22 REPORT OF AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE COMMISSION.

crew wages and maintenance and higher cost of construction, would
be, approximately, $13,000 a year greater than those of a British vessel
 of the same class, with a British crew—it a Chinese or Lascar crew,
the difference would be four or five thousand dollars greater. Such a
typical American ship would earn a subvention for a year’s service, at
¥5 per gross ton, of $18,750, evening conditions, and perhaps a little
more, by way of encouragement to the owners to build new vessels,
employ more naval volunteers. and help to make new markets for
American commerce.
ONLY EQUALIZES CONDITIONS.

It should be emphasized that this subvention only equalizes conditions,
 or, at the best, a little more. In no instance, with no kind of
ship, is the subvention large enough to justify the owner in sailing
without cargo. He must have a freight, and a good one, if he is to
make both ends meet. To run without it means to pay &amp;3 or $4 in
wages, supplies, interest, taxes, depreciation, and insurance in order
to earn $1 of subvention. Therefore, no arbitrary requirement of a
certain proportion of cargo is necessary; and it must he remembered
that such a requirement would bear hardest on adventurous vessels
seeking to create new, trades, where at first a ship that fills one-third
of her space is fortunate. It is just this seeking for new markets
that the American people are most eager to encourage for the sake of
farmers. manufacturers, and other producers at home.
ONE EVEN RATE.

Tt is to be noted that one even rate of subvention of $5 per gross
ton is provided for all vessels, sail craft included. This is the fairest
plan that possibly can be framed. It is simple and intelligible. It is
proof against all charges of favoritism and discrimination. Moreover,
there is more than one urgent reason why sail vessels should have the
same rate as steamers. Our present fleet includes many sail ships of
high commercial efficiency. They are often still the pioneers of commerce,
 visiting new ports where trade is too small or channels too
shallow for the steamers. They are the cheapest carriers of certain
important cargoes, and their presence is evervwhere a check upon
exorbitant steam rates.

VATE OF NATL SHIPS.

But beyond all this, sail vessels of square rig or fore and aft rig are
indispensable as schools of seamanship. Ilere their value is incomparable.
 Indeed the greatest steamship companies of Kurope now
maintain sail ships for the express purpose of training their young
officers, and the United States Navy does the same. Within a few
months the Navy has launched three vessels—sail ships, pure and
simple—modeled” closely after the merchant type, and to be used
exclusively for training” purposes. Both the cadets at Annapolis and
the lads who are to be enlisted men receive their practical sea education
 to-day on sailing ships or steam vessels with the largest possible
sail power.
Ac Roar Admiral Luce. one of the ablest of the veteran sea officers