New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-29
OUR MERCHANT SERVICE
Some Facts Overlooked by Mr.. T.
G.. r. Gordon.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I read with interest the letter Of ",
Gordon in your issue of the 3d. but he |,
very far from correct
We will pass over the period from 1889 70
1880 as, should the shipping business no,
have changed since then, We would still h.
IN the dark ages. Coming to the assertion
that VIC have paid to foreigners the million,
mentioned by him, we have done nothing q,
the kind. The foreigners have paid all the
freight on all the goods they have bough,
from US. No matter how We sell, the Dur
chaser pays the freight. Cost. cost ard
freight or cost, insurance and freight com
monty known as c. j. T., il all figures in the
price made by the seller By the very fact
that We have foreign ships to send our goods
abroad is it oftentimes possible TO make
sale.
. Reversing the position and speaking Of
normal times, We pay the freight on goods
coming this way. So We have not suffered
tremendous losses, as Mr. Gordon asserts
This abnormal state Of affairs In the trans
portation business seems 10 have turned
some peoples heads. II is easily forgotten
when things arc booming what "lesn
years many Of the large shipping companies
have had to pass through To those Of Us
who have been in touch with shipping mat
ters one might recall that for quite a num-
Der Of years dividends from such cele-
brated line IS the Cunard Line were thin"
/ If not more often absent but they kept
plugging along until al last, and prior 10 the
war, under the able direction Of the late
Lord lnyerclydc aud now By Sir Alfred
Booth. they are making gigantic strokes and
always maintaining the stolid nobility that
has always characterized this company
+ The British merchant marine has been
built up by men of experience and initis-
tive. and If the British government does
make grants 10 certain lines running 10
British colonies" it's all in the family. In.
! fortunately. here VIC have Statesmen lsoI-
disant), creatures Of political spasms, who
flash upon US mpracticabe schemes % es-
tablish merchant marine. and who actually
believe that they can get the American pub
lie generally interested in this subject, OF
which they know nothing and care less u
took the intelligent gentlemen who handled
the putting through Of tho barge canal
bonds all their time 10 get the matter passed
and that was a worthy object and an unde'
nable benefit 10 our own state.
] ! picked up magazine the other day and
culled therefrom the following By Nr George
+. Roberts. Of the National City Bank:
i "Why England Leads Commercially
Now, here you will sec a wonderful combna.
zion, great industrial organization backed
by investors who are accustomed 20 employ
their capital in all countries Of the world
and served by shipping lines 20 all countries
Of the world. | am not sure but that n every
man IN Great Britain was bankrupt and 81
the property in the island was sold under
the hammer capital would flow IN from the
nest of the world 20 continue the business
built up. They have all the facilities me
clients and The prestige OF an established
business"
In another part he adds: II am Of the
opinion that of the changes that are neees'
sary TO give the United States leadership IN
foreign trade The most difficult thing will BE-
to change the mental attitude and habits
OF our people. We arc to-day self-een-
tired on our own Developments that we have
little time TO give serious attention TO op'
pcrtunties outside" Mr. Roberts. II ! may
take the liberty. Knows his book
Fearing that | am taking up too much o.
your valuable space. would finally call Nr'
Gordon's attention 10 the fact that steamer
flying the flags Of all nations enter BRITISH
ports. load there for all parts Of the "or'
and all are treated the same. No diserini'
nation. Foreign ships can be seen az busn
j Terminal loading for Australia, New LealSho
and South Africa during normal times sho
there is no "howl" from the British. Always
the same bulldog plugging and getting
there"
Just one word ! noticed for sale shares
in American ships that we're earning 100 per
cent. How altrustic,
JAMES M'G. BROWN.
New York. March ~, 1916