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10 THE MARINE RECORD. ESTABLISHED 1878. Published Every Thursday by THE: MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING CO., Incorporated. Cc, E, RUSKIN, - - - - Manager. CAPT. JOHN SWAINSON, - - - - Editor. CLEVELAND, CHICAGO, Western Reserve Building. Royal Insurance Building. SUBSCRIPTION. One Copy, o1 one, year, postage paid, - - $2.00 One Copy, one year, to foreign countries, - o $3.00 Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. All communications should be addressed to the Cleveland office, THE MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING CO., Western Reserve Building, Cleveland, O. Entered at Cleveland Postoffice as second-class mail matter. No attention is paid to anonymous communications, but the wishes of contributors as to the use of sre names will be scrupulously regarded. CLEVELAND, O., OCTOBER 10, 1901. UNITED STATES SHIPPING. Under the title ““The Need for American Ships,’”’ Mr. Eu- gene Tylor Chamberlain, United States Commissioner of Navigation, has contributed the following article to the newspapers: In his last great speech at Buffalo, President McKinley dwelt upon several lines of policy which he declared the nation should pursue in the future, and one of these was the development of our merchant marine, and President Roose- velt, since his accession to office, has affirmed his adherence to the same view. The policy thus declared refers particu- larly to ships on the ocean engaged in foreign trade. Ameri- can shipping, in this sense is a national institution, or as affirmed by our supreme court, ‘‘a national service.’’ The American ship not only carries the country’s flag, but for the time being and to the extent of its deck, actually ex” tends national territory up to the jurisdiction of the foreign nation in whose harbor it anchors. Exports, such as corn» cattle, steel beams, sewing machines and bicycles, forthwith become merged into the things of the foreign country into which they are sent. Outside of American books—encour- aged by national and international copyright— I recall no thing, except the American ship, which takes withit to foreign territory its American nationality and keeps it. It is both narrow and incorrect, therefore, to put any project to develop American shipping on the same plane as a bill to establish the tin-plate industry, or to promote the importa- tion of cheap2r woolen clothing, or to encourage the expor- tation of dairy products. Allof these will concern special industries, and only indirectly and remotely effect the gen- eral growth. Th2 development of shipping is primarily na- tional. Even in secondary results, it reaches directly many more forms of human activity—of which shipbuilding is but one—than any other industry now recalled. The influence of Great Britain in shaping the world’s his- tory and growth—an influence entirely out of proportion to her population and natural resources—has radiated through her merchant shipping. Through it the English language and Anglo-Saxon ideals and methods have pervaded the world. We have only lately come to the last chapter in the history ‘of an earlier dominion of the world which Spain held by virtue of her navigatorsand her ships. ‘‘Our future lies on. the-sea,’’ the watchword of the Kaiser, tersely ex- presses the laudable ambition of Germany to attain leader- ship among nations: Jt is not an unworthy ambition to aspire to be the most powerful: nation in the world, the most pervasive influence. in shaping mankind’s future. It is a proper ambition for Americans to entertain at the begin- ning of the twentieth century. If, as we believe, our national ideas and purposes are pure and elevated, the extension of American shipping will carty with it not merely an increase of trade and an increase of wealth, but also an expansion of forces working for the gen- eral welfare of the world. Like other nations, we are now sending our warships to foreign ports ‘‘to show the flag.” The propriety of this course does not admit of question. The flag above the muzzles of steel guns, however, cannot con- sistently with our purposes or our industrial rank continue to be the only display of American colors in foreign ports. Even army transports and navy colliers, ‘peaceful in their way, will hardly suffice as our permanent representation on the sea. What may be termed our industrial independence heppens to have been attained almost simultaneously with the acquisition of Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Philippines, and our inevitable appearance in the commercial politics of Asia. The opportunity to become a maritime commercial power and the necessity for becoming such have arrived to- gether. There is now no real question as to the need for American ships in the minds of the leaders in practical af- fairs in this country. That need is disputed academically by some on whom traditional theories have so strong a hold that they have not yet adjusted themselves to the principles which must govern the nation’s course during this century. A relatively small but influential number find it to obvious self interest to dispute such need. Each class may have done something to confuse the issue and retard action thus far, but both together will scarcely be able long to keep the United States in its painfully absurd position on the sea. It is a political necessity for the United States to carry a} its mails to Northern Europe, Asia and Australia by Anierican mail steamers, precisely as all the mails of England, Ger- many and France to the United States, Asia and Australia, are carried by the mail steamers of each nation respectively. It is a political necessity for the United States to carry its mails toSouth America by American mail steamers, precisely as the mails of England, Germany and France are carried to Africa by mail steamers of each nation respectively. The service is national and should be intrusted to agencies at all times under national control. Foreign ships owe and per- form their first duty to the nation whose flag they fly. Whatever may have been formerly the case, we are no longer so small, weak or poor that we must bargain to get our letters carried as an incident to a British, German or French mail contract by auxiliary cruisers of British, Ger- man or French navies, officered and manned by their naval reserves. We do not, of course, apprehend war with these three powers, but that is no good reason why we should help to support their auxiliary sea forces, particularly as those three navies are the only ones, except the Russian, which our own navy does not already much outrank. Congress every year votes more money indirectly to support the British naval militia than it does for the national guard of any one of the great states of the union. By the muddy waters of improved south-western rivers men are denying the usefulness in, war of auxiliary merchant cruisers and their seamen. This year England has increased her list of such auxiliary cruisers from 28 to 50, and Germany is doubling hers. It is a case where “the shallows murmur, but the deeps are dumb.”’ National policy requires that our mail steamships should be built in home yards by home labor. The requirement has been recognized by every nation of the first rank as soon as its industrial growth permitted. The plant, the machinery and the skilled mechanics needed to build these ships are part of a nation’s scheme of defence. Next to having a most powerful navy is the ability to construct one when re- quired. It is to the national interest that such ships should be officered and manned, so far as practicable, by American Citizens, constituting in effect a naval reserve. Federal appropriations to create a body of merchant seamen would stand more firmly on constitutional grounds than federal appropriations to arm the militia. The latter can be done through the agency of the states. The former, by our scheme of government, can effectually be done only by federal authority. These propositions concededly set com- mercial principles at defiance. Our mails can be carried more cheaply by foreign than by American steamers. Ships cost less in England than in the United States. British sea- men may be had for about half, and German and French seamen for less than half the wages American seamen are paid. The proposition cannot be debated on the basis of the cash balance of receipts and expenditures, for only the latter can be put down in dollars and cents. The British, German and French ocean mail service are conducted at an annual loss of millions. Like many other national needs, the need for American ships can be supplied only by the expenditure of national money without return in kind. OCTOBER I0, IgOI. With obvious qualifications, what has been said of Ameri- . can mail steamers applies to other American vessels.. Their relations to: the whole nation are less direct, and, based on those relations, less. expenditure proportionately jis, warrant; .... ed. The number, speed, size, regularity and large crews,of .... a country’s ocean mail steamers, indicate its greatness in ay “f manner cargo steamers.or sailing vessels cannot. With the. cargo steamer and sailing vessel, the national element is secs... ondary to the commercial. Such vessels concern.mainly the. a grazing, grain, cotton, lumber, coal,-and oil. producing, states. A nerican mail steamers,concern those, states. with,,.}+ all the union and all its interests.. The commercial phases; of the need for American ships are important, but outside ~ the scope of this article. The cool judgment of the country — less than twenty years ago directed the beginning of a pro- ~ gram of naval construction, since consistently developed and carried out. In that short time the United States has risen’ j from almost no rank to be the fourth naval power of the world. Meanwhile, American ships, relatively and absolute- ly, haev been decreasing. Our shipping in foreign trade is about one-third smaller than ‘when the Chicago and Atlanta’ were laid down. The increase in our tonnage has been of vessels seldom, if ever, a day’srun distant from the protec tion of our shore batteries. The future sea power of the United States, mercantile and © naval, depends upon an intelligent response to the need of © American ships. _ The eminent writer upon the new navy © asks and answers the question of commercial and military — interdependence: ‘‘Can this navy be had without restoring the merchant shipping? It is doubtful. History has pee that such a purely military sea power can be built up by a’ despot, as was done by Louis XIV; but: though so fair Seem- © ing, experience showed that his navy ‘was like a growth,” which, having no root, soon withers away.” — ah ee ee en IRON AND STEEL: TRADE. The iron market is not as active as it was a week ago, “but” the feeling is firm all around and prices are unchanged. All the furnaces are sold up for the year on foundry i iron and there does not seem to be any rush to take up business for 1902. Some sales of ore were made during the week to” fill out and prices are the same as they have been for several ” weeks past, Carrying charges are unchanged. The scarcity, of cars on the ore and coal carrying roads has tied up ¢on- siderable tonnage, and the indications are that shippers will” not be able to bring down as much ore as they figured on. Vessels that have ore for direct shipment have in some cases been held in port for over a week. “Most of the con- tract boats are behind and some of them will not be able to. carry all the ore that, they were chartered. to move. In its review of the i iron and metal trades the Tron Age of New Vork says: Despite the talk in some circles that higher prices may be forced, the feeling with some of the largest is that values are now as high as is reasonable, “In fact, the belief is more and more frequently expressed that we are on the crest of the wave and that we will do well if we maintain the present level. : Some of the large interests are apparently seeking with vigor for large contracts for next year’s delivery, and for such back log orders current quotations for immediate delivery are of very little account. In steel, for instance, materially lower prices are made for 1902. Probably any pressure to market product, should it develop toward the close of the year, would be first witnessed in an effort to stimulate the export demand. As yet, there is not ‘the slightest sign of this. It will take months to fill the gaps in stocks of those finished lines which were affected by the strike, and in other branches, notably in structural material, deliveries are only now beginning to show some improye- ment. But in other departments the evidence of slackening in the demand is becoming somewhat more emphatic. In pig iron further purchases of Bessemer and Basic in the central west by the leading interest are reported, but there have been some signs of unexpected weakness i in the catty under the temptation ofa few really. good orders. Our monthly blast. furnace. statistics show a moderate i in- crease in the capacity of’ the plants active on the first of this month. This is due principally-to the resumpt stacks idle owing to the strike, and to the A ‘cs new blast furnace of the Sharon Steel Co: “Taking it alto- gether, we have now for months’ beet running very close indeed for safety. It is very doubtful whether there are two. weeks’ stock of pig iron in producers’ hands, which is a very narrow margin to provide against accidents or con- tingencies, particularly since con little pig ‘rod. y sumers are carrying very Sr poe & "3 sea a Ng Laer ee 9 ais Ss se