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MARINE REVIEW Published every Thursday at 418-19 Perry- Payne Bldg.. by the Marine Review Pub. Co. VoL. XX. MERCHANT MARINE IN FOREIGN TRADE, WHAT, IF ANY, NATIONAL LEGISLATION SHALL BE ENACTED BY CONGRESS?-- EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION INVITED UPON THIS GREAT QUESTION-- ANSWERS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS. The Marine Review has decided to invite expressions of opinion from prominent men in the great lakes district and elsewhere as to what, if any, national legislation should be enacted by congress in order that the United States may increase the number of merchant vessels carrying our flag in the foreign trade. Communications received will be published in cur- rent issues of the Review and brought together in pamphlet form to submit to congress when it next assembles. The undisputed facts appear to be that, whereas, merchant vessels of the United States carried nearly 90 per cent of our imports and exports in 1829, and about 75 per cent in 1855, they carried only about 8 per cent in 1898. Foreign vessels have replaced those of the United States and the foreign owners of these vessels now receive and take away from this country from $150,000,000 to $250,000,000 each year as freight upon our imports and exports. The Marine Review does not intend at this time to express any opinion as to the causes that have led to these results. It is claimed that they are due to the abandonment of our former policy of exacting discriminating duties upon imports in foreign vessels; or to the effect of the civil war; or to the substitution of metal vessels propelled by steam for the old-time fast sailing wooden ships; or to postal, naval, construction or other sub- sidies paid by foreign nations to encourage the creation and maintenance of their merchant marine; or to the cheaper cost of construction, wages, supplies, etc., abroad, due chiefly to the higher price of labor in this country; or to the lower rate of interest for which foreign capital can be obtained. These and many other causes have been suggested by theorists. As practical men, we want to deal with existing conditions and there can be no serious difference of opinion as to what they are. oe Our foreign merchant marine is rapidly disappearing trom the oceans and there can be but one cause for this. Citizens of the United States find themselves unable to own and operate merchant vessels in the foreign trade with profit, and years of patient experience have proved that it is impossible for individual effort to overcome the. causes, whatever they may be, producing this result. The United States is therefore called upon to consider and decide whether it will continue to permit its import and export trade to be carried almost entirely by vessels of foreign nations, or whether it will support its citizens in an effort to recover and retain its lost position on the oceans. The question is one of grave national im- portance. It not only involves carrying out of this country $150,000,000 to $250,000,000 of vessel earnings annually, but it also means depriving our citizens of the opportunity to find employment for their labor and capital . in ship building and ship supplying industries, than which none other have a more far-reaching beneficial effect upon the general prosperity of a nation. It further involves questions of national defense, as neither ships nor sailors can be created in a day and a navy without sailors and mer- chant vessels as auxiliaries, transports, etc., is useless for offensive or defensive operations. A nation without modern ship yards is dependent upon foreign nations for the creation and maintenance of its naval establishment. The story is a long one, but enough has been said to explain why the Marine Review deems it important to obtain a general expression of opinion, before congress assembles, as to what the national Policy should be upon these great questions: l. Shall the United States continue to allow its merchant marine in foreign trade to fight a losing battle until it entirely passes out of exist- ence and foreign nations absorb the ocean carrying of our entire import and export trade? 2. Shall the United States decide, as its permanent nonpartisan Public policy, that an equitable share of its imports and exports must be Carried on vessels of the United States, built in our own ship yards and flying our own flag, and that congress will enact whatever national legis- lation may be needed to stimulate and encourage our citizens to create, maintain and operate the vessels this policy calls for? : 3. If it is recommended that congress shall enact remedial legisla- ton what shall it be, and why? These are the important public questions upon which the Marine Review invites expressions of opinion from patriotic citizens who are terested in the permanent welfare of their country. . Communications should be addressed to the Marine Review Pub. Co., Perry-Payne build- ing, Cleveland, O, CLEVELAND, O., SEPT. 7, 1899. wnaeeiga gh 3) Wee No. 10 Foreign 50 a year. THE BIG COAL INTERESTS. Although the coal mining interests and important dock terminals of all the large coal companies that engage in forwarding Pittsburgh coal over the great lakes are included in the $64,000,000 consolidation known as the Pittsburgh Coal Co., there is, of course, as yet no apparent change in the conduct of the business by the old companies. This will not come until the issue of stock in the new company is completed, and officers elected, and even then it will be necessary to go slow in transferring to one management the important interests that are represented in this combination. The election of officers will take place in a very short time now, and it is still understood that, notwithstanding the large amount of Pittsburgh capital in the company, the lake shipping interests of Cleve- land will be represented by Mr. Frank Osborne as president, with D. R. Hanna on the board of directors, and Mr. 