The
navigation bounties were accorded to French-built ships, of more than 80
tons for sailing-ships, and 100 tons gross for steamers, engaged in
making long voyages and in international coasting; and were limited to
ten years. They were based on gross tonnage per thousand sailed miles.
To merchant steamships built in accordance with plans approved by the
Navy Department, the rate of fifteen per cent above the regular
navigation bounty provided in the law of 1881, was increased to
twenty-five per cent. All ships receiving the navigation bounty were
subject to impressment in case of war.[BV]
The effect of this law appears to have been a division of the interests
of shipowners and shipbuilders. The shipowners found the builders
constantly increasing their prices until a point was reached where they
were accused of absorbing both premiums for construction and navigation,
by calculating the amount of bounty which proposed construction would
demand, and adding that amount to their cost price.[BW] The increase of
the bounty on sailing-ships was made in the expectation that it would
check their falling off, which had been rapid since the development of
steamship building; merchant sailing-ships were regarded as the best
school for seamen, all of whom in French commerce, up to the age of
forty-five, are subject at any time to draft into the national navy.
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