DEVELOPMENT OF A MERCflANT MARINE AND COMMERCE. 235 



if the greatest success is to be achieved in accomplishing those things which contribute to 

 "The Development of a Merchant Marine and Commerce." 



The admiral has spoken very complimentarily of what has been done by the Ameri- 

 can Association of Port Authorities. That organization stands for "service" if it stands 

 for anything. The problems of the many ports are so many and so great that, while the 

 association has been in existence for ten years, it has only begim the work that lies before 

 it. I am glad to say that its efforts have been approved by those high in authority, and 

 that its influence, and an understanding of what may be accomplished through its efforts, 

 are spreading, so that now it has representatives in many lands. The association is ready 

 and willing to do its share in helping to solve the problems that confront every port ad- 

 ministration, and invites all of them to join with it in determining what is best to be done 

 that transportation by water, export and import commerce may be conducted most quickly, 

 most economically and most satisfactorily, for that is the crux of the whole matter. 



I thank you for the opportunity to be heard before your organization and wish you the 

 greatest success in your deliberations on this very important subject, so well put before you 

 by Read Admiral Rousseau. 



The President: — We have two more communicated discussions, which will be ab- 

 stracted by Mr. Leo S. Blodgett. 



Mr. Blodgett presented the following discussion: 



Rear Admiral F. R. Harris, C. E. C, U. S. Navy, Member (Communicated) : — Rear 

 Admiral Rousseau's paper on the importance of port facilities in the development of a mer- 

 chant marine and commerce is a very thorough and comprehensive discussion of the subject 

 and one for which he is entitled to considerable credit. He is particularly well fitted by actual 

 experience for the task he has undertaken, both on account of his general familiarity with 

 various types of port improvement and also on account of his connection with the United 

 States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation during the war, and in connection 

 with that same organization, as a member of the important Port Facilities Commission 

 which he refers to. 



It is of course conceded that a large and prosperous foreign commerce is of vast im- 

 portance to a country such as is the United States, both as an element of its general com- 

 mercial and economic prosperity and as a means whereby its production, agricultural and 

 industrial, above its own requirements, may be maintained through shipment to foreign users 

 and, in the same way, make good its shortages in various staples and manufactures through 

 foreign imports. Both from a commercial and economic standpoint it is highly desirable 

 that the bulk, or surely at least half, of this ocean-borne commerce should be carried in our 

 own merchant marine flying the American flag. This last statement would at first appear to 

 be so evident as to require no elucidation. We all have a very general idea, which we con- 

 sider patriotic, that we want an American merchant marine capable of carrying the bulk of 

 our exports and imports; but I think very few of us either know exactly why we want 

 such a merchant marine or how its possession would be of value to us, nor do many real- 

 ize what are the obstacles to our attaining our national aspirations in this regard. 



We need a merchant marine to carry our exports and imports for very much the 

 same reason that animates a great merchant in desiring his own delivery wagons and ser- 



