mend to Congress an appropriation of $100,000 to meet specific estimates for filling and grading and construction work in the memorial grounds and approaches to the plazas, for parking, for retaining sea walls, for facing the upper plaza with tile or other material consistent with the general construction, and for the same purpose with reference to the lower plaza. The estimates totaled $99,185, and an appropriation in that sum was so recommended. The enactment of this appropriation by Congress would place the Government in possession of a property not only free from cost for maintenance so far as the Government is concerned but earning an annual net revenue capable of providing for all of the future needs of the property and protecting it indefinitely against injury and deterioration. As a pure business proposition the enactment of this appropriation should appeal strongly to the lawmaking power, for, as stated in our previous report, it would not only meet an existing emergency but would prove a lasting economy. During the past year the commissioners also considered the problem of immunizing the memorial from injury by lightning. This matter has been taken up with the Bureau of Standards of the Department of Commerce, from which the commission has received valuable advice on the subject. If other imminent dangers to the property did not exist, this problem could be solved within the financial resources indicated by our annual net revenues, but under the circumstances now existing the early solution of this important problem does not seem probable. The needed protection should be afforded, and would be promptly if the net revenue were not annually necessarily frittered away for so many other purposes. Meanwhile we again urge upon the consideration of the proper national authority that in the absence of the Federal aid requested in our former report, the people continue to be denied their rights. in the premises surrounding the memorial. The prevalent conditions not only imply danger to the property and annual loss to the Government, but they deprive the people of the enjoyment which they have the right to expect. The 14 acres surrounding the memorial constitute virtually a national park, but are wholly unfit for public use. the proposed appropriation were made, the Government would still have contributed less than one-half of the total cost of the memorial, the remaining more than one-half having been already contributed by the nine States participating in its erection. Respectfully submitted. GEO. H. WORTHINGTON, President, Cleveland, Ohio. A. E. SISSON, Treasurer, Erie, Pa. WEBSTER P. HUNTINGTON, Secretary, Mount Sterling, Ky. If 4th Session. TRAMP TONNAGE. No. 297. LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD TRANSMITTING, IN RESPONSE TO SENATE RESOLUTION 410, INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE SO-CALLED TRAMP TONNAGE. JANUARY 29 (calendar day, FEBRUARY 3), 1923.-Ordered to lie on the table and to be printed. Hon. CALVIN COOLIDGE, UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD, President of the Senate. SIR: Referring to Senate Resolution No. 410, calling upon the Shipping Board to furnish the Senate at the earliest practicable date certain information regarding tramp tonnage, the following is submitted: 1. So-called tramp operations are not being conducted with Government-owned vessels at present. The board has used this tonnage in the past on several occasions in what were tantamount to tramp operations, where such use was desirable to meet extraordinary conditions, and where it was necessary to supplement_temporarily regular line service to meet unusual requirements. Such use of Shipping Board vessels for tramp voyages was made necessary to move a part of the Russian Relief grain in the spring of 1922, and to bring from England bituminous coal during the coal strike in this country in the fall of 1922. The statistics given herewith represent approximately the number of tramp steamers operating in the trade between the United States and foreign countries during the year 1922. These figures are taken from information readily available, and do not represent exact figures, which could only be obtained after an exhaustive examination of custom records at all ports, requiring considerable time and a great amount of detail work. 2. In the early part of the present Shipping Board administration there were approximately 126 Shipping Board steamers operating as tramps, every one of which was losing in varying amounts up to $25,000 per round voyage. These steamers were operating in all parts of the world, and such operations were accomplishing no definite purpose in the matter of developing the American merchant marine. In many instances such vessels were operating between foreign ports without any direct benefit to our own citizens. It is also pointed out that we are specifically mandated under section 7 of the shipping act of 1920 To establish and maintain line services with a view to furnishing adequate, permanent, and certain services on such essential trade routes. It is the board's opinion it would be contrary to good business practice to keep in operation tramp steamers, many of which, because of the very nature of their operations, would compete with the regular line services we are endeavoring to establish and maintain. It is submitted, therefore, that the operation of tramp tonnage would be unbusinesslike, accomplish no definite purpose in the way of developing the American merchant marine, and would be an unwarranted waste of public funds. 3. It is the opinion of the board that it has not authority under existing law to provide for the operation and maintenance of tramp services with Government-owned vessels of the United States under existing conditions. While the board is given general authority to operate the vessels in its charge, the board does not believe that such authority extends to the operation of vessels at a loss to the United States when such operation does not tend to carry out any specific provision or purpose declared in the merchant marine act. A. D. LASKER, Chairman. Very truly yours, O SHIPS SOLD SINCE MARCH 4, 1921. LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD TRANSMITTING, IN RESPONSE TO SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 421, CERTAIN INFORMATION WITH REFERENCE TO SHIPS SOLD BY THE UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD SINCE MARCH 4, 1921. FEBRUARY 5, 1923.-Referred to the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed. UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD, The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, Washington, D. C. SIR: In response to the Senate resolution 421, instructing the United States Shipping Board to furnish to the Senate certain information as specified in the resolution with reference to ships sold since March 4, 1921, I have the honor to submit the following information: 1. Since March 4, 1921, the United States Shipping Board has sold 396 ships to January 30, 1923. 2. The names of the persons, partnerships, or corporations to whom said sales have been made are as follows: 3. The terms of sale stipulated immediate cash for full amount of sales price of each vessel, except in the following cases, where terms called for part cash and the balance in deferred payments. The deferred payments were secured by preferred mortgage in all cases, and were evidenced by notes and/or letters of credit as noted below. All cash terms have been met without exception and all deferred payments maturing to date have been met in full by cash payments at due dates. The sales specifying cash and part deferred payments were as follows: Baltimore Steamship Co., purchaser of steamship Major Wheeler. Sales price, $144,570; cash, $72,285; deferred, $72,285. Buvig, Hjolmer, purchaser of steamship Lake Forney. Sales price, $76,000; cash, $50,000; deferred, $26,000. |