The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-15
Handicaps on American shipping

| NtPrlChl shipping ~ SuOJCten ire EN-
| phaszed In an article by Rear Admiral
| cAsPAB L. GooDRiCH, L. =. ~. in the
August issue OF the Vary. "Onr leg.
| lslation for more than hundred years
has always had the shIpbuilder in
mind" says the Admiral. 80 far as
laws could go they have helped him.
And 50 fur ns laws could go they have
equally discouraged the ship owner"
In fact II Is marvel that there are
| any ships afloat flying the American
flag. while the theory that builders
can really flourish while owners are
penaized is an amazing violation Of
common sense.
Admiral GooDRICH regards subsidies
as an almost negligible element in
building mp merchant marine. No
country has ever applied such instru-
mentallties 10 encourage both builders
and owners with anything like the same
persistence as France. Yet In 1910 the
entire French merchant feet consisted
Of 1.I26 steamships, aggregatIng s15.-
567 tons This tonnage was about %
per cent. less than that Of single
German company, the Ilamburg-Amer-
can. whose vessels totalled 1.0o3,315
tons. Except for postal services and
IN few cases where lump sums have
been granted for very fast ships avail.
able rs cruisers I'm case Of war. the
british Government has not coddled or
pamlered British shipping In any way.
At least - per cent. Of the country's
oversee trade Is borne In tramp steam
ers which enjoy no Government aid
whatever
What Is the secret OF growth? WHY
has British shipping developed TO such
colossal proportions? 1t is simply that
the shipping interests have always
been consistently let alone. They thrive
through being "unhlndered by noxious
restrictions" II Is admitted that re-
cent relaxatlons which permit Ameri-
cans to buy ships In the cheapest mar
Ike, are step In the right direction.
But the greatest impediments remain
untouched. Our ship owner still re-
mains under hopeless handicap as
against his foreign rival.
The British ship. for instance. Is
taxed on its profits, the American
ship On the investment The British
ship pays consular fees once year.
the American ship every time IL enters
n foreign port. These two items are
held responsible for driving the Amer.
81
forty years ago II competed with the
British Further. the employment and
discharge OF seamen are surrounded
with restrictions involving fees and
fines. The eXactions OF the seamen's
union constantly become more embar-
RAISING. Some OF the worst of them
are liable to be made statutory
through the passage Of the la Toilette
measure, miscalled for safety at sci.
now pending in Congress.
AT the present moment, when n great
and unexpected opportunity presents
itself for the revival Of our shipping.
these considerations put forward by
Admiral GOODRICH. though advanced
before even the suspicion Of war was
In the air, are worthy Of special atten-
ton. There Is no use In opening the
doors for the acquisition of ships IL
they he not placed on an equality with
those OF other nations in the competi-
ton for the worlds trade, which will
be renewed more strenuously than ever
in the course OF a few months when
the war Is over England and Ger
many will return TO the field of com
mercc eager TO recoup their losses
Their ships will be sent out hnmpered
by no unnecessary burdens or entangle-
ments to Overtake and win back the
trade forfeited in the strife. RI our
ships are tied up and weighted down
We shah have no chance against this
renewed competition.
Our one hope Is in taking the ex-
pert advice with which the Admiral
closes his article: open all the gates,
let down all the bars, and perhaps we
shall one day zee the American mer.
chant navy take It's own old place.
This is the point toward which attacks
should he directed"