Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-01-29
BIG INCREASES IN
AMERICAN VESSELS
1880 More In Domestic AND
LILO More In Foreign Trade
Than Ten Years Ago.
l,22l SHIPS BUILT LAST YEAR
Not Square Rugged Vessel BuiIt in
the United States for Three Years
Past-Nearly 100000 Men Employed
On the Various Vessels Flying the
Flag.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 2S.--
The report Of the Commissioner OF
Navigation for 1906 makes the shin
subsidy amendments themselves look
superfluous. In ten years there has
been an Increase OF 4.S00 in American
vessels In domestic trade. and an in
crease of LILO in foreign trade. On
June 90. 1906 the merchant marine
comprised 25,00G vessels of G,6T4 800
gross tons. During the last year 1,221
vessels of 4lS,7i5 gross tons were
huilt in this country.
The output of Steel merchant ves-
sells during the current year will be
greater than ever before in this coun-
try says the report, "and ii is prob.
able that the total tonnage of all types
Gf vessels will exceed $4,000 gross
tons, the largest amount built since
1876 Up 10 November ~. 1906. 2O3.-
900 gross tons have been built and
numbered. If that rate be maintained
Tor the rest of the year the output of
our yards will he the largest in our
history. From these statements. how
ever, 1t cannot he inferred that any
direct progress of American partici-
l3ation in the foreign trade is indicat-
cd. OF all the merchant steamers on
July under contract or construction
only two will engage in the foreign
trade
On July |, 1905, only seven ocean
steamships. aggregating $4,000 tons,
were under contract or construction.
On July 1. 1906 thirty-two such ocean
steamships. aggregating 131 900 tons,
were similarly reported. So many
ocean steel steamers have never be-
fore been under contract in the Unit
ed States as at the present time.
Ten years ago only seventy-five tons
of steam vessels were built in New
York, and last year 6,55s tons
Few Square Rugged Vessels.
Not a square rugged vessel has been
built in the United States in the last
three years. In the meantime the
square rugged fleet has decreased by
cutting down into coal hulks fourteen
per cent. At the beginning of the
current year the fiTslt numbere1 276
vessels. of 322,2SS gross tons.
Tho United States ranks second to
England in the number and tonnage
OF vessels of oil classes over 100 tons,
the British having 17,G11,596 tons;
America, 4,241,5S9 tons, and Germany,
3,S10,353 tons.
The crews of the merchant vessels
of the United States aggregate 1907
SOC, three times the size of the stand
ing army. To this must be added 25,-
O0G masters, making total of To-
SOC Including all classes, motor
boats and barges, 177,200 men MAIN
the merchant vessels and yachts of
the United States.
Only 3.07 per cent. deserted-that
is. failed to join their vessels-or 3d.
S94 out of total OF 126745. Impris-
onment for desertion was abolished in
1898 and since then assertions are at
n minimum. There were only 40 dc
sertions reported by American consnls
abroad.
Tonnage taxes are not so great a
burden as often imagined. Last year
S967,322.4S was collected, which goes
TO the support of the marine hospit-
ais. But American vessels paid only
$S4,902.67 out of the total.