New-York tribune., 1907-07-29
NEED OF SHIP SUBSIDIES,
Japan's Peaceful Commercial Vic-
torn an the Pacific.
TO tho Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: The Navy Department. as you know Is
preparing for practice cruise OF the batteship
fleet now on the Atlantic Coast. to the Pacific
ocean There sixteen huge armorclads IN this
fleet force greater than the entire navy or japan
1t Is emphasized in Washington that this Is a
peaceful cruise and not threat but when these
battleshps reach the Pacific Coast there VIII be
no doubt IN any mans mind as 70 the military
mastery OF the Pacific Ocean
But how about the commercial mastery? Is not
mis- equally important? What kind Of figure has
the United States como TO cut In those western
seas2 ,
merchant steamships most OF them OF large size,
ruanIn, from our Western ports IN transpaoinc
service 70 Australasia and the Orient since & Coh-
gress adjourned on March last without enace'ns
the ocean mail bill which President HooseveIt SO
earnestly recommended one OF these American
steamships has been lost st sea DIX oIneIS na'o
been withdrawn and II is runored that two more
win follow IN six months. therefore. the A1neri-
can merchant feet IN Paclnc commerce mas sn[ rI u
from fifteen steamships to eight and when Con
gress reassembles next December 1t Is likely that
only six will be left.
When the great armored feet goes around tAe
Horn therefore the world will see the grotesque
spectacle of sixteen American oattleshlps suaro-
ing six American merchant steamships N uans- ~
paciac conmerce-alrnost three oattlesnips 70 one
Tnerchantnan. We Americans seem 70 be terrioy
solicitous Of military prestige. But how ABOUT
our commercial prestige2 Is this worth notIIng!
The cry OF Hartmann and "Hill!" stampeded
Congress last March. Hartman and Hin had not
asked for government suoventons. OtheF t, AileE4,
rnarrates had asked for then and when Congress
refused they hauled down their hags and quit the
ocaar Hartman and Hill remained. They were
NOT hurt; they did not care They were laughing
In their sleeves at Congress. which has now driven
their American competitors from the ocean.
The Japanese are not afraid OF the word sub
sidv' They subsidze their shpyards to help them
build ships They subsidize ship lines to reinforce
their navy and convey their commerce. They pay
10 three steamers running from Yokohama to Puget
Sound ssSOOO0 year. The British government pays
10 three British steamers from Vancouver, Brit
Ttrvy1fYa ~ a
The great and rich United States government
wear ago was paying $4,000 $1,000 to seven
American steamships from Puget Sound 10 Japan.
China and the Philippines
The owners OF these American shipS-not Mr..
Hill but the owners OF the other ships-asksd Con-
gress for a mail subventicn. which would al least
put them a parity with their British and jap
anese competitors These shipowners said that
they could not possibly run their steamers without
some national aid Congress refused Thereupon
three OF the five American steamers were imme-
dIately withdrawn. Two others. it is understood.
will follow them a sixth ship. the Dakota.
wrecked of Japan. BY next winter there will
probably be only ono Azusrican stsaIns< Carrying