The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-01-30

4 u . . ~.
caused by the statement that the much
abused and belittled American mer;
chant marine comprises q total Of ~
ss6,5is tons, and is next to the largest
in the world, being exceeded only BY
the merchant marine Of Great Britain,
is. 696.2s7 tons.
Yes, Uncle Sam q merchant marine,
handicapped by laws believed by many
to be unreasonable Cand unjust, Is the
second largest jasthe wotld. Germany
comes third, with 5,082,06l tons. Un-
like the British and German merchant
fleets, however, our merchant marine Is
practically ali engaged in the domestic
trade.
As n result Of the handicaps placed
upon American vessels by congresses
there are less than a dozen vessels IN
the foreign trade flying the Stars and
Stripes. All Of these are from ten to
twenty or more years old. 1t Is aques-
ton whether six of them are not oper'
ated contrary TO law, because the con.
troll, 40 far as ownership is concerned,
is IN the hands Of persons not American
citizens.
Great Possibilities In the Industry.
Were il not for these same handi-
caps, according TO international
Marine Engineering for January
just issued, 100000 more tons Of
vessels now in the foreign trade,
owned by Americans but operated
under foreign flags, wouldlbe add
ed TO our merchant marine. This
would bring IL up TO the respect,
able figure Of l0,000000 tons. I.
The ship building and ship bperat-
ing business Is about the only industry
that has been neglected by our lawmak
ers. Every congress for the last fifty
years has made more or less weak ef-
fort 10 further the interests OF the mer-
chant marine, but at no session has
there been sufficient public sentiment or
concerted action to accomplish anything
worth while.
The American government has been
criticised time and again for doing
nothing 20 foster the building aud op,
Grating of vessels in the foreign trade.
For some idea Of what the possibilities
Of the shipping and ship owning indus
try would be If the government would
offer encouragement II is only necessary
TO see how our merchant marine In the
domestic trade stands,
From recent census reports the capt.
tai invested in ship yards within the
borders of the United States represents
about $150,000,000, and in these ship
yards about $lO0,000,00O is annually
spent in wages and for materials.
How Government Would PROFIT,
Expanding along the sen coast and
the Great Lakes, the American NOR
chant marine now represents total in,
vestment of approximately $500, 200, 900.
The yearly payments for wages are
1920, 000. 900, and repairs and renewals
Of vessels represent an expenditure Of
$40. 100000.
Were the 100000 tons Of vessels,
American owned but operating at the
present time under the flags of other
countries, added TO this, there would be
an increase Of thirty-three per cent In
capital invested, with corresponding in
ereases in wages and repairs, to say
nothing Of the taxes that would be col.
lected on this tonnage. Some Of the
vessels being in the passenger service
and others carrying freight, a unit OF
$75 per ton can be safely adopted as q
valuation. This would represent $l5,.
100000 of American money invested In
vessels at the present time flying for
eign flags and not benefting the Ameri
can government TO the extent Of one
penny in taxes.
| As regards shipbuilding, the yards OF
the Atlantic coast have had busy
tyear, although the actual capacity OF
these yards is considerably greater thar
the amount of tonnage produced. Or
the Great Lakes, shipbuilders have had
a year of unusual dullness. General re
pairs and drydock work has kept the
yards fairly busy, and the disastrous
storms of last November caused great
demand for repair work.
4 On the Pacific coast naval construe
tion has taken up considerable part
of the work. The government contract.
have kept the yards fairly busy, al
though but few naval vessels were com
pleted in 1913.
Navy Yard Busiest In History.
1 The New York and Mare Island navy
yards, the only navy yards equipped
for shiPbuilding, are engaged in worl
to their maximum capacity. There Ii
now q greater volume of new work il
progress and authorized at these yard
than ever before in the history OF IN,
new navy. At the New York navy yarG
the battleships New York and No. 81
are under construction and at the Mar,
/ Island yard the river gunboats Mono
caey and Palos and the fuel ships Ka
nawha and Maumee are being built
while the eleqtrisally propelled COLLIE
4 Jupiter has just fbeen completed.
On the Atlantic coast the Newrort
News Shipbuilding aud Dry Dock Com
pany occupies first place in construd ioI
for the year, having turned out tn,
greatest volume Of tonnage during thu
year, although the American Shipbuild
ing Company, comprising several yard
on the Great Lakes, produced the great
est amount Of merchant tonnage. Tn,
Newport News Shipbuilding Compan,
constructed 35 s75 tons OF merchan
vessels and 3s,169 tons Of naval vessels
! Among the larger vessels CONSTRUCTED
We're the two naval golfers, Proteui
and Ncreus, Of 9,250 tons displacement
and 1000 horsepower each; the Lenape