New-York tribune., 1905-01-05

of many millions OF dollars. almost exclusively
fo- the benefit of foreign steamships.
The report deals at length with the handicap
on American shipping created by the subsidies and
bounties bestowed on most of the merchant fleets
OF foreign governments, which is placed in the
of the reasons for the lower first cost of
foreign ships and the lower cost Of maintenance of
these shps-due, in both cases. primarily, to lower
wages. A table is given showing that nearly all
the foreign powers grant subsidies France pays
than IS O00C0O year, and eight other foreign
governments pay more than 100000 each for the
encouragement of their merchant marine.
FORCE OF VOLUNTEERS.
As the first essential step In the reha abilitation
Of merchant shipping. the commission proposes
to create a force of naval volunteers composed OF
the best officers and men of American merchant
ships and deep fishing vessels. Necessarily
small at first for healthy and sure ex-
pansion of the force are provided by the pay
.nent Of substantial retaners as an inducement to
enroll. II is understood that officers and men are
to receive their seamens pay. besides this retainer.
during their period of actual naval instruction
The Navy Department has asked for a. reserve OF
twenty thousand men in the bills 1t has presented
to Congress The report quotes the Commissioner
Of Navigation TO show that not more than twenty
thousand American citizens are included in the
enrolment Of employees on all the American vessels
on salt water which go out Of sight Of land Com
menting On this lack Of material for naval
out Of these twenty thousand officers and ,,i men
probably not moro than one-haf would be ehe1bIe
manifest that ship owners must not only be on
couraged to employ these naval volunteers but en-
couraged to build more ships to develop an m
creased naval service, as well as to advance the
interests Of commerce
The proposed rate of s. gross ton. the commits
sion says is unquestionably sufficient to equaltze
conditions for American as against foreign sailing
vessels except the Of the heavily subsidized
of n {s a
sufficient to equalize conditions for American cargo
steamers. save in exceptional instances but it is
admitted that the naval subvention will not Of it.
self encourage the building of swift and expensive
steamships 1t is the judgment of the commission
that in the restoration Of the American merchant
marine IL is the useful hard working ship Of steam
and sail which should have the first and frendlest
consideration The reason assigned for this is that
the American people in the main are producers OF
bulky commodities. far as concerns their export
commerce.
II is strongly emphasized by the commission that
the naval subventious offered in the proposed bill
are not bounties outright or mere commercial sub
edies hut are distinctly based on important public
services TO be given by the ships and ship owners
receiving them. AS to the constutionality and ex-
nediencv Of such guarded subventions, it is said
there can be no question whatever in the light Of
the example of the fisheries subventions given to
both vessels and for prospective naval ser
VICE by the fathers OF the Republic and continued
bv their immediate successors.
In the proposed bill not dollar is added TO
the expenditures for any of the five estab-
lished contract ocean mail lines The present ocean
mail act IS not amended except as to certain spe-
cinc new routes TO be established and the new
uuirement 20 naval volunteers. The reduced
compensation under the mail law OF 1891 in
sufficient. the commission says TO establish con-
tract mail lines TO the greater countries OF South
America TO Central America. 10 Africa or 10 the
Orient and the commission recommends a sub
stantal increase OF compensation on certain speci-
fed routes where American steam service will be
most likely 10 increase the foreign markets for
American merchandise AS n rule. the ten new
ocean mail routes specified must be created from
the beginning-not only the lines, but the ships
themselves
INCREASED TONNAGE TAXES.
The last feature Of the bill is plan 10 increase
the tonnage taxes all vessels, American and
foreien now entering United States ports In the
foreign trade The commission says the present
rates Of tonnage taxes IN the United states are
lover than those OF the other prtneipai marltirn
nations. The original purpose Of such eharses was
sue 10 provide a fund for lighting the coast for
.-e beneat OF shipping. a comparison H made