Norwich bulletin., 1912-07-10
PETITION CONCERNING
 THE MERCHANT MARINE,
Copy of Document Sent From Ameri-
 can Chamber of Commerce in Paris
 to Congress Turned Over to Board of Trade.

President Haviland of the board of trade has received through Col. c. W. Galel petition from the American Chamber of Commerce in Paris to the United States congress, concerning the American Merchant Marine. c. H. Sherrill former ambassador to Brazil who has been in Paris assisted in the drafting of the form. He has recov- cred from the serious illness which prevented him last July from accept ing the post of. Ambassador to Japan and is to reopen his law office in New York in the fall
 The petition is as follows:
 The American Chamber of Commerce in Paris incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia, the larg- est commercial organization of Ameri- can citizens beyond the borders of the United States, with connections ex- tending to all foreign marts of trade, and whose membership represents many and varied industries of almost every state in the Union,
 Presents this humble petition:
 Whereas our great and growing foreign trade vitally interests all our citizens, whether pursuing their vo- cations at home or abroad, and
 Whereas the carrying of that vast trade Is now and has long been practi- cally monopolized by foreigners, as is deplorably evident from the fact that, according to official statistics no ship bearing our flag entered the Ports of London Gin 191D, Havre, or Mar ] seiiles Gin 191o), and that ever ninety per cent. of the foreign trade of the Port of New York is carried in foreign bottoms, and
 Whereas it is estimated that over six I41ra r1Tsrs1 l11T IL. paid by the people of the United States to foreigners fer the carrying, marine insurance, ete. of our foreign trade, instead ofbeing expended upeH | American labeF and enterprise, anG Whereas a conflict, industrial CT in teFnatienal, involving ore CT more of the great maritime nations of Europe would inevitably arTest and paraly2e eur great foreign trade through lack of American or neutral vessels for its transportation, thus causing wide spread suffering and distress through cut our land, and
 Whereas it is cur firm belief that the i congress can, 1t its wisdom, formulate such legislation as will permit the ex- | penditure of the greater part of this | vast annual sum at home, instead o1 abroad, and restore our merchant ma
 
 ! the seas 1t occupied before the repeal | about the middle of the last century i of those legislative enactments which had enabled 1t to become one of the l leaders in the worlds carrying trade and
 | Whereas many American commercial organizations, representing the back bone and strength of our people, have already demonstrated by their petitions | to your Honorable Body, that in prac- ! tically every constituency of oul country there exists and Is increasing a profound and widespread desire fol ! Congressional action in the premises,
 Now therefore, your petitioner hum bly, prays that the Congress, with al ! little delay as is consistent with it. manifold duties and, it in any way possible, before the opening to com. merce of the Panama canal, will fol low. the example of the early ses sions of it's illustrious body in the be l ginnings of our Republic, and enac i such legislation as in it's wisdom shal best tend to restore the American | merchant marine to it's former i'm portance, and cause the expendituri at home instead of abroad of the vas annual sum aforesaid, to the grea benefit of American labor and enter | prise.