The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-07
THE AMERICAN MARINE.
An Existing Fleet for the Transport OF
Our Products.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir: Your
news columns report the international
lawyers AS extremely sceptical of the
success OF the Administrators emergency
plan OF creating a great American mer-
chant marine by the wholesale white
washing of foreign vessels. A like in
credullty pervades the maritime neiehbor-
hoods OF the Atlantic coast. What the
American people are about TO learn In n
very vivid and convincing manner is that
IL they want real American ships OF ade-
quate quality in sufficient numbers. they
must take measures to procure them be-
fore war has begun.
IL is no more possible TO "improvise" a
merchant shipping in the clash of arms
than II would be to "improvise" fighting
navy. few foreign steamers here and
there may he brought temporarily be-
meath our nag. but unless they were
wholly or substantially owned and con-
trolled by American citizens before the
outbreak OF hostiities the flag will be OF
dubious value and their registers will not
be worth the paper they are written on.
Fortunately. Mere are real and honest
American ships in our great coastwlse
and West India tonnage whose national
ity can never be called in question by the
Captain Semmes Of modern Alabama.
He did not hesitate TO burn. sink and
destroy" American built vessels masquer-
aiding under British colors, and tho legal
ity OF his course was never disputed by
the British Government Prudent manu-
facturers and merchants seeking now a
safe delivery OF their goods in foreign
markets will do well TO instruct their
agents or brokers TO insist upon charter
Ing or shipping In no vessel that was not
American prior to August /. 1914. duly
differed by American citizens and certl-
| fed and approved under American In
spection as to efficiency and seaworthi-
/ ness.
Such ships can he had. The coast wi 80
! business consists largely In carrying the
raw materials or tho finished products Of
| manufacturing. and American manufsc-
| turing for causes which need not be de-
| batcd here Is not now so brisk as To- de-
mand the services OF all of tho 1850 00O
tons OF coastwise craft enrolled at the
ports of the Atlantic seaboard. Soma
! American steamship companies have mad,
| elaborate preparations for the full open
| ing OF the Panama Canal, and pending
that event and tho anticipated develop.
| mcnt OF n great coast to coast commerce
| they will doubtless have "A considcrah hi,
| number OF high class frelghters availabl,
| for overseas carrying.
| They are American ships. the genuine
| article. not "whiNewas shed" and not liablC
to make q target for rapid fire guns OF
cumber up the pigconholes OF foreign
| chancellcries. They ought to command
premium in freight rates Just as thei,
predecessors, the old Yankee clippers. did
for in these tr'Sblous times they ar,
least likely to bring up in the prize court,
or az the bottom OF the ocean
So let the American flag have the pref
erence for while on the high seas 7
will teach this and other nations some
thing OF tho Incompatible size and valu.
Of our American coastwise marine and o
the wisdom OF the historic policy that hai
created and maintained g. The same OK
ecutive ability and seamanlike skill tina
have given us the best and largest coast
wise shipping In the world can in tim
create great OVERSEAS fleet II given
fair and honest opportunity.
WINTHROP l., MARVIN
ROsToy August &