The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-01-24
SHIPPING PROMOTION BILL.

1tGAs
In support Of lie measure submi,te
to Congress the present session. IN
Joint merchant and marine commits 10
says that an adequate American ocea
fleet would mean the saving to thi
! country of s10O.O0O.O00 year. whic
now goes to build up the commercil
| power ana naval strength OF Europ
and Asia. IL Is emphasized by the com
mission that the naval subventions Of
fered in the proposed bill are not boun
ties outright or mere commercial sub
sidies. but are distinctly based on i'm
portant public services to be given b.
the ships and ship owners that receIv
them. Not a dollar is proposed to b.
added to the expenditures for any o
the five established contract ocean mai
lines. With the exception of certain
new routes to be established and a new
requirement as TO naval volunteers. TIL
present ocean mail act is not proposed
to be amended. The commission take,
issue with the War Department on tn,
question of whether a saving to the
| Government has resulted from the op-
GRAFTON, in time of peace, of lines OF
foreign-built craft in the army trans
port service. A discontinuance of the
transport service is urged, the report
in this regard saying:
ITO all members of the commission
who visited the Pacific Coast this pro-
cedure of the War Department appear
ed to be absolutely indefensible. 1t is
true that in his recent annual report
ha at-tf f.t,ao cta ,f he
figures out a profit of 1898, for the
transport service as compared with the
rates which commercial steamers
would have charged. but this profit, as
a matter of fact, Is altogether due to
radical difference in bookkeeping
methods between commercial steam
ship companies and the quartermaster's
department" .
OF eleven sections the bill contains,
the first provides for creating a force
of naval volunteers capable of service
in time of war. The Secretary of the
Navy and the Secretary of Commerce
and Labor are directed to make an en-
rollment of officers and men, now and
hereafter employed in American mer-
chant and deep-sea fishing vessels, who
end of each year.
The second section provides for sub
sides as follows, payable after July l,
1906, per gross registered ton in each
case to vessels engaged in the foreign
trade and in deep-sea fisheries: Yes
sells so engaged twelve months, inclId-
ing time for annual or extraordinary
repairs. So; nine months or over, "a;
six months or over, $3.50. In the third
section it is provided that vessels re-
ceiving the subvention may be taken
by the United States, at fair conpen-
sation, for national defense and any
public purpose; also that on the POST
master Generals requirement the ves-
sells shall carry the mails free of
charge, that one-siXth of the crews
shall be citizens of the United States
and that when possible repairs be
made in the United States.
Contracts under the third section are
by the fourth provided to be for one
year and renewable from time to time
all subventions, however, being limited
to a period of ten years. Sections fifth
and sixth direct the Postmaster Cen
eral to enter into contracts, for not less
than five nor more than ten years, for
the carrying of mails in steamships
built and registered in the United
states, between ports of the United
States and foreign ports.
Rates affecting the Pacific Coast are
as follows: Pacific Coast ports, via
Hawaii, to Japan, China and the Phil
ppines, sixteen knots speed, monthly |
nj. 0,I
Pacific Coast port to Japan, China and
he Philippines, thirteen knots speed,
monthly service, $4,000; fortnightly,
400 900; Pacific Coast port to Mexico.
Central America and the Isthmus of
twelve knots speed, fort
Nightly service $4,000
The tonnage tax on foreign VESSELS
uttered in United States ports isi pro
'ided for in section eight, as follows:
THAT a duty of s cents per net ton,
lot to exceed in the aggregate so cents
yer net ton in any one year, is hereby
imposed at each entry by sea on all
'essels which shall be entered in any
ort of the United States from any for
CENTRAL America, the West India Is
ands, the Bahama Islands, the Ber
nuda Islands, the coast of South
america bordering on the Caribbean
lea or Newfoundland; and duty of
6 cents per net ton, not to exceed in
he aggregate s1.60 per net ton in any
ne year, is hereby imposed at each
ntry by sea on all vessels which shall
'e entered in any port of the United
states from any other foreign port or
lace, not, however, to include the YES
els in distress or not engaged in
rade."
The sympathy OF the community will
espond to that of the jurors in the