Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-09-25
another OBSTACLE
A HTTCHIE TIE LONG BATTLE
SHIP TRIP
Adminisfrzfisa EB<ssatzrs legal Ubs1zEiz
-Forgixs YsssSls TrzEsortin<
Cszl fer Flexf wast PzE
Tom5gE
MATERIAL INCREASE OF COST
OF UNPRECEDENTEO
ENTERPRISE

- insure the sneeess - rs xszaasie
naval dem0nstr4l Involving 4ne
voyage - nearIy q sesre 20 battle
SHIPS frou are 1tiantie eAeeam ta tae
Pacific
Another legal obstacle has aeen EN-
eg1utered whica if aot oreEeonsr Hay
materially snerease ffe e-.es ~ lisis un-
DrseelenteI e1ferprfse. bEt in FisE er
the egurss f9il0afd q up 60 this rluss t1
II nos O. be douhfsd HAT tle Adml1ss-
fratf0u wiif FMS . nrsaus of sFerra.tau<
any mere legal eonsi'lsrati9u ~ azsier
- lessen t5e eApeEss ef ere movement
zn1 l5gs obgiats g. aexree lHe est--
iefsn bounf - cJre fs1t the azeur-
sion ~ lhe neet involves IN sz-r4ra-
CANT e1renIif1re - rgaiie n1eraT-
There Is seassn - fafleNe s8at s1n-
eeru - beziuufBr g - fezE in "A
ssinfstraEi0n circles 0Eer lae uru@e-et
- alfezaffons that the law far rHe
uryteeefon ~ Amerfe1n shErpSn1 has
been violated. and is wzs ssi3 -asl8y
that the whole sunfeeE - tas Legality
u fbe employmsnt - f8rsfzn ssips -
carry supplies f0r She Eee1 from
i American ports o. ether ltnseriean rsrfs
w0agd 6e subms stte1 90 the Attorney
GseneFai for his OpiBion-
The uaw obstacle mentioned ls
found fa an existing law Nhlen fu-
po4eg tonnage ard gSxsE1n8se dues am
| foreign vessels s1zzGinz in tlla Az1eE-
lean e0astpf5e trale- Tbs puFuose ~
fhe law was - make e iunossihls
for ships Of foreign register to rreot-
ably eompe1e wits American sblrs
befweenn ports sxefnsipely wEs1iu fils
territory ~ tlse United States -sH-
seqasutly = Iau was euactssf prals1nig
/ ing any vessel ~ foreign register G.
carry 4 cargo fr0rn ore American pors
10 another American porE 8ue tle
original Law was u0t repealed
Ir fs understood tiat che Department
0f Comneres and Labor fhe 1-arels
~ the G0geumenG charged With the
enforcement % the nzv izz1io1 laws
held ibag IL foreign eeiIiers ara sg BE-
employed in Carrying coal for fes ises
from one American port Co. the ether
they must pay lighthouse dues ard
the tonnage taEs amounting e0 81 per
net ton Of tbe vessel s carrying ca
Iacity.
The Administration has already em-
ploved foreign e0fIlers to carry coal
for the aees from one American Bor1
to another. ~ these vessels Gnd shat
they are Obliged 80 pay tonnage and
lighthouse dues they viii insist TINS
they be COMPENSATED for the additional
cost. which IN the aggregate wuuid
increase the amount OF the eoaI con-
tracts enormously. and in some eases
make the price 0f transportation ssIuas
10 or greater than that asked bv
certain American shipoWners-
The statutes provide also for tire
payment Of tonnage and lighthouse
dues by foreign vessels entering
American ports from foreign ports.
but these payments are not enforced
in such cases on acc0untof reciprocal
arrangements between the United
states and foreign nations There has
been no reciprocal arrangement, how
ever. to- suspend the enforcement af
the law reqefriBg the payment 0f
tonnage and lighthouse dues BY ves-
sells Of foreign register engaged IN the
American coastwise trade.
The Administration, Il is under
stood. overlooked the existence ~
/ these laws when Il directed the Navy
| Department 10 employ foreign vessels
| to transport c0al from one American
port to another. In deciding that for
| eign vessels might be 50 employed
the President took the ground that be
| had authority 10 do 50 under a law
which permits tbe employment 0f for
eign vessels to carry supplies for the
| Army and Navy whenever he finds
| that the cost Of carrying such supplies
in American bottoms Will be eNces-
| sive and unreasonable The discovery
| that the tonnage dues and lighthouse
1 dues acts were still in force has given
a new phase to the matter Of the EN-
| ployment Of foreign ships. some of
/ which are already on their way from
4
| ports with czTgoes Of coal for the bat
tIesbip feet
Another cause for complaint of
1 American ship0wuers and those inter
ested in the encouragement Ct the
| American merchant marine is found
IN what seems 10 be 4 case 0f preferen-
| tiaI treatment accorded 10 those EN-
pl0ying foreign vessels % carry coai
for the fleet. This alleged preference
4 lies in the fact that in the bids for
transporting coal purchased some tine
ago the bidder for q contract who IN
tended to use American vessels w4s
| required To give the names ~ such
vessels IN bis bid. whereas II foreign
/ vessels were to De used tire bidder was
not reauired to furnish the names an
ill notified bv the Navy Department
that it was ready 10 utilize their ser
| vices. The objection 10 this method
Is that the bidder who intends 80 use
foreign vessels can charter any such
vessels that happens 70 Be available
1 when the Navy Department. informs
| him that the coal is ready for ship
ment, while the bidder using Ameri-
| can ships has 10 make his arrange
ments prior to submitting his bid IN
| crder to be able. 70 comply vita The
requirement that the names - Aneri-
| can vessels to be used mIest BE furnish
| cd with the bid
| When the Administration hrst began
10 give consideration 10 ueans by
which it would be able 20 lessen the
force Of the criticism thai the feet
| demonstration would require trench
dous expenditure Of public money il
encountered the legal objection 80 The
| employment Of foreign vessels IN the
| transportation Of the fleets coal sup
plies from American ports On the A.
| lanfic Coast TO American ports on the
Pacific Coast This objection was
stated in an opinion said 10 have been