AMERICAN SHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14301, 22 February 1910, Page 5

AMERICAN SHIPS.

THE SUBSIDY BILL.

LIKELY' TO BE WITHDRAWN.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright.

(Received February 22, 1 a.m.)

• London, February 21. The Washington correspondent of the Morning Post reports that there is a general impression that the Ship Subsidy Bill will be withdrawn, despite President Taft's support. , . • ' The measure has aroused such criticism, the correspondent says, that the Government is unlikely to risk its defeat. ...

It was reported come months ago that a determined demand was again to be made to, induce Congress to paea the Ship Subsidy • Bill, or come such measure, tor the protection of American shipping. Oakland Creek (San Francisco) is full of ships which may never put.to tea again unless atcktance is given by Confrere. The/ Oceanic Steamship Company's steamers among them the Ventura, Sierra, arid Sonoma, which formerly carried. on the San Francisco mail service to Auckland and Sydney—have been lying idle for over two years; owing to their inability to conrpete . with British and Japanese vessels. President Taft: proposed to iiek Congress to devote 7,000,000 dollars (£1,400,000) to the subsidising of steamship lines. Speaking at Seattle, on his tour of the western coast, lie declared that the commercial progress of the United States would be greater in the Pacific than anywhere else during the next half-century, especially in China and Japan. He referred to the need of the United States building up her mercantile marine in the interests of naval defence. . If the United States went to war to-day, he pointed out, the mercantile marine would lack sufficient tonnage, in the auxiliary unarmed ships, which were absolutely necessary for the navy's proper working, and she would be compelled to purchase such vessels abroad.