Calendar 1 0. 9 26547.
5811 CONGRESS, | SENATE.
3d Session. ¢

J

REPORT
No. 2049

DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE
AND AMERICAN COMMERCE.

Jaxvary 12, 1905.—Ordered to be printed.

Mr. | Garris, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the
“Mowing
=

21 BY THE

VIEW"

CTNORITY.
To acerrmany 8, 6201.)

The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S.
5241) to promote the national defense, to create a foree of naval volunteers,
 to establish American ocean mail lines to foreign markets, to
promote commerce, and to provide revenue from tonnage, having considered
 the same, beg leave to report the bill hack favorably with a
recommendation that it pass.
In support of the bili the committee adopt the report of the Merchant
 Marine Commission. made to the Senate on January -£, 1905, as
follows:
Deeply concerned at the decline of our ocean fleet, and the loss of
skilled officers and seamen—pioneers of trade in peace, and defenders
of the lag in war—the President of the United States, in his annual
Message to Congress, December 7, 1903. said:
J A majority of our people desire that steps be taken in the interest of American
$ pping, so that We may once more resume our former position in the ocean carryng
 trade. But hitherto the difierences of opinion as to the proper method of reaching
 this end have been 80 wide that it has proved impossible to secure the adoption
of any particular sffieme. Having in view these facts, I recommend that the Congress
 direct the Secretary of the Navy, the Postmuaster-( ieneral, and the Secretary of
Lonmerce and Labor, associated with such a representation from the Senate and the
House of Representatives as the Congress in its wisdom may designate, to serve as a
commission for the purpose of investigating and reporting to the Congress at its next
session what legislation ix desirable or necessary for the development of the American
merchant marine and American commerce, and incidentally of a national ocean mail
service of adequate auxiliary naval cruisers and naval reserves. While such a
neasure Js desirable in any event, it is especially desirable at this time, in view of
the fact that our present governmental contract for ocean mail with the American
me will expire in 1903.
Our ocean mail act was passed in 1891. In 1895 our 20-knot trans-Atlantic mail line
was equal to any foreign line. Since then the Germans have put on 23-knot steamors,
 and the British have contracted for 24-knot steamers. Our service should equal
the best. Tf it does not, the commercial public will abandon it. 1f we are to stay in
he business it ought to be with the full understanding of the advantages to the
country on the one hand, and on the other with exact knowledge of the cost and
proper methods of carrying it on, Moreover, lines of cargo ships are of even more
portance than fast mail lines, save so faras the latter can be depended upon to
furnish swift auxiliary cruisers in time of war. The establishment of new lines of
cargo ships to South America, to Asia, and elsewhere would be much in the interest
of our commercial expansion.