Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-08

of other nations Free ships were then
renewed. In 1870 France had a merchant
tonnage Of 1072 900; in 1884, after a long
experiment with free ships French ton
mage had fallen to $4,000, while French
shipbuilding, overwhelmed by British CON-
petition. was so nearly dead that 1t was
difficult to keep up the construction of the
navy.
After this experience, the French govern
for shipbuiidins and subsidies for Sa I naviga-
ton, applying to the entire ocean-going
fleet of France. 1t was successful from the
first In encouraging French navigation
the proportion Of long voyage traffic in
creased from % per cent in 1850 to 80 per
cent in 1850. At first the effect on French
shipbuilding was disappointing, and there
was an abnormal increase of French sail
tonnage at the expense of steam. How
ever, in a subsequent revision Of the French
subsidy law, these defects were amendpd,
until in recent years. there has been a large
growth in the entire French marine. French
steam tonnage. which was $4,000 in 1890,
French sail tonnage had increased from
29s. 600 to 4e4 600.
America Tagging Behind.
Germany now pays an annual subven-
ton of 81 10000 to the North German
Lloyd for steamship service to China.
Japan and Australia. Great Britain pays
s.. 100000 to the Peninsular and Oriental
for steamship service to the orient.
France gives to each Of her two great
companies mail subvention Of from
1900 600 to 100000 year. The United
States in the fiscal year 1904 paid to all
the lines under the American flag IN mail
American Line to Europe, only $1rSI5,OO0.
but little more than the German Pacific
line received and much less than Great
Britain or France gave to q single one of
ylaiy cfa nah n
ut is manifest that this nggardly policy
on the part OF the United States not only
discourages shipowning and shfpbulid1ng,
but-far more Observation-Disclosures the ef-
forts of American manufacturers, Farmers
and merchants to gain their rightful share
Of the worlds commerce. These great
ocean mail lines of the powers of Europe
all run direct from their own ports to the
ports of the other continents. These pow
ers spend no subsidies on lines from the
United States. The European ships that
engage in American trade With South
America. Africa and the orient are as
craft-the cast-off 'tramps of European
services They are owned and managed
by foreign companies, whose first concern
Is for the welfare of their own hation ana
for the profit of their main lines OF COM
munication."
The Old Free Trade Argument.
Senator GalInger replied at some length
n
policy of national encouragement to the
merchant marine that ''if foreigners will
do this work more cheaply than we can
do il ourselves, why not let them?' He said
that this plea critically examined is moth
ing but the fundamental free trade argu-
ment in the most extreme form IN when
1t was possible to state 1t. Many years ago
this was familiar In another neld, ana was
urged against the development OF our man
ufactures on the ground that Europe should
be the workshop and America the farm
II the argument is sound one, that II for
eigners can do or make any thlng
more cheaply than we can they ought
to be- permitted to do it or make 1t, then
the entire protective system of the United
States is rooted In delusion and ought to
be abandoned.
1t is estimated that the annual cost of
transporting the exports and Imports the
mails and the passengers In the overseas
trade of this country is about 5000, 100000.
nine-tenthS of which goes to the pockets or
foreign nations.
1t is an important fact, he urged, that
shipyards possessing the heavy machinery
requisite for the construction of steel ships
of the line cannot be developed and main
tanned alone by the demands of the coast
wise trade whose vessels, a rule, are
of moderate power and dimensions.
Pending Bill Analysed.
Senator Gallinger presented an analysis
of the shipping bill, stating that two dis
tinct forms of encouragement and aid for
ocean shipping were provided. One is in
the form of new mail subventions of ten
specified lines running, three of them from
the Atlantic coast to Brazil, Argentina, and
South America, respectively; four from
ports Of the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, the
Isthmus Of Panama, Cuba and Mexico, re-
spectively, and three from the Pacific coast
-one to Japan. China and the Philippines
via Hawaii, one to Japan, China and the
inrin md IN ayin Con
trail America and the Isthmus of Panama.
For these ten steamship lines-most OF
them entirely new seryices-the maximum
compensation OF secs. 600 is proposed, dis
tributed, 100000 to the three Atlantic
lines, $4T5 600 to the four Gulf of Mexico
lines and s1.14O,000 to the three lines on the
Pacihsc omcmfwe tmwm cmfwy entmtm
Pacific ocean.