New-York tribune., 1910-03-23
fFrom ne Tribune Bureau ]

OF the United States, absolutely aObih~stS" ~
first class carrying trade between the Uh''ed
States and Europe. Every one OK the sail paehe'
lines. carrying freight and passengers and cor
responding 90 the present first class steamship
lines, was American. As the British historian
GTantham said:
Previous 10 the development Of steamships
the prepOnderance of shipping was falling rap
Idly into the hands OF American ship owners
Thirty years ago one Of the great objects oil
interest at the docks i'm Liverpool was ths
American sailing packet, and II was cotslu
that stranger had missed one OF the lions %
the port who had not visited these ceieDia.eu
ships. The same prestige was felt everywhere;
on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans IN ln1la,
China, and in an the best trades American
ships were most in demand.
This great shipping had heen built up under
n vigorous protective policy adopted in 1889. by
which foreign ships arriving at American ports
were compelled to pay a tonnage tax of 50 cents
n ton, while American ships paid only cents.
and. moreover, the cargoes imported i'm foreign
ships compelled to pay 10 per cent more
customs duty than il imported in American
ships. There were especial and even heavier
determinations against foreign and In favor OF
American ships in the important trade with the
East Indies.
These discriminating duties had been relaxed
before lS4O and entirely withdrawn I'm some
trades. but they had protected American ship
ping long enough TO give il the complete mas
terry OF the ocean Beaten i'm sail shipping. the
British government in 1899 began to protect
and encourage steam shipping. then in its in
fancy. A mail subsidy Of s425.000 year was
given to samuel cunard and his associates. TO
establish a line Of British built steamships to
Halifax and Boston 1t is beyond question"
declares Professor James Russell SOley. i'm the
Maritime Industries of America" that the
sum paid TO the CunaTd company in its early
on the cost OF the running plant and subse-
quently increased to s55O.OOO. to ,75QOoO and TO
sS5OoO9, was clearly a subsidy; that it was
given with the plain intention Of establishing
firmly in English hands the transatlantic trade.
ami that il accomplished the desired result"
When the United States government gave a
mail subsidy 20 Mr. Collins and created line
of larger and faster American steamers. Mr.
Cunard asked and obtained from the British
government n subsidy Of s725.0OO-afteTwaTd
Increased to about s9OO.OO0-for a British line
from Liverpool 90 New York. In 1S4s Mr..
Cunard testified before the Parliamentary Com
Sit;ee on Packet Contracts:
II lad got this contract three months sooner
OlSEe would have been no American line.
Purpose Of British Subsidies.
Il h3s been asserted by extreme free traders
hat British steamship subsidies given pure
ly for postal purposes. and only 20 lines TO
colonial ports. But New York in 1S49 vas not
a colony OF Great Britain. In 1851 the British
government gave a subsidy OF sl.20O,OOO a year
p create line 20 the West Indies and Colon.
sfterwaFd extended under a subsidy increased
40 Sl.35O9O0 to Brazil and Argentina. At the
same time a subsidy OF s225.O00 was given to
smother British line on the west coast of South
America. which touched az no British port In
1858 the Parliamentary Committee on Contract
Packets authoFitativeIy stated the objects of
British mail subsidies follows:
The objects which appear 70 have led TO the
formation Of these contracts and 90 the larger
expenditures involved. we're 70 afford rapid.
frequent and punctual communication with dis
tant ports which feed the main arteries Of Brit
ish commerce. and with the most important OF
our foreign possessions. 90 foster maritime en-
terPrise ana TO encourage the production OF
"a" convenience and wealth Of the country in
time OF peace and assist in defending its shores
against hostile aggression.
An Experts Testimony.
Mr. J. HonEiker HcatOn a member OF the
British Parliament. formerly British Postmaster
General. and the chief authority in Great Britain
postal affairs. said few years ago in
letter to the Right Honorable II. Cecil Raikes,
II. p. Postmaster General Of Great Britain:
The postoffice ITSELF Tepudiates the suggestion
:idcS should be regarded as deficit caused by
he of pfr oFasr