The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-14
NAIL SUBSIDIES.

Since writing the above, your Com
mittee has made inquiries into the sub
sides paid by the United States Gov
eminent for the carriage of mails by
American steamers on trans Pacific runs
and finds as follows:
The total amount of mail subsidies
paid by the United States Government
for this service in 1908 was $43I, 25I.26.
1hese payments are made to the differ
ent transportation companies concerned
when running to foreign ports, such as
Oriental points or to the Australian
Colonies, on the basis of $500 per mile
Travelled on the outward trip for steam
ers OF the hrst-class and $500 per mile
travelled on the outward trip for steam
ers of the Second-class. The second
class IS limited TO steamers of not less
than 5000 tons gross measurement The
Oceanic steamers running to the Col
ONES are rated as being 600 tons. and
would, therefore, come under the sec
ond-class. The distance to Sydney from
San francisco is 72Io miles. AT $500 per
trip per mile this would be a subsidy
amounting TO SI4,42o per trip, and sew
enteen trips made by these steamers per
annum gives total subsidy paid to them
by the United States Government for
mail service, and also in consideration
OF their being subject to requisition by
the Government in time of war, and be-
ing, therefore, cOnstructed1 under GER
tam prescribed rules, would amount to
S245,I4o for the services performed by
the steamers Sierra, Sonoma and Ven
tt1ra. In addition to this, the steamship
Alameda is paid $4,000 per annum as
special contract, and there is a further
subsidy of $1,000 per annum for the run
from Samoa to San Francisco as a di-
rect subsidy. This makes a total amount
paid to the Oceanic Steamship Company
of S267.I4o under United States laws,
and including additional contracts for
domestic service. These statements are
compiled from postal reports, and your
Committee believes them to be correct.
The point is here made that the argu-
ment of subsidy on the Tahiti run.
where the discrepancy in rates of travel
III favor of Tahiti as against Honolulu
amounting to $4.25 per day per passen-
ger, cannot be reasonably supported on
the ground of subsidy
MR.. CATIONS ADDENDA.
While endorsing this report and feel
Ing hopeful that something may be
done, in the direction suggested with
the plantation agencies. 1 am of the
opinion that the Association should
adopt the policy of endeaVoring to
have the United States Navigation
Laws relaxed SO as to admit of YES
sells under any flag carrying passen-
gers and freight to any port, from Ho-
nolulu and Hawaiian ports generally
Our only safety is in unrestricted COM
petition. Even if We had an independ-
ent steamer, "a steamer of our own"
what is to prevent the present mono
poly from reducing rates to run her
out? 1t is human nature to ship or
travel by the cheapest line, other
things in the matter of accommodation
ETC.. being equal.
ton Laws looks, at present, a hopeless
task, I know. but many undertakings
just as hopeless have been put through.
think it is our duty as self-appointed
guardians of Honolulu commerce to
tackle it. We who have been here since
the seventies, see the great CONNER
c1al progress that has been made and
can realize, to some extent where that
progress will reach to in other thirty
years if communication with the rest
of the world, which is the breath of
our life, be unrestricted If present
restrictions continue, that breath is
likely to be doled out in quantities to
suit the interest of some. shipping
trust ROB. CATION