The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-11
AMERICAS OPPORTUNITY.
The way 20 the Rapid Acquisition OF n
Merchant MARINE

Inc way 70 inc rapid Acquisition or u
Merchant Marine.
Never before has a great nation been
afforded such an opportunity as Is now
offered the United States to secure and
| maintain merchant marine common
surate with her size and rank in the
| commercial world. The opportunity
has been created almost over night and
must be grasped almost as quickly
merchant ships are needed at once. and
as they cannot he built In time, they
must be bought. and bought Immediately.
III the opportunity Is TO be grasped--
grasped 1t should be at once, for the
financial situation in this country makes
the securing of the necessary capital
comparatively easy. and there will
shortly be hundreds OF foreign vessels
for sale-ths country will enter upon
an era OF prosperous foreign trade that
even the most optimistio did not dream
OF but few weeks ago. Already South
America, the Orient and the neutral
countries OF the world are crying for
American foodstuffs. farm products, ma
chlnery and practically every commod-
ity, for the great European war has
completely demoralized and upset the
commerce Of the world.
This great opportunity has been
brought about by just one circumstance.
the drawing into the European war Of
Great Britain, an event OF such i'm
portance that it's full significance Is al
most unbelievable in its proffered bene-
f1ts to the commerce OF this country.
With England actively engaging In the
war the safety OF the high seas. guarded
by the two greatest navies in the world
that OF England and that Of France.
cannot fail to be guaranteed Just as
soon as the comparatively few hostile
vessels at large are captured OF forced
to return to home waters for the de-
fence OF their country. Without Eng
lands participation In the frightful con-
fict now being waged throughout Eu-
rope the great opportunity might not
have occurred for the navies OF tho
other warning Powers would have had
difficulty In assuring the safety OF gen.
eral ocean borne commerce. and even II
they had been able to satisfactorily pa
troll the =. as the great opportunity would
have been for the immense merchant
marine Of England. not for this coun-
try.
The price that the United States has
to pay for this great opportunity. a
penalty that has to be paid whether the
chance Is accepted by this country or
not. is the temporary loss of the Ger
man market and that Of her allies. To
this market. which need only be lost
until peace Is declared, about s350, 000,-
600 worth OF exports were shipped dur
ing the fiscal year 1913 an enormous
amount 1t is true, but trade that IL
temporarily lost in any event and which
cannot be regained until peace IL re-
stored. Should II he possible to handle
large part of this trade, when re-
gained, in American owned vessels the
benefits to this country would be almost
| incalculable This particular trade was
in the past handled largely in German
vessels, many OF which will unquestion-
ably be lost through the fortunes or
misfortunes Of war. and very many
more tied up in ports OF this country
The latter vessels can. many of them.
probably nearly all Of them should the
war he of long duration. he purchased
enabling an efficient and powerful mer-
chant marine to be acquired quickly and
with the very decided advantage TO this
country OF loss, at least temporarily. To
the present merchant marine of a great
competitor equal to the tonnage added
to the merchant navy OF this country
Every vessel purchased from a compet-
ing nation in the maritime commerce
OF the world at the present time would
be equivalent to the addition of two yes
sells to the American fleet OF merchant
men before or after the great calamity
that has befallen practically all OF Flu
| rope.
Some figures on American foreign