The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-12-04
GREAT AMERICAN HANDICAP.

The great majority of the people of
the United States will view with par
donable pride the showing of the naval
strength of the country made by Sec
rotary Metcalf. The modern American
navy. although hardly of voting age,
has increased in tonnage and power
so rapidly that it now stands in fight
ing strength second only to that or
Great Britain. 1t has cost lot of
money 10 build these ships, and it costs
a great deal to maintain them, but as
a guarantee of peaceful relations with
the rest of the world it may be money
we'll spent 1t will probably be some
what of a surprise to the ship subsidy
seekers 10 learn that the relative po-
sition of the American merchant ma
rine in comparison with that of other
powers is exactly the same as the po-
rssition of our navy; that is, second only
TO that of Great Britain, says the Ore
gonian.
II is half million tons larger than
that of Germany and more than twice
as large as that of either France or
Norway, which come next on the list to
Germany. In exact figures bearing
Lloyd's official stamp the flag of Old
England floats over 1S,320,66S tons of
shipping. while that of the United
States amounts to 4511,92S tons. These
figures are for vessels of more than 100
IONS register, and on the list Germany
is credited with 4,110562 tons, France
f761.7S3 tons and Norway, 1,91S,S31
tons. Japan has 100000 tons; Italy
p 1.219,000 tons, and Russia, 937 900 tons.
The remainder of the grand total of
39,43S,917 tons is scattered among the
other nations of the earth In amounts
of moderate proportions. There is
some some encouragement in these fig
ares for much greater growth in the
future. when people have full under
standing of the enormous handicar
<plaoed on American shipping by oul
Anticipated and hampering navigation
laws.
. Aside from the ships built in this
country, every vessel now flying the
American flag has secured the right to
g lily that banner only by the most siren
uous fighting. Every obstacle possible
has been thrown in the way of mer
who attempted to enroll under the
American flag vessels of foreign builj
which had been disabled or par.I,
wrecked. While the Germans. British
French. Italians. Norwegians. Japa-
nese in fact every other nation on the
face of the earth were free to buy shin,
wherever they could buy them the
cheapest, this right has been denied
the Americans. There has been kear
rivalry on the Atlantic between tn,
Germans and the British, ard the re.
cent appearance of the big Cunarder:
Maurestania and Lusitania has result
= ed in the Germans letting a contrac
for vessel 5000 tons larger than either
-. NAiC ia ASH he Germans art
not restricted in their operations
They can buy or build vessels wheravel
theyscan secure the best results for tn,
2 least money. AS result the order fo
the largest ship afloat has been placed h,
the Germans with a British yard which
has within the past six months turned
out two 25.000-ton ships for the sam,
German firm.
Not single ship of foreign bull.
was added TO the American merchan
marine las year. France. with her sub
sidy-favored shipyards. butt - %,
tons, but her shipowners bought from
the yards of United Kingdom builder
e6,Ss2 tons. Norway, which is comir.s
TO the front with rush. built but 1851.
tons at home, but her people wan.e,
a merchant marine, so they boush
14S'112 tons from British yards an,
24.ss1 tons from other foreign wards
Italy built $1,000 tons at home an,
bought s7.27s tons from British yards