Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-05
GERMANY'S SHIPPING
HOW HER MERCHANT MARINE
HAS GROWN.
Interesting Report From Consul War.
ner Showing the Interest Of the
Imperial Government.

W oAhSAf 'Jt.s a. 1<SiPSaSp ScA AiaAyf NS~AA1Ae
with the German merchant marine. The
report gives q history of the methods in
operation in that country is assisting the
merchant marine of the empire to maintain
high standard of development 1t deals
with every phase of the system, both on
inland waters and in intercontinental traffic,
gives a careful review of the shipbuilding
operations of the country and shows the
financial conditions of all the companies
operating from German seaports. Consul
Warner begins by saying:
Germany of all world lowers, with the
exception of Russia and Austria, is the one
with the poorest natural means Of coma
municating by sea with the outside world.
However, In spite of this fact she holds to-
day an enviable position in the worlds car
rying trade. She is advancing In the science
of traffic upon the high seas. under difficult
ties of no small proportions. faster ard
more effectively than any other power. The
Germans consider that the paramount fac
tor In developing country's foreign trade
is perhaps, the merchant marine, and that
1T is just as necessary to foster foreign
trade as to encourage home industries
Napoleonic Epoch Disastrous.
mot only was the NapoIeon:c epoch dis
astrous to European industries, but COM
mercial interests were seriously crippled
thereby. The continental system (Novem-
Der q, 1860, as well as the compulsory
military service SYSTEM introduced by the
French emperor, was extremely detriment-
al to the shipping trade. With the down.
fall of Napoleon Q815). the first impetus
was given to the numerous German states
toward maritime navigation. The growth
thereof was at first SLOW. The English
navigation act, which was finally repealed
In 1919. and the unfavorable maritime
laws of the Netherlands and Spain occa-
stoned this slow development. Again. all
ships, many of which were German, had
10 pay denmark sound dues" for the use
OF the Baltic sea up to the year 1857, when
they We're abolished, only however, after
denmark had been handsomely compen-
Sated Tor the loss of her monopoly Ham
Durg was additionally handicapped until
1861 by the levying of a toll by the King
dom OF Hanover upon all boats on the t,lbe.
as was Bremen, in the same manner untIi
ioSl, the Grand Duchy of Oidenburg col
Weser.'' "p'ii 'i0
nesarolng the growth of the industry I'M
uer the German methods of promoting its
usefulness he says: i''
Growth of Merchant Marine.
On the other hand however, the devel-
opment of the United States. the emancina
tioE of the Spanish colonies, the reeogni
tlof OF property rights on the high seas nv
the taking of extreme measures to prevent
piracy. and the Paris declaration of 1886.
lorbidding privateering. were important
Lt III fostering the growth of the mer-
chant marine of the German states The
great progress which has been made in the
means IN communication has also furthered
II, there being more or less of a reciprocal
aCtlon between the growing industries and
the means of transportation. The increase
IN the FORMER, creating a demand for tech
niea ai improvements in the latter, has neces-
safiIy ied 10 the establishment of new mari
tne enterprises. In addition to the above
there are two other factors which have had
far-reaching effect upon Germany's mer-
chant marine, namely, the economical and
political considerations into which the Ger
man states formed themselves. The forma-
ton OF the Zollveren' German customs
unfon) in 1928, of which all the German
states have finally become members max
ing II possible for commercial treaties to he
made with foreign powers-a thing which
was formerly impossible is that referred
to as economical confederation The no.
iiucal consolidation consisted in the Ger
man states being formed into an empire
which enabled the imperial government to
further the common interests of the states
by encouraging foreign trade, by granting
export premiums. and, granting direct or
indirect subventions. to establish oceon
steamship lines
Shipping Politics.
only since the last foundation of the
German empire in 1871 has it been possible
to even think of shipping politics. or an
imperial maritime policy. During the first
fifteen years of this new empire the pro-
lection afforded to German shipping inter-
ests was more of the nature of a passive
than a positive one In 1881 ten years
after the German confederacy had been
founded. Prince Bismarck, then chancellor
OF the empire, presented a memorandum to
the reichstag that provision be made for
the payment of an annual sum to steam
ship companies. Such bill, having first
beer introduced in the year 1884. was final
ly passed on the 9th of April 1885, 1t
provided that the imporial chancellor he
authorized to make an agreement with
steamship companies to establish, for
period of fifteen years, steamship service
between Germany, China, Japan and Aus
tralia. Shortly afterward the imperial
chancellor (Bismarck) made a contract
with the North German Lloyd and the
Hemburg-American line for a fortnightly
steamship service three-fourths of which
were to ply from Bremen, under the Lloyd,
and one-fourth from Hamburg under the
Hamburg-American to China and Japtn;
monthly service between Bremen and
Australian ports, as well as two branch
lines-one maintaining regular monthly
saiings from Hongkong. China, to German
and Dutch ports in Australasian waters
and the other biweekly service from
Trieste to Alexandria via Brindisi. The
ships for these lines were required &c be
built, in German ship yards. of steel and
to have at least 5000 metric tons register.
They were to maintain minimum speed CT
thirteen knots an hour on the main lines
and twelve knots an hour on the branch
lines Arrangements were also made for
the transportation of troops. marines,
sailors. officers and civil officials, as well
as ammunition at special rates. Certain
wares-articles of export-were also to be
allowed favorable rates.
A Yearly Subvention.
I'm return for this service the imperial
government bound itself to pay yearly
subvention of 400, 900 marks ($1,047 200),
payable in monthly installments
To-day the German East Africa line is
sending steamer from Hamburg every
four weeks around the African continent.
Once a month the steamers make the cir
cult sailing to the westward and once
month sailing through the Suez canal.
I'm December, 1901, the imperial chancel-
lor for the post Office bureau entered into
an agreement with the Jaluit Company of
Hamburg under which the said company.
the owner of large plantations in Austfal-
asia bound itself, for a period of three
years, to make at least three round trips
annually between Sydney and the German
colonies New Guinea and the Caroline,
Mariana and Marshall islands. In consid-
Grafton for this service the company was
to receive the sum of 10000 marks ($2S,-
5eO) per annum. Formerly the North Ger
man Lloyd maintained this service, Sc
curing the sum of $1,000 marks ($21 .4aO) per
annum as indemnity from the imperial
post office bureau. The diet has made APP