Cost of Transport. 219 



time charter, say for six months at so much 

 per gross ton per month. For instance, 

 the ss. Montezuma, which was hired only for 

 the voyage, made two trips in Httle more 

 than three months, and turned over to her 

 agents ^16,000 or ^17,000 on the transac- 

 tion. Had she been a numbered transport 

 she would have saved the Government a 

 third of that sum. In view of national 

 emergencies, some of the best cattle boats 

 should be subsidised for use in time of war, 

 and as they get old they should be replaced 

 by new ships. Thus, for a nominal yearly 

 expenditure on subsidies, large sums of 

 money would be saved at some future time. 

 The same plan might, with advantage, be 

 applied to steamers intended for the con- 

 veyance of troops, or of troops and horses." 



