The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-18
PLANS TO IMPROVE
MERCHANT MARINE
DISCUSSED AT BRUNSWICK.
DELEGATIONS FROM SOUTH ALLAN
TIC PORTS ATTENDED.

savannah Was Among the Places
Reprcsented at the Meeting of the
National Merchant Marine Conn
u,issfon-Shfp Subsidies RECON-
r,emdcd ms Means for the UpbuiId-
lug OF American Shipping-Kay
mud Goodyear Spoke.
brunswick, Ga. Nov. 1.-THE Ma
tional Merchant Marine Commission,
which is making a tour of Southern
rorts. visited Brunswick to-day and
held an interesting meeting this aft
ernoon. at which delegations were
present from Savannah, Fernandina
and other South Atlantic ports.
The object of the meeting was to
receive suggestions on a bill to be pre-
sented to Congress at the next session
for the betterment OF American ship
ring. Col. w. E. Kay of this city
advocated American ships for Amer
lean cargoes and said:
'eThe fathers Of the republic legis-
lated against the introduction into our
system of foreign built ships. and the
discriminating duty they applied for
q wAile accomplished the desired pur-
pose. If our ships are to fly the
American flag in competition with for
eign ships, we have got to repeal the
legislation against free ships, oramake
some bounty on tonnage mail subsidy,
or differential duties, to build up a
system of shipping at the expense of
the people, for it is clear that, ship for
ship. we cannot compete in the mar
kets of the world for freights, and in
order to fly our flag we must do SO at
4 premium paid by ship owners"
Good Year for SuBsiders.
Col. C. P. Goodyear. chairman of
the Brunswick Board of Trade Com
mittee on Merchant Marine, presented
many arguments in favor of govern
ment subsidies and other aids in
building up the United States mer-
chant marine.
He asserted first that all American
citizens who had given the subject of
the revival of the merchant marine a
thought, are a unit for its revival as
an emergent necessity. Ninety per
cent of our commerce, he said, is
being carried by foreign ships. We
proudly talk of our $400.000,000 balance
ii trade in our favor, and, putting that
in one national pocket we take out of
another $780, 100000, and pay it back in
freights.
1t would be a wise policy, he said,
to force the construction of American
ships in American shipyards of Ameri-
can material by American material,
superintended by American brains, and
operated by American seaman. To do
this will necessitate aid from the gov
eminent, at least for time. This aid
could be given in the form of a subsidy
upon tonnage, navigation bounties,
rail contracts, or by reduction of dues
to the American ship, or by all of
these
To know exactly what the result of
such course would be. our statesmen
had only to look to foreign govern
ments. The United Kingdom has
gained supremacy upon the seas by a
system of subsidies extending for
more than a hundred years: Germany
and France have largely increased their
tonnage since 1878 by the same means.
Trade in the South.
Touching on the possibilities of our
growth in this direction. Col. Good
year said there are but twenty-four
ueep wafer pOrIS Win channel depth
of twenty-five feet and upwards, on
the Pacific. Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
OF these, eleven are Southern ports In
The period to 1860 there is no reasonable
prospects of an increase to more than
thirty-five. AT present these twenty
four ports serve a total commerce,
amounting to .$2,500. 900. 900, and a pop
ulation of S1,000,O00 people. In 1850 this
population should be under normal
growth. $4,000 600 and the commerce
$1,000, 100000. Our payment to foreign
countries for shipping will increase in
like proportion if we continue our
present policy.
Other interesting addresses were
made, and the commission tonight left
for Newport News.