The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-05
AMERICAN FLAG
IN SOUTH SEAS
Return Of tho Good Old Days Of Su-
premacy Of American Merchant
Marine Promised in
Future,
MORE VESSELS THERE
This Year Promises to be Banner One
Since 1860 When Commerce
Was at Its Highest
Point.
TBy Lawrence Haas, United Press
Staff Correspondent.

Staff Correspondent
RIO DE JANEIRO. (By mail.)-
Americans here and in other Bra
lillian ports are awaiting the return
of the good old days" of the suprem
acy of the American merchant ma
rine with feeling Of confidence IN
the restoration of their commercial
standing, mixed with spirit OF pat
riotism.
They are hoping to see in the near
future the stars and stripes fioatlng
from at least forty to fifty percent
of the ships in the harbors of Rio,
Santos and Pernambuco, condition
that has not existed for more than
a half century, since the decline OF
Americas merchant fleet. following
the civil war, and the introduction
shortly afterward of the steel vessels
by Great Britain.
The Brazilians and other South
Americans were closer to the United
States than to any other country IN
the middle and forepart of the last
century, although contact with Yam
Ikee shippers of Yankee trading ships,
but the neglect of Americas mer-
chant marine, which dwindled after
the sixties" to practically nothing.
coupled with the growing enterprise
of the old world in the direction OF
the southern continent, distracted
South Americas interest from their
powerful sister republic in the north,
and gave Europe long lead in
South America.
Only the world war succeeded In
accomplishing any real results, and
90 ba
shipping board, the United States
chamber of commerce. the Pan
American union, and otter organiza-
tons and individuals, the outlook
has again taken on a roseate hue.
In 1911 only three American YES
sells touched at this port. in compari-
son with 287 ships Of American
registry which entered Rio in 1858.
From 1860 on there was steady de-
cline. Since 1911, however, there
was a slight though steady increase,
although during the two-year period
of 1912-1913 only sixteen American
vessels entered Rio harbor. In 1913
the first vessel of the United States
and Brazil steamship line entered
! Rio. In 1914, twenty-six American
vessels entered the port, but during
1915, for the first time in many years,
the American ship began to come
into It's own again, when 103 Ameri-
can vessels made Rio.
The number of American vessels
to make Rio in 1916 rose to $50.
Americas entry in the war naturally
took most of the vessels out Of the
South American trade, and in 1917,
1T American vessels made entry,
this declining to seventy-one ships
in 1918.
Sailing vessels again came into
their own temporarily, due to the
necessity for using every steamship
in the European war service. OF the
seventy-one American vessels which
entered Rio in 1918, only seventeen
were steamships.
Since the United States shipping
board has already made provision for
considerable tonnage to South Amer
lea, 1919 promises to be the banner
year since 1860 in the number of
American vessels entering here. Be-
tween January / and March Z, 1919,
twenty-seven vessels flying the Amer
lean flag entered the port Of Rio.
The registered tonnage of the YES
sells which entered Rio in 1918 total
ed 2,737,2s1 tons. The ships, by
nationalities, follow: