The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-12-10
Commerce BOARD
. OF UNITED STATES
. 0NOCEANS SHIPPING.
Sends Out Illuminating Letter On
Peculiar Situation Surround
ing American Ships .4.
NAVAL RESERVES MAY H.. 5o.t
:. -. COME FROM THE LAKES
To World Shipping Is But Drop
In Bucket-Hc'p Not
Near

The Chamber Of Commerce of the
United States, with headquarters in
Washington, which is soon to take a
referendum on the "Seamen's Act"
has sent out to. the subsidiary bodies
Of the organization letter on tho
American Merchant marine which
shows some enlightening figures on how
America stands in the world shipping.
The Chamber of Commerce of Homo
lulu Is as much interested in the matter
of the application of this act as any
other body of like nature in the coun-
try, and the general discussion which
has been going on throughout the main.
land, over the action TO be taken on
the law at this session Of congress, has
found an echo in Hawaii. Just what
action the Honolulu chamber will take
when it comes to the referendum is not
as yet known, but the question will be
taken up and discussed along with
other important matters when the time
comes. saS ff
Text Of Letter Rscedved. 10.
The plan to amend the Seamen'A
Act and TO propose a bin in the present
congress providing for the purchase of
foreign bottoms makes the contents Of
the letter received by the chamber yes
terday interesting at this time. The
letter follows: .....
"The principal trouble with the
American merchant marine is not that
1t is enthusiastically small. 1t is not
small according to the Nations Bust
ness, the official magazine of the Cham
Der of Commerce of the United States.
II is quite respectable both in number
and tonnage. It's lamentable weakness
lies in the fact that it is out Of all
proportion to the enormous trade of the
country. ..,..r
| "When one speaks Of merchant
marine there persists an impression
that something inherently connected
with merchants, merchandise and car
goes is meant, aud further, that it has
to do with the sea. Yet more than
~, 000--nearly halfT-of our total mer-
chant marine may be said truthfully,
to have more to do with the land.
Some Interesting Figures
H"Out of a total, Of ,26,701 registered
and licensed vessels, there are S432
motor boats, $50 canal boats, and 1921
barges, which metaphOrically speaking,
never take more than q dip in salt
water. There remain some 900 YES
sells to account for, which may have to
do with the romance and economics Of
those who go down TO the sea in ships
| Gas, a matter of fact, it appears that
less than 5000 Of these ever plough their
furrow through foreign seas. The re-
manning 1000 have their life and be-
ing in the different waters-fresh and
salt-which make the United States, in
one respect, unique. For no other of
the leading maritime nations has so ex.
tensive a coastline, such inland seas, or
such farwinding river navigation. The
western rivers show more than 1888 yes
sells, aggregating 138,S04 tons. There
is a great traffic on the Lakes: 1851
vessels in all, nearly 100000 tons. But
leven the shipping of the Great Lakes
has not that SAVIOUR of the salt sea which
a merchant marine implies, although it
offerS totally neglected but unsurpass,
ed wealth Of material in men, possibly
10000 strong, for reserves for the navy.
4 What is coastwise tradef 1t is an
anomalous thing. 1t means trade from
the delightful irony of statistics, classes
alike the new steam barge which plies
between st. Louis and New Orleans
with the, lO,O00-tOn ocean steamer which
runs between San Francisco, Honolulu
and New York
"Therefore, as far as the rest of the
world knows the American flag, as seen
in foreign trade, our merchant marine
Consists of thirty-seven steel sailing
ships averaging 1900 tons each, 544
wooden sailing vessels averaging GOO
tons, 800 wooden steamers averaging SOC
tons and 1871 steel steamships avers ginp
$500 tons, There are also 537 motor boats
and HOG barges. s.H. .
i sin large merchant steamers, the
4 class that is fast growing in commerce
and of size and speed to render some
assistance as laval auxiliaries, the
United States stands third, surpassed
only by Great Britain and Germany
But a glance at the grand totals and
then at the individual figures for eacl
country reveals a startling situation. II
seems that sixty per cent of the big ami
able steamers in the world are owned
by Great Britain and not seven per CEN
by the United States. Here lies tn,
root OF all encouragement as to oul
merchant marine. VIZ
The trade and wealth of the United
States has at its disposal only abou
one-tenth of the shipping facilities
available to the British merchant anC
manufacturer. To carry the bulk of ou
+" sea borne commerce we have to rely OF
the ships of friendly nations,
"The estimated result is that every
lyear $500, 100000 leave the Unitec
States in the form Of freight pavment
for deposit in the Golfers of foreigI
shipowners. Americans not only sub
scribe to the upkeep but also to tn
. construction of ships of their marin
competitors. If the United States is t,
take its proper place, it must not b.
content with mere rank--it ranks quit
high, ahead of France, Italy, Norwa,
; and Holland. Americans must have nc
: lfnal cOmmaPaiaI ana nnNUaF in Ia