New-York tribune., 1907-12-05
NEW SHIPPING BILL.
DIR. Gallinger Introduces H-in Ae-
cord 7cith Presidents pie1cS.
From The Tribune Bureau-I

E-rnr1
y.-asrtreton Dac IA new shipping bill oTlef
4 =-arn IN accordance with the recoTnn1efloa'I'il
in the Presidents message, was infooucSu
by Senator GaInger in the senate, anu 80 -
presented by Representative HUMPHREY
t4ouse The bill amends the ocean man 10" 20 -
200. ,,.ho-i-,,o the Postmaster General to pay -
nil. outu-ard to sixteen-knot steamers On IVu'eS
over four thousand miles in length 10 oou.n IN 60
lea and across the Pacific Ocean inns iS ' -t
-. o,, Maid IN the twenty knot ships OF the
American line from New York TO Southahp'oli'
I'd = is beue,ad IL would result in new American
1,-os IN Frszu and Argentina ana Wouio o'0N
strengthen the American lines now operauhs oe
tween the Pacific Coast and China Japan ~ "
Philippines. - .,,. ,,rfc,
.os ,Le senate nearly two years ago. but II
arrias out in effect the recommendations OF tH0
Merchant Marine Commission regaIoliis
ocean mail communication with Sou'n IN, nIi
ors5 the orient The President and the Republican
leaders IN Congress believe that general si'A
subsidy bill could not pass at this sessioN.
,ep- hill however is simply an amendment Oh lie
ocean mall law approved on March g. ISsl' ilAt
law grants sgbvcntions Of 81 an outward fnlie I'I
twenty-11ot steamers. 81 a mile lot sAteei-hlio.
steamers 81 mile fourteen-knot steamers ana
Sc % cents a mile for tweIveknot steaglers en-
gagged in crrrying ocean mails OF the United states
unde- contract with the Postofhce Department.
The law has worked with fair success 50 far as
the shorter ocean mail routes are concerned The
line of four twenty-knot steamers sailing
weekly from New York for Europe. which
receive maximum subvention of $4,000 year.
It has been instrumental in the upbuilding of the
Ward Line from New York to Cuba and Mexico.
which operates about a dozen American built
steamers the latest of which. under the require
meuts Of the law. have been built designs ap-
proved by the Navy Department for auxiliary
cruisers The Merida, the Mexico. the Saratoga
and the Havana all constructed within two years
are ships with tonnage OF upward OF six thou
sand. n maximum speed of eighteen knots. and
decks strengthened to carry batteries OF eleven 8
inch guns. Another American line operating under
the law 1891 is the Red D Line. from New York
to Venezuela. employing four steamers. A fourth
line operating under this law is that OF the United
Fruit Company. with four 15-knot steamers from
Boston and Philadelphia TO Jamaica. The steam
ships of the American, the Ward and the Red D
lines were under the provisions OF law utilized
by the government in the Spanish war. They are
compelled carry at least one-half of whom
American seamen.
1t is said that the law of 1901 while sufficient
, for shorter distances has failed to procure Ameri-
can mail lines over the longer routes 10 South
America and the Orient The bill offered by Sem
ator Gallinger is designed extend the existing
law to include new lines to South America the
Orient and Australasia. Many representatives OF
the Middle West who have been reluctant to SUP
port a general ship subsidy policy. have indicated
that they were willing 10 for an amendment
| OF the ocean mail law, which will create new
American steamship service where none now exists
| or where the few ships running are inadequate
ana about to disappear. II Is believed by those
who have the new bill in charge that it is poliu-
caIy the strongest proposition which can be pre-
sented Just the upbuilding Of the merchant
marine