DENMARK--NORWAY--SWEDEN
Denmark pays postal subventions to two steamship companies for carrying
the mails to Sweden and to Iceland, and "trade" subsidies to other
companies to encourage particularly the export trade. The latter are
payments directly for reductions in freight rates, which are supervised
by the Government.[EI] The postal subventions are not large, and they
are generally accepted as only fair remuneration for service
rendered.[EJ]
* * * * *
Norway and Sweden both give subsidies for mail carriage solely, and
grant no direct bounties on shipping. Both, however, undertake the
furtherance of commerce and navigation through "State contributions," in
the form of loans to shipowners from Government funds.[EK] Such aid has
been granted to several steamship lines. In 1910 the Swedish Government
granted a loan equivalent to half a million dollars American money
toward the capital of a new line between Swedish ports and New York,
Philadelphia, and Baltimore.[EL] Shipping is exempt from taxation in
both countries.[EM] The Swedish tonnage in 1910 stood at a total of 1472
vessels of 918,079 tons.[EN]
* * * * *
In Norway the laws put no restriction upon shipowners as to purchase in
any market. Most of her steam tonnage is foreign-bought, and largely
second-hand. Her merchant fleet, however, consists for the greater part,
of wooden sailing-ships, and these are mostly of domestic build.[EM]
Besides the mail subsidies the Government grant "trade" subsidies to
some forty Norwegian steamship companies to enable them to maintain
routes to various foreign ports. These subsidies amount to about half a
million dollars annually.[EO] In 1910 Norway stood in tonnage fourth
among European maritime countries: her total tonnage being 2,014,533
tons.[EP] Norway has by far the largest percentage of sea-faring
population, and her mariners are found in the crews of all nations in
Europe and America.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote EI: Meeker.]
[Footnote EJ: Parl. papers.]
[Footnote EK: Meeker.]
[Footnote EL: U.S. Con. Rept., no. 82, 1910, p. 106.]
[Footnote EM: Meeker.]
[Footnote EN: Lloyd's Register, 1910-11.]
[Footnote EO: Report of (U.S.) commissioner of navigation for 1909.]
[Footnote EP: Lloyd's Register, 1910-11.]