The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-03

ton, the coast survey can tell you just
what the tide is at any port OF tnn
world and at any hour Of the day For
instance, II you want to know Just
how high the tide Will rise this after
noon in the Bay OF Chemulpo. on the
west coast OF Korea. this machine will
tell YOU"
How about your lighthouses. are
you putting up new ones?"
Yes" replied the secretary. we
are adding hundreds of lights and light
houses to the service every year The
main lights along the Atlantic and Pa
cine were erected long ago. but we are
establishing new lights and signals
between them. We have put on about
NIFTY new lights, sixteen fog signals and
75l buoys We are greatly extendine
the lighthouse service of Alaska, and
are building lighthouses there. We are
also putting lights upon the Yukon
and other rivers. We are Improving
the lighthouses OF Porto Rico and
Hawaii. and we have officers OF the
Engineer Corps of the army who are
inspecting the lights on the Mississip-
III River and Its tributaries.
Our Merchant Marine.
And then as to the Bureau OF Nav1-
cation" continued the secretary. I'VE
are doing what we can to make aur
merchant vessels better and to taTa
care OF the sailors We arc inspecting
the steamboats, and insisting that they
be properly equipped with life-saving
appliances.
i should like to see measures under
taken 10 increase our merchant marine,
AS 1t is we have some thing like u.s.
600 vessels with a gross tonnage OF
more than 100000, but nearly all this
is devoted TO our domestic trade. n
large part of our shipping being on the
great lakes
The most of our imports and ex-
ports now come and go in European
bottoms Last year we carried less
than per cent. OF them. and we paid
many millions of dollars in freight
TO other nations. Our great European
competitors for the commerce OF the
world find that 1T pays them to aid
their merchant shipping, and believe
that we should do the same. There
is good deal or sentiment in COM
merce. Notwithstanding all the pro
verbs to the contrary. Trade does fol-
low the flag and the American flag
in foreign harbor is q great adver-
tiser If the United States IS to hold
Its own in the trade of the world IT
must have equal advantages with other
nations IS to that trade"
Cheap Fish for the Nation.
Here the secretary spoke OF the Blu
reau of Fisheries, saying:
Another feature of this department
indirectly connected with the marine,
is the raising OF cheap fish for food
for the nation. A few years ago It
was almost impossible to get fresh
Holsters, or shad, but owing TO the
protection afforded and the paintings
OF the Bureau of Fisheries. they are
now to be found in every large market
We are propagatinG fish OF many kinds
all over 1.-THE Union. We raise the
spawn and send 1t out to tho States.
! and in addition do great deal OF
planting ourselves. Our total output
of fish and eggs lest year was more
than three billions; and this will be
greatly extended. The commercial
fisheries of the country arc now bring
ing in a product of something like
siNty-two million dollars n year, and
from oysters alone we are annually
getting something like $4,000. 5000.
The salmon OF Alaska bring in nine
or ten millions. and the fish which
come ~ ON the forest waters furnish a
supply OF food which annually sells
for something like twenty-one millions.
We are doing n great deal for the SAL
mon. both along the Columbia River
and in Puget Sound and Alaska. AS to
from the robbers who. contrary to law.
try to catch them on, their way 20