Evening journal., 1920-11-26
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1920
ON CIORY ON THE SEA TO STAY.

GLOW but steady progress is being made in The
- tablishment OF an American merchant marine. A
slight reaction in world shipping readusment OF ocean
freight rates, and schedule OF ship values, mas
caused some delay but in many ways American ships
are geitns into world trade in that indicates
permanence.
One significant incident OF recent weeks was the COM
pleilon Of the nrst "round-he-world" cruise OF an
American steamer on a regular schedule This accom-
plshment was attained by the steamer West kasson'
owned by the Pacific Mail steamship Company, which,
by The way is the oldest steamship company operating
under the American nag The West kasson' left san
Francisco March i2, heading westward It stopped to
discharge and receve freight at Honolulu, Yokohama,
Kobe Tentsin Shankh al Hongkong Manila, Singapore
Calcutta Port Said Marseies Barcelona Bilbao Boston
New York City Baltimore Norfolk Crstoba Los Angeles
completed the trip by arriving at San Francisco Oc-
tober not quite months after leaving The dis
tance little $1,000 miles
One inlgesting comment concerning this history
making trip was that by an officer OF the company who
said that American vessels at all ports, In
sharp contrast with conditions prior to the war; and as
many as twenty American vessels were seen In some
ports OF the Orient In all ports the general attitude
towards American shipping was favorable"
Regular steamship service Is OF the great
needs Of American commerce, for dependabhty Is es-
senta to lhe building OF regular international trade.
II been the effort the Shipplry Board TO assign
its ships 10 concerns that win establish regular
schedule between ports where there such service
al present and where there good prospect OF Great
ing markets FOR American goods Naturally. II the
only regular service between some South American
country for instance and the outside world, is with
Europe the bulk OF the business will so TO Europe even
though an irregular service may be maintained with
America Although the round the-world" steam
ship service will touch at relatively few ports yet the
certainty Of the service viii induce many shippers at
other ports to send and receive their goods over
branch routes connecting with OF the ports at which
the"round-the-word" line touches. The Pacific Mail
has put seven steamers the route and the trip
takes about months II is obvious that there will
be once-a-month service
Another Interesting and significant development in con-
neclon with the merchant marine is that OF 100000
officers and men placed American ships through the
Offices OF the shipping Board sxtynve per cent were
Americans II Is asserted that not since the early days
Of The Republic when American shipping occupied 9
leading position in world commerce has the proportion
OF Americans American ships been as large as a
present Since the Civil War, IN particular there ha
been decline in the American merchant marine ant
there has been little TO attract Americans to sea-farin
Ire With the revival OF shipping as an American
enterprise and especially with the better conditions o
shpboard The merchant marine present a greater at
traction, and II Is evident that the United states vii
regain most n not all her former prestige as carrie
OF ocean commerce