New-York tribune., 1922-09-27
Foreign Ships
Tighten Grip
Sea Freight
Official Figures Show u. s.
Is Out of Pocket a Big
Suna Paid 10 Carriers
Operating From Abroad
Smaller Costs the Cause
Republican Publicity Head
Says Subsidy Law Will
Prove Coed Investment
Fro~ rae 7rioaae's Washington s.rsss

rom 7As IrtbaAe's Washington B*~ea@
WASHINGTON, Sept. Ca Foreign
hipping, with smaller operating costs,
IS rapidly increasing its share of the
carrying trade Of the United States,
and this country is out of pocket big
sum for ocean freights paid to foreign
snip owners, according to Jonathan
Bourne Jr,, president Of the Republi-
can Publicity Association. He further
'4clared that the proposed ship sub
sIdy would prove good Investment.
That foreign carriers, with their
smaller operating costs, are rapidly in
ereasing their share Of our carrying
trade is shown by the official figures
aero quoted" says Mr.. Bourne in a
4tatement.
"of the s1.ooO.ooo net tons Of vessels
which entered United States ports dur
ing the fiscal year ended June 80, 1922.
n,o0o,o0o were American and $1,000
600 were foreign. OF the $4,000 .ooo
net tons which cleared 10000, 900 were
American and $4,000, 600 foreign no
the iayman this would Indicate that
american vessels were handling nearlv
cne-haif of our foreign commerce. bnt
fn's ls by no means the case, since a
eonsioeraple percentage of our boats
zero in ballast.
Value of the Cargoes
ne actual accomplishment of our
merchant fleets, compared with foreign
competing carriers. is indicated hy tRe
[alue OF the cargoes, for Of our total
sore,gh for IN fraae e OF nearly $500, 100000
1or the hscal year 1929 $6,513, 600 900,
or 81 per cent, was water borne. shin
ping men estimate the cost Of ocaan
transportation of goods at s per cent ne
their value. Ne"' u
Ahe total value Of our water borne
imports for 1922 was s2,26s, ,2s2. 900. of
wnicn American vessels carried S7sA
37o,50O, or S2.37 per cent, and fore;er
vessels brought in S1,b33 ,906, 800. or
$3.50 per cent. In 1921, with water
9orne imports totaling s3,2o7 ,623 900.
>Smerlcan vessels carried 40.5S per cent
AID foreign vessels 5s.42 per cent M I'S In
l5%0, with water-bornc imports totai-
lng S4,706,6s8,000. American vessels
carried SO per cent and foreign vessels
81 per cent.
The total value OF our water-borne
exports for 1922 was $3,IS5 1877 eco. of
which American vessels carried ST.
l!1'l47,ooo, or 36.27 per cent, and for
eign vessels brought in S2,O67 $50 900.
or oo.13 per cent. In 1921, with these
exports totaling S5,702,931 900, Ameri-
can vessels carried 1888 per cent and
foreign vessels 6o.62 per cent. In 1920.
with these exports totaling $7,166, ,942.-
Voo, American vessels carried 45.15 per
cent and foreign vessels 54,S5 per cent.
Table Shows Our Loss
percentage tabulation showing the
American and domestic shares of this
carrying trade reads like this:
1920 1891 1892
Imports. American vessels $500 4o5 32.37
Foreign vesses........., Gl0o b942 81 "a
Exports, American vessels 45l6 1888 9s27
fotelSn ysSSe fS 5s.Sb 6Q.b2 63.T3
Total trade. American
vessels ....,......... 42.0S 39.9s 34.S2
f0re1Sn vessels. ........ 67.32 60.O2 So. IS
IF we accept per cent OF their
value as the average transportation
cost of the goods, we find that the cost
of this commerce for 1920 was $780,
100000, of which American vessels re-
ceived $400,000,000 as their share and
foreign boats $550,O00000. In 1921
these costs totaled about s7i3,000,o00
American vessels getting $285,000,000
and foreign vessels S42e 100000. In
1922 they totaled little more than
SAT- 100000 American vessels being
paid $i5i 100000 and foreign vessels
$3.50, 900. For the three years
American vessels earned $S36.00o 600
IN. tran sporting these goods and for
eign vessels earned s1,266, ,000o 600,
'In preventing checkmates and dis
ordinations against our commerce by
"Fereign ship monopolies, and in freight
returns, the ship subsidy law will
prove a tremendous investment"