Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-12
THE NEED OF SHIP SUBSIDIES
THE CRY OF THE ENEMIES
THAT THE,

X
BILL NOW BEFORE CONGRESS
WOULD FAVOR !. HExisTING
LINES ONLY ExPLo DED
I Cleveland, Of, Feb. IL Foes Of the
shipping bill now before congress as
sert that 1t is a bill simply to favor
existing ships and ssexisting lines"
and to enrich Hill and Hartman.
Now let us see. Mr.. Hill, or the /
Great Northern Steamship company,
owns just two steamers, the Mime
sofa and Dakota, Of 10000 tons, rum
ming from Puget Sound to Japan and
China not going to Manila but no
further than Hong Kong. There is no
certainty that Mr.. FILL would bid for
or accept the mail compensation of
100000 proposed in this bill for a
fortni ghtly service from our North Pa
lcific coast to Japan, China and the
Philippines. Mr.. Hill has not been
conspicuous in supporting this legisla-
ton. But If he did take the contract
he would have to build four more
4 American 16 knot ships If his present
two steamers proved to have adequate
speed and this is not yet determined.
lit is certain, however, that the Shaw
lmut and fremont, the two steamers of
the Boston Steamship company rum
lining out Of Puget Sound to the Orient,
1iare only IA knot steamers and there
fore ineligible under the terms Of this
bill. 1t would require at least six is
knot steamships to perform q fort
mighty service from our north Pacific
coast to Manila, whittier the present
Hill steamers do not CO.. t..s:
Four New Ships Needed.
Therefore 1t is not fair nor accurate
to say that the proposed mail payment
from the north Pacific to the Orient.
| would go simply to an existing line
for there is just one-third Of a line in.
existence. The American people and
their government, If this bill were!
passed and a real line were establish;
ed, would gain the services of four
4 large new American steamships Of:
4 great value to commerce and of great:
4 value as auxiliary cruisers or trans
tEports in war. These ships would have
to be built by Mr.. Hills company or
by somebody else to meet the require
ments Of the proposed legislation. And
the United States would then have
mail communicate every fortnight.
between the north Pacific coast and
Manila, instead of every three months
as now.
The Pacific Mail Line.
1 So From San Francisco five American.
1 16 knot steamers of the Pacific Mail
company so-called Hartman line
ARE running via Hawaii to Japan
and China, going however, no further
than Hong Kong or seldom and ir-
Regularly to the Philippines If the
Pacific Mail company should bid for
the 100000 mail subvention for a
! fortnightly service to- Japan, China
and the Philippines, it would have to-
send every steamer to Manila on every
| voyage. The distance from Hong
4 Kong to Manila is 625 miles and the
extra distance and time consumed in
coming and going would require the
construction Of at least two more,
Americana built 16 knot steamers to-
perform safely and efficiently fort
| nightly service between San Francisco
and the Philippines. This Pacific Mail
fleet comes nearest to being an Eek
listing line" but It is not an existing
| line such as is contemplated BY the
| rigid requiremnts of the proposed leg
lislation. II two Pacific lines to the
Philippines were established q United
States mail steamer would arrive at
Manila every week, and there would
be regular, adequate communication
between this country and its military
garrisons. naval fleets and markets III
the Philippines.
Extra Cost OF American Crews.
There is one more point to be con-
lsidered TRANSIT Pacific steamers Of
American as wei as Of other nation.
alities now employ Chinese as sailors
land firemen and also as stewards and