The Washington herald., 1907-12-05

and TO their children part OF this glory.
hope. however. that this congress wifi
request the Federal Congress 10 make
provision for the issue OF $4,000 900
United States bonds to be used as the
means of this work
Mr. Schwab'S Address.
The next speaker was Gustav Schwab.
OF the North German Lloyd Steamship
Company Of New York. Mr.. Schwab
spoke on Foreign Commerce and Rivers
and Harbors." He said, in part:
From the earliest dawn OF history
foreign commerce has been the great
civilizing factor Of the world The Phe-
nicians were the earliest recorded traders
with foreign countries. Their CONNER ce
covered the entire Mediterranean. II ex-
tended through the Straits Of Gibraltar.
to the west coast Of Africa, to the Bay
OF Biscay- 10 the British Isles, and even
70 the North and Baltic seas
The foreign commerce Of the United
States has shown a most striking develop
ment during the last half century. The
tonnage Of vessels entered in the United
States from foreign countries during the
fiscal year ended June 30. 1866, was 7.7S2. .4S4
tons At the end OF the fiscal year 1906
the tonnage entered from foreign coun-
tries pad risen 20 "a, l55, As tons, showing
that this tonnage has more than quad
rupIed in forty years.
In the fiscal year ended June 80. 1912
the total value OF imports and exports Of
merchandise in this country was $2S1, 500, -
000. The value Of imports and exports has
increased TO SS.2l5.00O,0O0 in the fiscal year
ended June %, 1906. The total value Of
foreign imports and exports OF the port
of New York alone has increased from
SS36.ooo,oOO in 1897 to s1,5S7, G0O,OOO in 1906.
These figures indicate the magnificent
progress Of the United States in material
development during those periods But
far more important would appear to be
the advance we have made through the
influence of our trade and commerce with
foreign nations in the attainment Of all
that such intercourse implies in culture
and civilization.
The Foreign Commerce,
Foreign commerce is dependent upon
means Of transportation. No commerce
with foreign nations is possible without
some means of transporting our imports
and exports across the ocean
"'The most prominent fact that our at
AtGa+plA II taiA'1 " ViA contemplating the
development OF the ocean transportation
business is the great increase in the size
and carrying capacity of ocean vessels.
Forty years ago the largest steamship
employed in the ocean-carrying trade be-
tween New York and Europe measured
3.9S9 tons gross register. At the present
date Il steamships of from 100o0 TO 2i0cO
tons gross register are engaged in regu-
lar lines Of transportation between New
York and Europe. besides a large neet of
vessels under 100O0 tons.
ITO meet the demands Of commerce the
channels leading into and out of the har-
Dor Of New York have been increased in
depth as the number of large freight car
riers grew. and as the growth OF our
foreign trade demonstrated the necessity
for Increased accommodation. A com
parison Of the various stages in the depth
of the channels in the years 1S7o. 1850 and
1880 Illustrates the interdependence of
commerce. the carrier and the channel
In 1870 the minimum depth Of water in
the channels of New York harbor AZ
mean low tides was only % feet. and
the maximum draft of vessels AZ that
time was y feet The freight rates of
that year We're three times what they
are now. In 1850 the depth OF water in
the channels had been increased 10 "a