system took all the at
tention of American capitalists anf
furnished such attractive opportunities
TOT employment ashore that the Amer
g merchant marine not only do
chned to the point just short of alb
solute disappearance, but the America,
seafarlng class likewise became near1,
extinct.
Great Britain is facing the DANCE
which the United States neglected &
guard against. Feeling secure in he
ocean supremacy, she is taking sIigh
need OF changed conditions. German,
Is Wrestling the carrying trade from
mel, as she in turn wrested it from IN.
United n I States. The subsidized Ger
g SHIPS are not only capturing til.
Focean-carrying business. but they ar
givlng German traders speedy and di
reg access to the markets whereof
Hb ~ trade once ruled supreme.
2 lesson is not alone for Grea
britain, but for the United States
HI compete on equal terms in III
worlds markets, it is necessary +
nave our own transportation lines
operated n our " interests. 7,
secure them It is necessary to folio,
me methods which have enabled Ger
many country poor in natural u
sources, with but the merest thread !
coast line and with no maritime pop