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TAE Marine REVIEW Cot. GrorcE H. Pippy, Vice PRESIDENT FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OF THE MER. CHANT MARINE LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES. ing of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers which will be found elsewhere in this issue. As reported in the November issue, comprehensive speeches were also made hy - artis Weinstock, KR. P. Schwerin, Henry T. Scott and John A. Penton. Mr. Weinstock 'covered the economic phases of the question with unusual thoroughness and Mr. Penton, with characteristic energy, re- viewed the accomplishments of the Merchant Marine League of the Unit- ed States and pointed out the work yet to be done. Every phase of the subject, econ- omic, patriotic, commercial and mili- tary, was thoroughly covered at the San Francisco meeting and it is doubt- ful if a more representative body of business men had ever before. assem- bled in California for the futherance of a common object. ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMIS- SIONER OF NAVIGATION. The commissioner of navigation re- ports. to. Secretary Nagel of com- merce and labor that the total docu- mented shipping of the United States on July 1, 1909, comprised 25,688 ves- sels of 7,388,755 gross tons--a larger tonnage than. under any foreign flag except the. British, 18,800,000 tons. American shipping is almost wholly engaged in domestic commerce and 6,501,250 tons are enrolled or licensed for this purpose, while Germany's 4,266,000 gross tons are almost wholly of course in foreign trade. American tonnage registered for foreign trade amounts to only 887,505 tons, a loss of, 53,000 tons since last year, and much of the tonnage yet registered is permanently laid up. The great lakes employ 2,782,481 gross tons. During the fiscal. year shipbuilding December, 1909 shared in the general business de- pression here and abroad, and only 1,247 vessels of 238,090 gross tons were built, the smallest amount since 1898. In Great Britain, however, ship- 'building also declined from 1,580,000 tons to 914,000 tons. Prospects and contracts show a decided improve- ment in shipbuilding at home during the current fiscal year. Tonnage duties amounted to $1,- 052,374, a decrease of $24,197. Ameri- can ships paid $80,397, British ships $595,737, German ships $149,879. We paid British and German ships for carrying our mails, however, more than these amounts. The exemption of vessels in fresh water trades from tonnage tax is recommended. Under the new tariff law, five foreign built yachts have paid $35,854 taxes since September. The constitutionality of the law has been questioned by some yacht owners, and awaits judicial de- termination. Shipping commissioners shipped and discharged 341,980 men (counting re- peated voyages) on American ships. Only 49 per cent of the crews of these ships are American citizens, born or naturalized. Laws enacted in 1895 when motor and power 'boats were practically un- known prescribe equipment unneces- sary on the smaller types. of these boats, and modification of these laws is recommended. A 'bill requiring wireless apparatus On ocean passenger steamers is fav- ored. The report recommends vari- ous changes in the navigation laws, but is principally devoted to a con- sideration of the subsidy question. A despatch from © Halifax, N. S., states that in order to meet the de- mands for raw material which the enlargement of their plant, now in progress will entail, the Dominion Iron & Steel Co. have decided to place an order in England for two 10,000 ton steamers for delivery about a year hence. The new steamers will be specially designed for carrying ore from Wabana mines to the plant at Sydney, C. B., and will be equipped for expeditious loading and discharg- ing. In recommending a naval program for next year Secretary Meyer will ask Congress to provide for a repair ship equipped with a complete ma- chine shop for all emergencies. The repair boat would have a speed equal to the fastest battleship afloat, so that in all cases it could keep with the fleet.