REPORT OF AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE COMMISSION. 25

which must be protected. This can only be done by possessing a
of citizen seamen, and of artisans and establishments in readiness
(Report of Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, to the House of
December 16, 1793. “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson,’ edited
ington, Volume VII, p. 647.)
The wisdom and force of this historic statement will he as gratefully
recognized now, as they were then, by Mr. Jefferson’s fellow countrymen.


NEW OCEAN MAIL ROUTES.
Wherever throughout the country the Commission has held its hearings
 the evidence has been unanimous in favor of the principle of the
Prep ocean-mail act, approved March 3, 1891, and a very earnest
esire has heen expressed for its extension. When this law was passed
the rates of compensation originally proposed were cut down about
one-third by Congress. Experience has amply proved that this reduction
 was an error, for, though the older American mail lines have been
sustained and developed by the law of 1891 and a few new lines have
been created, yet the law has not sufficed to give the United States a
complete system of mail communication with the great ports of the
world and the chief markets for American merchandise, The American
 ocean mail lines now operating under contracts provided by the
law of 1891, and the compensation received in the fiscal year 1904, are
stated by the Superintendent of Foreign Mails as follows:
American Line, New York to Southampton .
Oceanic Line, San Francisco to Australasia. _.__.. ee
New York and Cuba Mail, New York to Cuba and Mexico... __.
Red I Line, New York to Venezuela ahd Dutch West Indies _._.
American Mail. Boston and Philadelphia to Jamaica

$690, 488. 20
283, 203. 00
206, 082. 00
103, 325. 00
a2’ 748 00

Tota.

... 1,375,841. 20
NO OHANGE IN EXISTING LINES.

In the proposed bill not one dollar is added to the expenditure for
any one of these five established contract lines, They are left exactly
as they are at present, fulfilling, under the law of 1891. their acreements
 with the Government.
Moreover, this law of 1891 is not repealed, and it is not amended
GXcept as to certain specific new routes to be established and the new
requirement of naval volunteers. Contracts authorized on these new
toutes are to be made in general in the manner provided for under the
existing law, which has stood the test of almost fourteen vears of actual
 experience.
But in one important particular the law of 1891 has undeniably
failed. Its reduced compensation has not sufliced to establish contract
mail lines to the greater countries of South America, to Central America,
 to Africa, or to the Orient. Therefore the Comniission recommends
 in the proposed hill a substantial increase of compensation on
certain specified routes where American steam service will be most
likely to" increase the foreicn markets for American merchandise,
These new rontes are:

THE NEW SERVICES.

First. From a port of the Atlantic coast of the United States to Brazil, on steamships
 of the United States of not less than 14 knots speed, for a monthly service at a
Maximum compensation not exceeding $150,000 a year, or for a fortnightly service
at a maximum compensation not exceedine $300.000 a vear