Evening star., 1923-08-26
Continued from First Page.)


Of war built, thus admitting even In
those early days that American ship
builders were superior to those OF
England, and that meant they were
superior TO those of any country. We
did not then have a merchant marine.
for the oppressive navigation laws OF
the mother country prevented the
development of a colonial marine
When we entered upon the war for
independence there was not q vessel
Oh the ocean flying an American flag,
except few fishing vessels, but be-
lore that war ended all the world
Was forced to admit, that American
stamen We're the equal In courage
and FAR superior in seamanship to
most.
Enter ON Career at Sea.
When our independence was won.
and peace came. and we entered upon
our career as nation, merchant ships
dying the new flag soon began to
make their appearance in the ports OF
Europe. Asia and South America
American surplus products were
''lrried abroad In American bottoms.
and those American bottoms returned
With full cargoes OF what other
countries produced. American ships
we're superior in speed. and weather.
ed the ocean storms better than those
OF any other country. and their
crews were superior In Intelligence
to those carried by vessels of other
countries, even than those Of Holland,
thus insuring the safety Of their ves-
sells and the cargoes they carried.
Even after the Introduction OF steam
as a motive power the famous Ameri-
can sailing clipper ships not only out
sailed all other ships afioat. but ac-
tually beat In speed the Cunard
steamers of England.
The introduction Of steam as mo-
tive power on the ocean did not at
once work the great revolution in
navigation its ardent advocates cx-
pected. For some years the American
clipper ships held the supremacy in
speed over the steam driven vessels.
The United States and Great Britain
began to vie with each other in build
ing steam merchant navy, and as
one Improvement after another was
adopted sailing vessels began to fall
behind In speed and to gradually lose
out IN the carrying trade. The new
steam vessels of American build more
than held their own in speed with
those. of England. and the American
flag was still seen in all seas. When
the clipper ships continued to out
speed the British steamers our gov
ernment began to use them exclusive
ly for the dispatch OF foreign mails
Carrying the malls In those days
going vessels The remuneration was
generous. and the reputation of being
selected for mail service was sure to
add to the passenger and freight list
The rule of compensation at that time
was to give to vessels flying the
American flag both the land and the
sea postage. and to others only the
sea postage. The postal rate between
the United States and England was
- cents for each half ounce Of first
class matter, and as the correspond
ence between the two countries was
large the compensation for carrying
the mails was a desira BILE asset to the
ship owners.
British Are Anxered
The continuance of our government
to favor ships OF american register
angered the British authorities, and
they made a demand on our postal
service to use British vessels in the
future for mail service. No attention
was paid to this demand. but as the
new Collins line OF American steam
ers was now ready we sent the mails
by that line instead Of the sailing
clippers. The first of the new line to
reach Liverpool was the New York,
and when IL unloaded it's large cargo
"f mall the anger OF the British posfaj
autaorit!es burst over all bounds. I'll.