After having the decadence of the American merchant marine dinned into
our ears for decades, we may be pardoned for gloating over the way this
same merchant marine has come back under the stress of war. Of total
imports worth $1,778,596,695 in 1915, goods valued at $342,796,714
arrived in vessels flying the American flag. In 1917 the value of
goods arriving in American vessels had increased to $732,814,858.
The increase was the greatest shown by ships of any nation, and the
total value was the highest for any, British ships ranking second with
imports valued at $693,565,240. This was a decrease of only $7,000,000
from 1915, in spite of all the U-boats could do. French ships,
fighting the same sneaking foe, were actually able to increase the
value of goods delivered at American ports from $70,275,445 in 1915 to
$102,346,317 in 1917, considerably more than making up for the decrease
in imports arriving under British and Italian flags. In the seven
months ended Jan. 31, 1918, nearly 29 per cent. of all imports arrived
in ships flying the American flag.
And the efficiency curve is still climbing. Up to April 10 America,
by restricting imports, withdrawing ships from less essential trade
routes, and by obtaining neutral tonnage by agreement--in other words,
by good management--had been able to place 2,762,605 tons of shipping
in the transatlantic service to carry food, munitions, and men to
France. Of this total, 2,365,344 tons were under American registry. By
skillful handling in port at both ends of the route the efficiency of
this tonnage had been increased 20 per cent., which was equivalent to
adding more than 400,000 tons to the carrying capacity of the fleet as
compared with normal times.
These figures include very little of the 500,000 tons of Dutch shipping
requisitioned, and none at all of the 250,000 tons Japan has promised
to contribute during the Summer. Neither do they include any of the
tonnage of England and the other allies which the American Shipping
Control Committee has the power to reroute, nor yet do they take into
consideration any of the tonnage under way or to be built in American
shipyards, nor the 200,000 tons Japan has agreed to build for us as
soon as we can deliver the plates; for this article deals only with
conditions as they now exist.
To sum up, the shipping situation, as disclosed by Government
statistics, is far more satisfactory than current comment would
lead one to believe. If it is not all we could wish, we have the
satisfaction of knowing that Germany is much more dissatisfied with it
than we are.