New-York tribune., 1907-09-13
SHIP OUNERS ANGRY.
Fighting Transportation Of Coal an
Foreign Tessels.
From The Tribune Rureau-l

Washington. Sept. 12-The Coastwise ship
Ming lines are tremendously exercised because
the Navy Department has chartered a number
Of British tramp steamers TO transport coal IoF
the fleet to the Pacific Coast. and they declare
,bet they will make trouble for the government
II they can find a court which VIII sustain theIr
contentious Certain lawyers FOR American ship
o,,,uers Informed the Navy Department to-day
that acting in behalf OF their clients. they would
seek 20 prevent by injunction the discharge OF
the coal cargoes which had been transported In
foreign bottoms when they reached their destI-
nation In the Pacific. There are eleven British
tramp ships scattered along the ocean hlghWay
between Hampton Roads and Bremerton, Wash
and one or them is due at the latter point this
month.
It is fntimated by the attorneys here, the
na,nes Of whose clients are withheld that
test case will be instituted soon as the first
Of these ships docks at BreInerton. The law
officers OF the Navy Department have decided
that under the statute, the enactment Oh WHICH
was procured by Senator Hale in 1904 proVld-
tho that coal and other supplies for the army
and navy may be transported In foreign bottoms
in an emergency. the employment OF i"LeisH
vessels in the absence OF offers from NesseiS Oh
American register at reasonable prices Is au-
thorized.
The coastwise peoples lawyers contend now
,,e~ that This Is a far-fetched construction or
the law which the courts Will not uphold. IRat
1oo, tbev maintain. obviously intended 10
app1v only TO the Philippines. 10 which 'ne
ooast,yise laws had not been extended. They
further insist that the present cruise OF the
Atlantic fleet is not. properly speaking an
er,ergency Naval officers suggest that in view
Of the fact that the navy Is the best insurance
tho merchant marine can possibly have against
an anemv insistence by the owners OF coast
wise vessels on the application OF a law which
might so enhance the expense of this great
practice cruise as render it impossible Is not
onIv extraordinarily unpatriotc, but snort
sighted This argument does not appear 10
arneaI 40 the owners OF the coastwise vessels
who insist that they are in business Tor pront
rather than for patriotism
II Is said at the Navy Department that the
coastwise people are practically a unit in the
fight against the governments course, and that
thew intend to exhaust every resource 10 thwart
IT'S purpose It is said that this coal trade gives
the British tramps just the round-the- world
custom they have been so anxiously seeking;
chat thev come across the Atlantic with cargoes,
sbf, cargoes of coal the Atlantic coast and
transport it to the Pacific, and there pick up
caraoes for the Orient It Is feared. too, by the
Goa st,y,se people that It will ultimately be de-
cided 70 maintain a considerable fleet the
Pacific Coast. and that the employment OF Brit
isb tramps TO transport coal and other supplies
NAV become a habit. The navy officials are
awaiting news of the arrival and unloading of
the first coal steamer at Bremerton with con-
siderable interest.