F.—6

38

10. The exception referred to in the last paragraph applies to sailing-vessels and to slow steamships, the maintenance of which is also essential to our maritime progress and prosperity, and also to the strength of our military power. 11. Vessels engaged in the deep-sea fisheries are also provided for upon the same policy of supplying to the United States a body of intelligent and experienced American mariners at all times, ready to serve our country when needed. 12. The respective compensations arranged in the Bill have been computed, it is believed, upon the lowest basis consistent with the attainment of the great and urgent objects already stated. The foregoing paragraphs present the scheme and main points of the Bill. The other provisions are incidental and of detail. The provisions of the Bill are believed to be in harmony with the last annual message of the President of the United States, and with the recommendations of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Postmaster-General, and the Commissioner of Navigation, and, it is hoped, will commend themselves to the patriotic judgment of Congress. A table is subjoined showing in some degree the extent to which the people of the United States are dependent on foreign shipping for their sea-borne commerce with each of the grand divisions of the world, and the amount and percentage of our exports and imports carried by American and foreign vessels.

Table showing the Combined Tonnage (net) of American and Foreign Vessels entered and cleared at Seaports of the United States in the Foreign Trade for the Fiscal Year ended 30th June, 1897, with the Percentage of each in the Trade with the Various Grand Divisions of the World.

During the fiscal year ended 30th June, 1897, the value of the exports and imports of the United States, and the amount carried by land, by American vessels, by foreign vessels, and the percentage of exports and imports carried by water which were carried by American and foreign vessels were as follows:—

No. 114. The Supebintendent of Foeeign Mails, Washington, to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. Post Office Department, Office of Foreign Mails, Washington, D.C., Sic,— 9th January, 1899. Beferring to your letter of the sth November last, advising this department that " the Mail-agent by the last voyage of the B.M.S. ' Alameda ' reports that four bags (three for Honolulu and one for Sydney) for transmission by the ' Alameda' were left behind at Ogden on the sth ultimo," I have the honour, by direction of the Postmaster-General, to inform you that the Mail-agent was in error in reporting that the bags in question were left behind at Ogden. The facts in the case are that the bags reached New York per the steamer " Etruria " on the 29th October, and that the captain of that steamer refused to deliver the incoming mails to the mail-boat which met the " Etruria" at the quarantine station.

Trade with Amerioan Tonnage. Foreign Tonnage. Total. Percentage. American. Foreign. Europe Africa... ... Asia ... Oceanica Hawaii South America ... North America (salt water) Whaling vessels 899,081 57,396 303,226 158,205 283,211 691,231 4,852,195 4,080 23,024,093 946,125 1,150,265 485,112 77,962 2,055,999 4,892,863 23,923,174 1,003,521 1,453,491 643,317 361,173 2,747,230 9,745,058 4,080 5 6 21 25 88 25 50 100 95 94 79 75 12 75 50 Total by sea 7,248,625 32,632,419 39,881,044 18 82

■ By Water. Perci mtage. By Land. American Vessels. Foreign Vessels. Total. American. Foreign. Exports .. mports ... Exports and imports 65,082,305 79,941,823 905,969,428 985,911,251 35,812,620 109,133,454 619,784,338 728,917,792 100,894,925 189,075,277 1,525,753,7661,714,829,043 8 15 11 92 85 89