The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-06-06
FLAG IN SOUTHERN SEAS
STARS AND STRIPES WILL BE
SEEN IN NUMBERS
RETURN OF OLD TIMES
Postwar Activities Mean That
American Ships Are To Sail
That Zone
LAWRENCE HAAS.

Americans here and in other Brazil
ian ports are awaiting the return o.
the good old days" of the suprem
acy of the American merchant mar.
inc with feeling of confidence in the
restoration of their commercial stand
ing. mixed with spirit of patriot
ism.
They are hoping to see in the neal
future the Stars and Stripes floating
from at least forty to fifty per cent
of the ships in the harbors of Rio
Santos and Pernambuco, condition
that has not existed for more than q
half century, since the decline oil
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 fore part OF the last
century, through contact with Yankee
shippers of Yankee trading ships
but the neglect of Americas merchant
marine, which dwindled after the
Sixties" to practically nothing, coupl
ed with the growing enterprise of the
Old World in the direction of the
southern Continent, distracted South
Americas interest from their power
full sister republic in. the North, and
gave Europe long lead in South
America.
\ Outlook Is Roseate.
Only the world war succeeded in
accomplishing any real results, and
from the efforts of the United States
shipping board. the United States
Chamber of Commerce, the Pan
American Union, and other organiza-
lions and individuals, the outlook has
again taken on a roseate hue
In 1911 only three American vessels
touched at this port, in comparison
with 287 ships of American registry
which entered Rio in 1855 From
1860 on there was q steady decline
Since 1911. heweyer. there was a
slight though steady increase, al
though during the two year period of
1912-1913 only sixteen American yes :
sells 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 American yes
sells made Rio.
The number of American vessels tn
make Rio in 1916 rose to 100. Amer
ica's entry in the war naturally took
most of the vessels out of the South
American trade, and in 1917, III
American vessels made entry, this de-
clining to seventy one ships in 1918.
The Sailing Vessels.
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 provisions fol-
considerable tonnage to South Amer
lea, 1919 promises to be the banner
year since 1860 in the number oil
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
led 2.737,2S1 tons. The ships, by ma
tionalities. follow: