The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-13
MORSE TO EXTEND
STEAMSHIP LINES
Starting With New Bermuda
Service, Will Seek Share
Of World Trade.
SEES NEW SHIPPING ERA

Charles W. Morse having completed
arrangements for the first new American
steamship line TO seek foreign trade as
IA result of the war. declared yesterday
that he liz In the steamship business again
to stay. and that with his new line to
Bermuda AS a starter he will go after
business wherever he finds the opportu-
nifty Mr.. Morse said that there never
was a better occasion for American shir-
ping to regain its prestige and that, with
II little help from the Government. ves-
again scour the seven seas
II had been rumored for some time
hat Mr.. Morse was planning u new line
for transatlantic service. but he refused
yesterday TO say whether this was par,
Of his project. He did say, however. that
In his Judgment American steamship
companies should go into competit on
where the big business is. between New
York and Cherbourg. Southampton and
Hamburg. If Mr. Morse is contemplat
ing such line his plans most LIKELY
hinge on the prospective action of Con-
;ress. for he said that American ship
ring, to be operated successfully, must
rave a subsidy in some form from the
Government.
Bermuda already has subsidized the
lew Morse line to that colony. Thoug!
. the new company will operate the steam.
ship Oceana under the American na'
the Parliament has granted a subsidy OF
| Il for every passenger she brings to the
| - nd Ht,rtng ha six NM ha -
! % a total OF 5000 passengers. Mr.. Mors,
,ook the contract to operate the vessel
| under that condition. knowing that at tn,
J md Of six months he might be left with
! a steamship on his hands. lie looks
/ upon Bermuda, however. as being only
| n the first period of its development as
resort and expects. through giving ser
] ice equal to that on transatlantic liners
| 20 get such support from Are lean tour
! lists that. subsidy or no subs dy. h ships
! will continue to carry the American Il ''
| into the harbor OF Hamilton. The Oceana
| will be tho first American passenger ship
| ever to have done this.
81 believe" said Mr. Morse yesterday
that the possibilities are unlimited for
| developing Bermuda As the American
, Riviera. and If the people down ther,
. who have put their money into the Ber'
4 muda American steamship Company con
| tinue to give us their support believe !,
| will be possible to build up the island'
In few years to such an extent that
they will be Americas principal resort
/ What is needed chiefly to make this pos.
sible is larger and heavier ships than
have been run there. and We are going
to give them.
"As for the transatlantic steamship
| business Mr.. Morse continued, I'VE have
a big problem to solve, but II We ever
I hA q
now IL the time to do It. While other
| nations have been spending their money
| on the sea We have been spending ours
/ on land. Since about 1862 when wood
was changed for iron in shipbuilding,
! England has excelled because she could
| but a and operate her ships SO much more
cheaply than we could. Our people found
they could get better returns for their
money on land than on the sea, and the
! result has been the absorption OF trade
by foreign nations. England, Germany
France and Italy have assisted the com
pan!es that have helped them TO colonize
| while we have continued to expand our
| railroads. small fraction of the money
! which the Government has given to rail-
roads in the form of land or OF guaranteed
bonds would reinstate us on the sea"
Mr. Morse said that as long as there
4 were foreign ships to carry our goods
We did not realize the danger OF not
having a merchant marine o. our own
| Now, however. with goods to sell and the
markets OF the world open to us we find
We cannot reach them because of our one
sided development
| II believe" he continued. that Presi-
dent Wilson's project TO assist American
citizens to build or buy American vessel:
IL excellent. but II does rot go far enough
Provision should be made now TO helT
American shipping so that II may compete
with that Of other nations. Some plar
should be worked out to make the cost
OF operation more equal. My idea Il
subsidy in the form of special tax
on all goods brought in in foreign bot
toms, or a rebate TO shippers using Ameri
can vessels. Unless we do sometn,ns
OF that sort when condition. return Il
normal we will be left with lot of for
eign ships on our hands and no chanc,
for doing business"