Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-05
Ho,U to Keep Our Ships on the Sea
Unless Subsidies Paid the Merchant Disappear
From the Ocean-Senator Fletcher's Errors Exposed
By GEORGE F. SPROULE
Secretary OF the State Commissioners OF Navigation

can steamships Admiral Farragut Admiral
Schley. Admiral Sampson and Admiral
Dewey. These vessels were constructed soon
after the Spanish American war and because
OF the expense of operation they were re-
placed by steapers of similar class under the
foreign flag. and the cost of operation on one
round trip to the West Indies dropped so per
cent. Other instances Of the failure to oper-
ate American steamships in competition with
foreigners were well and forcibly brought to
the public view by the late William -.
Wlnsor, who was financially interested in the
Boston Steamship Company, which construct
ed the steamships Shawmut and fremont for
service between the west coast and the
orient. 1t has been stated by such eminent
authority as r. a. S. Franklin, president of
the International Mercantile Marine, that in
normal times it costs from 81 to AZ per cent
more TO build ship in this country than in
england, and indeed the president of the
Newport News Shipbuildng and Drydock
Company, one of the largest yards in the
country. once made the statement that an
ordinary freight-carrying steamship. termed
tramp" could be constructed in England
Tor about IS per cent less money than in
this country.
AGAIN revertlng to the statement of Sem
ator Fletcher that the wages of the Off
GERS and crew constitute only a small per-
centage or the gross operating expenses, let
US quote John Donald, one of the present
members of the United States shipping
board. in the operation of a small steamship
called the David. in the West India trade.
While operating this vessel under the Ameri-
can nag her wages per month were $1235.
and when placed under the Norwegian flag
they dropped to $780, These were normal
times, but normal times are what We must
reckon with as soon as the peace treaties are
signed. There Is no gainsaying the fact that
with the present rates Of freight American
vngga1Q ha tod fnJI JI.y in, ba
foreign trade, but can any one figure out
how they are going to succeed when, for the
sake of argument. case Oil freights from
Philadelphia to Japan drop to from eighteen
to twenty cents?
TT is an economic problem that cannot be
J. solved otherwise than by a complete re-
vision of our navigation laws. or the equaliz-
ing by subsidy. OR other means, of the diff
ference in cost of operation
The world war demonstrated the need of a
merchant marine, and all practical shipping
men would like to accept some of President
Hurleys theories, were they not confronted
with the stern realities Of past experience.
It has been stated that the basis of the
English navigation act, under which England
grew to commercial ascendancy upon the sea,
was the principle of reserving the carriage
of English trade to English ships.
The late James j. Hill, after building in
screw steamships under the American flag
for service between the Pacific and Orient.
made the statement that 1t was a much
easier task to construct a thousand miles of
railway than one ship. He was confronted
with many difficulties and soon realized what
| a hopeless task 1t was to attempt to operate
American vessels in competition with foreign
| ers He favored as a measure Of keeping up
our merchant marine the payment of an ex.
port bounty, but was strong in the belief
| that when a country has to buy a merchant
marine and pay for it out of the general
Treasury Of the country, 1t will not last long.
have always inclined to the belief OF
| the Sewalls. of Bath, Maine. once the
| largest owners of sailing vessels in this
| country that a direct subsidy must be given
| American vessels to keep them going.
| might mention that the French Government
| besides paying building bounty, gives q
| mileage subsidy of so much per ton pei
| hundred miles sailed, which practically
| covers the operating expenses of vessel
| BY reason of this subsidy the French ships
| played havoc with the California trade, and
| freights went down to figures where no ship
| without assistance such as the French ships
/ have, could compete and make dollar. Thi.
j practically sounded the death-knell of tn,
| American sailing ships In the "deep-water'
trade. and such as We're left soon passed
| into the hande OF concerns such as thu
ALASKA salmon Packers Association.