The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-25

The real that the foreign commerce
Of the United States is almost exclusively car
red by ships of foreign ownership and reg
istry is not to be sought in the alleged advan-
tages of European nations in the cost Of ma
rine construction nor even in the stupidity re-
striative features Of some provisions OF our an
tquated navigation laws The initial difference
in the expense of building ships, If any be-
tween the British and German and the American
yards would not materially count in the prob
lem of competition -h3G4. etl4a-
the only obstacle to be contended with. 1t is
the greater cost of operating American vessels
in the trans-oceanic trade, compared with
that of operating English, German and French
bottoms in the same service. that has driven
flag from foreign waters; for sailors In the mer-
chant marine of those and other maritime powers
OF the world are subjected to conditions of
quarters and wages with neither the law-making
powers or public sentiment in the United States
would impose upon crews of American vessels.
Here is the main cause why the volume OF
freightage between own and foreign ports
is transported in foreign bottoms. Their owners
can offer rates to shippers and take profit under
them. which would mean dead loss to the Amer
lean carrier and of course the business follows
the path of greatest economy. That is the
whole case in a nutshell.
But when the half-informed public man or
journal In this country finds in the facts of the
case pretext for crying that Our merchant ma
rine is a thing Of the past and that our ship
yards and kindred industries are going to ruin
! for want Of work they bemoaning a sit
uaton which has existence
There is already engaged in domestic naViga-
ton which includes dependencies In the At
lantic and Pacific oceans, an American tom
mage aggregating seven millions of tons
which is nearly twice the tonnage Of the entire
merchant marine fleets of Germany and three
times that Of France. This Is OF course, alto
gether the product of American yards; and
during the two years now ending our domestic
shipbuilders have been employed to their full
ca pacity--certainy buster than ever before
Throughout like perod-responding to the
demand created by the approaching opening Of
the Panama canal, The American Hawaiian COM
twenty Six, with a combined lightweight ton
mage of 0.ooo-- Several lines have been
organized. and are launching their craft Two
nine-thousand- ton steamers have been laid down
at Boston within few weeks, and two more
ten thousan dton ships have just been ordered
by another concern. 1T has been stated in a
recent review of the subject that. when the Ca
nal is completed American shipowners who have
already declared their intention engage In
the coast coast traffic will have enough tom
mage ito dispatch a ship from the Atlantic to
the Pacific practically every business day
throughout the year"
/ Nor should 1t be overlooked from the point
! of view that bemoans lack of merchant
ships to act auxaries to the navy in case
OF need that large proportion of their ton
mage, already afoat and under construction,
consists of steel craft, strong. speedy and Of
great dime nsions. capable of standing the stress
of voyaging in any waters, and forming val
liable TO armed fleets in every re-
spect.--Norfolk Vlrginian-Pilot.