'Baine of the Morgan, Moore & Baine Co., as secretary. The importance of this coal consolidation will 'be understood when it is stated that it embraces the properties, "good- will and fix:ures" of such firms and companies as the New York & Cleveland Gas Coal Co., the oldest in Western Pennsylvania, annual productive capacity 1,500,000 tons; F. L. Robbins' interests, ten com- panies, capacity 1,700,000 tons; M. A. Hanna & Co., four companies and five leaseholds, capacity 1,300,000 tons; Osborne, Saeger & Co., five mines, capacity 1,200,000 tons; W. P. Rend, four mines, capacity 600,000 tons; Fssen Coal Co. (Pickands, Mather & 'Co.), three mines, 600,000 tons; Alpe lee Somers Fuel Co., 500,000 tons; Johnson Coal Mining Co., 600,000 tons; Youghiogheny Coal Co. (W.*L. Scott estate), ten mines, 1,400,000 tons; Moon Run and Imperial coal companies, both of which own and operate railroads of their own, omitting lesser, but important, interests. The output of coal of the several mines of the proposed federation during 1898 was 15,274,433 tons, or more than any state outside of Pennsylvania, - except Illinois. The mines have a feasible output capacity of over 22,900,- 000 tons, if it becomes necessary to push their operations to the full limit. 'And yet there are others, to use a jpopular phrase," said a coal operator after glancing over the foregoing figures. "I mean other dis- _ tricts that have properties of even greater tonnage. The Morgan interest _in the Hocking Valley of Ohio will soon tbe a power almost equal to . Pittsburgh consolidation, and the progress that is being made towards great outputs in the West Virginia field is amazing. Take, for instance, the growth of the Montana Coal & Coke Co. of Fairmount, W. Va. Only a few years ago they were not looked upon as competitors in any market _ beyond the immediate surroundings of their mines. Now their output is _ probably larger than any individual interest in the country. They will produce about 1,800,000 tons of coal this year. The development of this West Virginia district, where the coal lands are said to be now all practically 'bought up by big operators, together with the consolidations that are going on in other fields, go to show the wonderful increase in consumption of soft coal during the past few years." OPENING UP OF OLD AND NEW IRON MINES. With prospects of $5 or $6.a ton being paid for the Bessemer ore product of the Lake Superior region when contracts are made in the winter for next year's delivery, all manner of development work has been . undertaken of late on the different ranges. Despatches from the mining ' country tell of diamond drill work and the opening up of old properties - everywhere. A Duluth correspondent says: "It has recently come to light that more than $500,000 have been expended in mineral lands and a search for ore in the northeastern corner of Minnesota, in Cook county, where the indications have been regarded by many as good. One company has bought there about 35,000 acres, paying from $1,500 to $2,500 for single quarter sections, and has operated 'at times as high as four diamond drills. All last summer they had four drills working, and since then two have been busy steadily. What has been found is not known, but the discoveries are said to be encouraging. ' It is the common report, but how much foundation it may have I do not know, that German capital is back of the enterprise. Assuredly some out- siders must be furnishing the money, for the men known to be identified with the enterprise cannot. There are very large tracts in Cook county that have for years been known to carry favorable indications of iron and other economically valuable ores. Many experts, however, consider these ores practically valueless for various reasons. "The Oliver Iron Mining Co. is examining the Aurora mine, Gogebic range, with the usual view, that of purchase. It is quite probable that the company will take it. Aurora is the property of the Aurora Min- ing Co., of which W. J. Olcott of Duluth is general manager. It lies next to East Norrie, and' is one of the best mines of the range, so far as quality goes. The Aurora has just sunk a deep shaft, and is now com- pleting cross-cuts to get the ore that lies around the western shafts and to discover new lenses. The Pabst of the Oliver company lies adjoining Aurora to the east. Another mine of the Wakefield group, the Comet, has been taken under option by the Corrigan interests, and will be opened at once. The Jack Pot, close to Colby, has been taken by Jones & Laugh- lins, and is being unwatered. It was the last idle property between Iron- wood and Bessemer. The Ashland mine, under control of the Hayes brothers, well known on the Gogebic, is getting water from its lower levels, and will be mining to the bottom of the eighth level. It is hoist- ing about 300 tons, and has 140 men at work. Shaft No. 2 of Norrie is to be re-entered on account of this unwatering of Ashland. The first ore from the new Davis mine, this range, has been shipped. The Mikado has begun hoisting." H. C. Frick, chairman of the Carnegie Steel Go., Ltd., returned from Europe this week, |