The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-12-02
SHIP SUBSIDY EXPOSED
BY THE OREGONlAN

Dollar line of steamships operating
out of Pacific coast ports, has ust
supplied the San Francisco Com
mercial News with the most valu-
able and interesting communication
that has yet appeared on the Amer
lean ship problem. There is moth
ing theoretical or academic about
Mr.. Dollars views on American
shipping, and in the articles refer
red to he confines his efforts to
presentation of the bare facts.
Even a superficial glance over Mr..
Dollar figures, which are all taken
from his regular ledger accounts,
explains why this country can not
do business on the high seas, in
competition with other nations
TheBritish steamship Hazel Dollar,
a vessel of 7,22O tons dead weight
capacity, cost Mr.. Dollar 500 600
and the best bid he could get from
an American yard was S45O, 600.
The American steamer Stanley
Dollar cost SlS4 900 to build, and
American builders now want SEQ,
600 to duplicate the vessel At
the same time a Scotch firm offers
to build duplicate of the Stanley
Dollar for 500, 800. Thus in the
case of the Hazel Dollar, the vessel
would have cost over 5000, 900
more if Mr.. Dollar had bought the
vessel from an American builder
On this extra cost interest would
have run during the life of the YES
sci. The highest salaries paid the
officers of the American ships are
of less Importance, amounting to
but $265 per month. An extra
engineer, three oilers and two
water tenders, which our govern
ment insists must be carried on
American vessels, are not employed
on the foreign vessels of the Dollar
line, and in this item there is
saving of about 81 900 per year.
Perhaps the most striking feature
of Mr.. Dollars exhibit is the state
ment of cost of operation for one
year of the British steamer Hazel
Dollar and the American steamer
Grace Dollar. The latter is a di-
munitive coaster of but 2S9 tons
net register, and her annual opcrat-
ing expenses were $23, SASS.
The Hazel Dollar is big freighter
of 1852 tons net register, and her
operating expenses for the same
period were S24 ,OO605. Mr.. Dol
lar is now negotiating for a cargo
steamer of 5000 tons dead weight
capacity, and has a price of 1928,
900 from a Scotch firm, while
Pacific coast firm of builders put
in bid of $500, 900 for the vessel.
These figures refute the showroom
argument that the cost of an
American vessel is only IS per cent
to 80 per cent more than that of
the foreign vessels, and show quite
effectively t he impossibillty Of
granting a subsidy large enough to
offset the ormous advantage
which the foreigners have in the
original cost of the vessel.
An excellent suggestion as to
how we can secure a merchant
marine in short order is found in
Mr.. Dollars statements There
are over 200, 900 gross tons OF
ships owned by American citizens
that are compelled to fly the flags
of foreign nations, thereby increas-
ing their tonnage with what right
fully belongs to this country
Plain facts of this nature may not
prevent the subsidy steal, but they
will serve to intensity the feeling
against the men who are boosting
it. Portland Oregonian, Rep.
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