The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-16
eERMANYs MERcHANr MARINE.
She Needed It, She Wanted It, and BY
Hard Work She Cot It.

Not less remarkable than the rise 81
the German military snd naval power
within the last half century has been
the growth Of her merchant marine.
Though the former is too well known
to need comment, the latter is BY no
means sufficiently appreciated.
The policy Of Germany, particularly
under the present ruler, has been tow
ard the building up Of a great navy, but
arst-olass navy cannot be maintained
for long without a strong merchant ma
rine. The taxpayers Of nation will
not very long support che burden Of a
first.elass navy unless they have q large
merchant marine TO be protected by il.
Furthermore, an effective navy de-
mands the existence Of q large merchant
fleet as training school for its sea-
men, Battleships aud torpedo boats 40
not make navy Any wealthy nation
can purchase them, but a national ap-
titude for the sea il not 40 easily pur-
chased It's acquisition usually results
only from a faithful apprenticeship up
on the carriers 81 commerce.
The geographical location Of Germany
is not such as to give her an advantage
in the competition for the carrying
trade Of the world. On the contrary,
she Is very unfavorably located. Her
ports upon the Baltic are cut of from
the ocean by Denmark, which until the
middle Of the last century levied sound
duties upon all vessels entering and
leaving the Baltic. Not only hat, her
ports upon this sea arr frozen up during
G considerable portion Of the year
Her ports upon the North sea are
more fayoraby located in this respect.
The communication between the two
sets Of ports has bees greatly improved
by the construction Of the Kaiser VIII
helm canal Vet for all this Germany
Is still less favorabIy located for com.
munication with the markets Of the
world than any other frst-class power
except Russia and Austria OF either
may stll be called a irst-elass power).
Nor does Germany possess any great
natural harbors. Even after the ex-
penditure Of millions Of dollars in drig-
ing and millions more in other forms az
engineering she has not now any pre-.
eminently good harber. IN the matter
Of shiphuilding she was almost equally
handicapped BY nature, for her natural
resources were very limited a. to both
wood and iron, the materials for con-
struction; fol though wood has now BE-.
come an almost negligible factor in
shipbuilding, iron in some form Is IN
dispensible As Germany n not rich Ia
either iron ore or coal she Is sorely
Handicapped in the production Of iron.
When compared with the United States,
Germany Is at decided disadvantage
as regards the raw material for ship
building
AS an offset TO these natural disad-
'vantages Germany has resorted to the
free Introduction Of shipbuilding ma.
terial, low freight rates over govern
nent railways and the granting Of sub
genteions. The German government il
paying 100000 marks annually to its
merchant marine. IN granting subyen-
tions Il has pursued the wise policy Of
substituting lines which are to tap new
fields OF trade, leaving the oldestab-
lished lines to take care Of themselves
Thus the lines which for years have
been running from Europe to America
receive 10 subsidies. Those running
from Africa and the Orient do.From
the Farm.