The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
AMERICAN SHIPS.
Lack OF Omcers Makes the Acquiring of
o Merchant Marine Dtn,cuIt.


To THE EDITOR or THE sUN-SE; The
project OF extending our trade with for
eign countries in the opportunity OF the
present war has bee,. discussed BY THE
Sun and some OF its correspondents from
several points OF view, but there remains
one aspect OF the incidental problem OF re-
establishing an American merchant ma
rine which perhaps has not had the con-
slderation II deserves
The speech OF Senator Jones OF WASH
ington In the Senate on october 20 affords
an appropriate text for criticism. The
Senator referred to hundreds OF Ameri-
can officers idle and available" for service
on the ships which lately have been trans
ferred to American registry under the pro-
visions OF the enabling legislation for that
purpose and he attributed the retention
OF foreign officers and seamen on those
ships to the avarice and greed OF those
great companies" the corporations which
have purchased the vessels.
Senator Joness assertion OF fact Is f'atly
agement OF the newly acquired fleets. and
his fancy doubtless equally Is without
basis In fact. In illustration OF this mat
ter may be cited the case OF one OF tho
great corporations which the Senator con-
dennis, but which need not here be named
This corporation recently has acquired
ownership OF a South American line Of
although its home port is New York, has
been managed as well as owned in Eng
land and Differed and largely manned by
Englishmen. In arranging the transfer OF
this line OF vessels the purchase was con-
dltioned on an agreement OF tho English
company to continue as a subsidiary or
ganization the operation OF the line with
English officers for an indefinite period OF
some years And the reason for this pro-
viso was an almost complete lack OF Amer
lean officers and managing agents capable
OF assuming the charge OF these ships.
lack so well recognized in the wide ex-
perience OF the American purchasers, and
confirmed by the English sellers that the
former were entirely unwilling to risk I'M
dertaking the responsibility OF ownership
without the guaranty OF an interval dur
Ing which the needed Americans might be
trained to the work required.
This transaction illustrates also. in the
one case at least, the baseiessness OF Sem
ator Jones's lmputation OF the avarice
and greed OF these great companies" for
the first meeting between representatives
OF the new owners and the English oper-
ating company had for one OF its prin-
cipal objects the arrangement OF some
practicable plan by means OF which Amer
lean apprentices. as they still are called
in England. may be trained in the re-
quirements OF the foreign trade.
In the efforts OF the purchasers OF these
shipping lines thoroughly TO Americanize
their vessels. which they seem striving
earnestly TO do, this problem of actual
operation. that II, OF securing capable
ships officers and competent managing
staffs, is said TO he the most difficult to
meet at the present time. OF men skilled
In coastwise navigation we have a fair
number but real seafaring men are scarce
indeed among our citizens; and while we
have an abundance OF men well fitted for
the conduct Of dOn1p4tir trade affigianf III
rectors of international ocean traffic are
not easily to be obtained. II the testimony
Of those most Intimately concerned in
these ventures may be relied on, en-
ployment in coastwise commercial pur-
suits affords but scant training in the
requirements of the larger field OF foreign
trade and II a considerable increase OF
American carrying facilities is to De
sought the education of the needed per-
sonnet both afoat and ashore promises TO
be a matter OF somewhat laborious ac-
quirement under the tutelage mainly of
foreign companies and ships officers.
The unfortunate fact seems to be that
our own people during the sixty years
since our former great merchant fleet was
swept from the ocean have fallen to a
most deplorable state of unfamiliarlty with !
the ways of deep sea navigation and trad |
ing enterprise in the distant markets of
the world. To one having any grasp what |
ever OF the complexities of even strictly |
domestic commerce. for an understanding |
OF which 5ur legislators have 8ot &c /: !
rule shown marked aptitude, It must be
apparent that the revival OF the almost |
completely lost art OF American merchant |
seamanship is likely TO prove no small |
undertaking. and that quite as much inn |
portance may attach to the purely mari !
time requirements OF the problem as 20 |
any other involved In our effort TO build |
up largely increased foreign trade served |
by a rehabllitated American merchant |
marine. FRED METcALF.
PLAINFIELD, y. j., January is.