New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-07
AMERICAN SHIPS IN FOREIGN TRADE.
Figures Showing Small Proportion They
Garry.

To tbs Editor Of The Tribune
Sir; Since the Cunard Steamship Company has
secured contract from the British Governments
under which the former Is 70 receive a loan from
s1,o90,Oo0 &c run for twenty years attention has
been attracted 10 our Transatlantic trads and ths
proportion OF II carried IN American vessels Read
srs Of The Tribune may not know that. o, our
total exports to Europe. during the fiscal year
which ended on June 80. 1902. amounting IN valus
20 sSs761 7s2. but L76 per cent valued at H75,N.
was carried in American vessels. o. our I'm
ports valued s74 s2715s but 649 per cent valued
az $50 s21.54s was carried IN American vessels Ok
cur total imports from and exports % Europe
valued at E.472 591. 81. but SIS per cent. valued
at S4S34s.363. was carried IN American vessels
Our trade with Europe constitutes all but small
fraction Of 70 per cent Of our total foreign trade
with all the world.
The total shipping entering American ports from
Europe during the fiscal year ending June p
1902. amounted 20 - 1854 net tons Of Vlch
273.s5s. or per cent American or TIE latter
26l563 net tons WAS steam Shipping and E-S n''
The repeated trips OF the three steamships
81. Paul. St. Louis and Philadelphia. dgs-s
tnat Se1Is e0IStItuteo a he{ tonnage mS,,is-us
trade OF - ESQ tons; that IS TO say. OF TIE Io~
our ports from Europe during the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1902. all but 9So3 tons belonged % w
American Llne-the only line having steamships
trade or had there been no ships under re
American flag IN the American Line, during Ia -.
year. the ships under our tag enterlns cur g oeS
from Europe would have aggregated 2l.ss9 tors ~
Of total OF 13S2o.e7S tons. about one-sixsa o.
per cent?
IRE Brftish-Cuuard subsidy agreement Is By %.
the most liberal and munilcent ever given oy a.
government 20 a single steamship line. Belns sl.sn
TO a lire q British steamships In direct c0nge.
elton with the only line OF steamships under 70
American flag. the latter line receiving no -.
generous treatment from our government. Us en-.
Impossible the running OF any steamships under
the American flag IN that trade If the resllt =
the Cunard Steamship COmpanys competlu oh W.
the American Line should necessitate nc 10. W. ,-s
sixth Of per cent OF total trade with Entof'
would be carried In foreign vesSe-s .,,-,,,,r.
These figures startling. and most clsi1
IN their suggestiyeuess. To have the vast toi -
trade OF the United States VITA Europe Wholly 80
troed by foreign shipping would consIsIss N.
serious menace 70 our prosperity-lt - e4Lelli.s
perslOus with our present measre anu va - :
shipping IN that great and growing trade ~ ~
before cur minds wildly and irrpTessively -
warning uttered BY Thomas Jefferson. one hunors4
and ter wears ago. N q great STATE paper. - "A
''lf particular nations grasp at undss So ssizs
on the means % the United States 10 convert 5s
into anent FOR their own Strength ana w.. , -,
them entirely from the SUPPORT OF mos - ,,lras
become necessary on the part Of TIE naton w. y
marine resources are thus Invaded or ~ VII p. -.
armed Of its defence ~ ~ sSscd Itself ez-
cusiveIy OF the means o. caIrslns tis. comma
politics viii = inhus need BY those VINO SoND''-
n, ire IiSSt % existing conditions n re isos
OF Tsferson's warning and IN view or me 49,. e.
this same Cunard Steamship toin ooe ,-rsa,ly.
beIned 20 ruin and drive rom the transS.-
trade the ante-beIlum Collins Line q srofscfivs
measures now inpefauNeiy az .TFX n SMITH
'r Pslham. n. Y. Aug. y. Bos