The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-04
SHIP SUBSIDY.
m
Measure Submitted to Congress
by the Commission
Which Was Appointed for That
Purpose Some Time Ago.
CALL 1T SUBVENTION.
Provides for Payment of So Per
Ton Annually
And a Tonnage Tax to Be Levied
on Foreign Vessels.

Washington, Jan 4.-Subventions
of I'VE dollars per gross ton annually;
subsidies for the carrying of mails
from Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mex
lea and Cuba, and from Pacific coast
lea and Cub, and from Pacific coast
ports to Japan, China. the Philip
pines. Mexico, Central America and
the Isthmus of Panama; a tonnage
tax on foreign vessels entering United
States ports; the creation of a naval
volunteer service, and the encourage
ment of apprentices on ships in for
eign trade are provided for in a bill
agreed upon by the joint merchant
and marine commission. which sub
mitted its report to congress today
The commission, composed of five
senators and five representative, was
created during the last session of con-
gress in response to recommended
ton by President Roosevelt in his
annual message Decembe z, 19O3
An exhaustive investigation was made
by the commission of the conditions
of the American merchant marine ana
American commerce with view 10
ascertaining the most feasible means
for their development Hearings were
conducted during the year at nearly
all the important shipping and com
mercia1 centers in the United states.
The report Of the commission con
tains more than $4,000 words and IS
made I'D of references to the import
ant testimony taken, estimates OF the
annual cost of the methods proposed
to restore the merchant marine ano
an urgent appeal for the passage, py
the present congress, of the bill pre-
scented with the report
The bill agreed upon is divided into
eleven sections The first makes pro-
volunteers capable of rendering serV-
ice in time Of war 1t provides that
the secretary of the navy ana the
secretary of commerce and labor
should cause to be made an enroll
ment of officers and men, now ana
hereafter employed in the merchant
marine and deep sea fisheries or the
United States, who shall receive an
annual retainer. at the end OF each
year, as follows:
ssFoT- each master or chief engineer
Of a vessel of the United States OF
i've thousand gross tonnage or over
one hundred dollars; Tor eacn l ~ ~
or chief engineer of a vessel or the
United States of one thousand tons
or over but of less than five thousand
cross tons eighty-five dollars; Tor
each master or chleL engineer u "a q
vessel of the United States under one
thousand gross tons, seventy dollars;
for each mate or assistant engineer
of a vessel of the United states OF
five thousand gross tons or over, sev-
enty dollars; for each mate or ASSIST
ant engineer of a. vessel of the united
states of one thousand gross tons or
over but of less than i've thousana
gross tons, f1fty-five dollars Tor each
mate or assistant engineer or a YES
sci of the United States under one
thousand gross tons, forty dollars; for
each seaman. twenty-five dollars Tor
each boy, fifteen dollars"
The second section, prescribing the
which vessels
gagged in the foreign trade shall be
eligible to receive the subvenuons, is
as follows:
defense and for the performance of
the public services hereinafter spe-
cifed, after July 1, 1906, the secre-
tary of the treasury is hereby au-
thorized and directed to pay, subject
to the provisions of this act, out of
any money in the treasury not other
wise appropriated, to the owner or
owners of any vessel hereafter built
and registered in the United States or
citizens of the United States (includ-
ing as such citizens any corporation
created under the laws of the United
States or any of the states thereOf),
subventions as hereinafter provided;
that is to say, (a) the sum of five
dollars per gross registered ton Tor
each vessel which has been engaged
in the foreign trade by sea or the
twelve months, including time neces-
sarily consumed in making annual or
extraordinary repairs; CD the sum of
four dollars per gross registered ton
for each vessel which has been en-
gagged in the foreign trade by sea or
the deep sea fisheries for a period of
mines months or over, but less than
twelve months, including time neces-
sarily consumed in making extraordi-
nary repairs; Co the sum of two dol
lars and fifty cents per gross regis
tered ton for each vessel which has
been engaged in the foreign trade by
sea or the deep sea fisheries for a
period of six months or over, but less
than nine months. including time
necessarily consumed in making ex-
traOrdinary repairs: Provided that if
for reasons satisfa Glory to the secre-
tary of commerce and labor, a vessel
is idle for more than one month when
not undergoing repairs or receiving
or discharging cargo the subvention
shall be reduced pro rate"
Provision is made in the third sec
ton that vessels receiving the sub
vention may be taken by the United
States, at a fair compensation for ma
tional defense or any public purpose.
It provides also:
That when the postmaster general
requires. the vessels shall carry mails
free OF charge.
That one-sixth Of the crews shall
be citizens of the United States
THAT a vessel employed in the for
eign trade shall maintain during the
period so employed at least class Al