The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-23


deep-sea work. that draw but few
lot our foreign work from that quarter. The
lake vessels designed for fresh water use,
even though many have surface condensers.
NO vessel that has not been the actual prop.
cry OF American owners for fully three months,
which Is too far back to cause q suspicion
that she was bought 20 meet special situa-
non, should be granted registry.
we art subject to enough unfounded
charges OF breach Of faith not to permit actual
lapses.
The United Stntes Steel has some splendid
ships running 10 South America, and has really
forced certain measure Of equality in rates
These are Of course, cargo vessels. The Stand.
ard OIL Company has n number OF tankers
that could be so treated that they could carry
grain in bulk. The Donald Steamship Com.
pany has several new boats. The United Fruit
Company has some fine passenger vessels and
two Of the 900 ton boats might be spared
As regards using naval vessels for mails this
is the vericst makeshift OF course il we had
some transports in good repair we could use
them. but the cost would soon cause their use
20 cease.
In running n passenger business regular
PASSENGER ships are essential The Govern.
ment should have a dozen vessels like the
Naderland for such service, to be used for
emergency only. but to return transport
work when the need over.
But II we get even six or eight passenger
boats In service a bombshelI will be thrown
into our European commercial masters that
will really hurt them in the long run more
than We shall wake up to the fact that
il carry good volume of freight at
curront rates It will BIO most profitable.
We have been ,Pursed along in the belief
that while could carry ton of freight per
mile on land at traction OF the cost in Europe,
we compete in bridges and locomo-
tives and still pay high wages that there waa
interested In foreign ships that transformed
triumphant American enterprise into inca
pacity soon as it passed the shore line.
What n victory for the American people to
be able to dssipate this fog Of foreign misrep.
resentation that has defeated all efforts to up
build American marine
.,nil i,ntn
ture markets that be held, once an under.
standing of the merits of goods is had.
When in Russia saw objects made In
Europe brought in under discriminating duties
III favor Of their place of origin and promptly
relabelied Made in America"
cannot in such an article show how insur-
ance must be taken In hand by the Govern.
mont, but II we are to have marine this in
tuential factor in ocean carriage must be han
died by firm hand The treatment OF Ameri.
insurance companies after the Civil War
damnable and destructive
In the balancing Of our commerce. too. now
that must compete in the markets of the
world, shall have the most tremendous aid
from hourishing marine.
Look at Germany.
In 1881 after the French had passed their
shipping bounty. Prince Bismarck laid me-
mortal relative to this law before the German
Parliament What lesson in craftsmanship
1t is. He said
There is desire (among the French) to
prevent any dimunition OF the 400, 100000 or
5OO,oOo'OoO francs profit on freight which the
transport trade of the French marine service
annually yields, and the Ministers point to the
example OF England which. with a shipping of
100000 tons and with profit freight of
many million francs, can look calmly on def
cts in the trade balance"
Now we know that both France and England
have adverse balances OF trade-that is I'm.
ports in excess OF exports. In the average
year OF 1896 that OF France was $63SS3, 600
Against this the income from shipping was
about 100000 The same year Great Brit.
aims adverse balance was $1O7 $50 ,oOo while
the credit from its carrying trade was s641-
10000. So we see that with either but little
additional credit needed that year from
sources other than shipping to balance favor.
ably the commerce OF these two great nations
Let us not fail to note that neither of these
two ntegently governed countries has like
ourselves. recurring gold expectation panics
not from non-production but from the necessity
TO ship gold abroad to balance an excess OF
imports plus foreign transportation charges
exports.
Bismarck realizing that to preserve the bal.
ance OF commerce in favor OF a nation should
be the aim OF its statesmen, applied his knowl.
edge as above and Gcrmany's great commercial
progress was begun. This is why those who
understood the real value of n merchant ma.
rine In the foreign trade eagerly desired free
tolls In that trade
For while the coastins trade is a valuable
factor in internal transportation and should he
fostered. 1t does not assist in balancing trads
IN the way indicated above for the foreign
trade.
Not only do We suffer drain of ss5o,ooO. 900
year In transportation charges, but we lose
IN trade possibilities several times that sum.
yet so-called statesmen get black in the face
telling or tariff exactons and ignore or retard
efforts TO aid our merchant marine
MT Underwood. who has srasped this oues.
ton with the hand Of a statesman Will wa
trust. be successful in time
HIS efforts to bring In few vessels to helm
carry our products to foreign markets have
been prompt and businesske. Very likely
some OF those who amend for attention NAV
destroy the real usefulness of what he has
done. 49,
,o me Panama Canal act permits United States
registry for foreign built vessels not over five
%ears old. The age limit should be- waived
mere are plenty OF vessels twenty-five years
Old that have been we'll taken care Of that are
have been neglected.
If England destroys the German meet, Aus
ira and Germany will be near starvation in
less than ten weeks. There will be interior.
ence with vessels on the high seas going tn
neutral ports and not under the German or
Austrian fiag. Many English vessels viii be-
tree TO engage in grain carrying as they will
not fear German cruisers. What need be feared
In such event?
Distorted ideas OF risk at sea with tnordina+a
freight and insurance charges prevail Omr
Government should take a hand in both and -
,trfpi ~ pSi, ,I,o.