F. General cargo ships of all other nationalities with closed shelter-deck spaces: 1. Number of transits laden_ 2. Number of transits in ballast_. 3. Tolls paid laden. 4. Tolls paid in ballast.. 5. Panama Canal net tonnage (exclusive of deck 6. United States equivalent tonnage. 7. Deck loads as measured under Panama Canal 9. Measurement, under Panama Canal rules, of cargo G. General cargo ships of United States registry with open 1. Number of transits laden__. 2. Number of transits in ballast_ 3. Tolls paid laden.. 4. Tolls paid in ballast.. 5. Panama Canal net tonnage (exclusive of deck 6. United States equivalent tonnage 7. Deck loads as measured under Panama Canal 9. Measurement, under Panama Canal rules, of cargo H. General cargo ships of all other nationalities with open 1. Number of transits laden_ 2. Number of transits in ballast_ 3. Tolls paid laden___-. 4. Tolls paid in ballast_ 5. Panama Canal net tonnage (exclusive of deck 6. United States equivalent tonnage. 7. Deck loads measured under Panama Canal rules___ 13. Tons of cargo.. I. Tankers of United States registry: 1. Number of transits laden.. 2. Number of transits in ballast_ 3. Tolls paid laden_. 4. Tolls paid in ballast_ 5. Panama Canal net tonnage (exclusive of deck 6. United States equivalent tonnage.. 9. Measurement, under Panama Canal rules, of cargo 249 85 $1,377, 864. 85 $301, 882. 08 1, 745, 464 1, 454, 348 1, 952 43, 617 1.339, 195 328 8 $1,522, 616. 25 $38, 080. 38 1,982, 010 1, 254, 376 24, 454 2,949 469, 739 1, 530, 443 577 152 $2, 160, 473. 50 $546, 991. 47 3,714, 212 2, 196, 102 31, 813 31, 396 1, 020, 982 3, 222, 323 347 +286 -$2, 118, 040. 30 +$1. 271, 791. 47 3, 830, 700 3, 140, 908 85, 444 I. Tankers of United States registry-Continued 10. Measurement, under Panama Canal rules of cargo 13. Tons of cargo-- J. Tankers of all other nationalities: 1. Number of transits laden___ 2. Number of transits in ballast_ 3. Tolls paid laden-- 4. Tolls paid in ballast_. 5. Panama Canal net tonnage (exclusive of deck 6. United States equivalent tonnage_ 9. Measurement, under Panama Canal rules, of cargo 13. Tons of cargo- K. Non-cargo-carrying ships of all nationalities: Paying on displacement tonnage. 3. Displacement tolls- Panama Canal tolls. L. Toll-free ships: 1. Number of transits_. 15. Tolls that would have accrued if vessels were not 16. Tonnage on which tolls would have been assessed: Naval vessels (displacement). All others (Panama Canal, net). M. Passenger and cargo ships in United States intercoastal trade: 1. Number of transits laden___. 2. Number of transits in ballast_ 3. Tolls paid laden.. 4. Tolls paid in ballast_. 5. Panama Canal net tonnage. 6. United States equivalent tonnage.. 7. Deck load as measured under Panama Canal rules_. 13. Tons of cargo-- 125, 169 3,907, 606 160 149 $1,070, 050. 40 $701, 905. 23 1,981, 295 1,686, 234 46, 036 7,490 2, 001, 925 18 9 $28, 132. 00 $7,985. 37 503 $1,099, 963. 14 961, 159 667, 380 1, 109 33 $5, 400, 764. 35 $127,975. 26 6,766. 573 4, 454, 818 191, 268 5, 206, 293 NOTE.-Item M covers all general cargo and passenger vessels operating in the coast-to-coast service of the United States, including those stopping at foreign ports en route, but does not include those continuing to the Orient and around the world and doing a partial intercoastal business, such as some vessels of the Dollar Line. Mr. A. L. FLINT, PANAMA RAIL ROAD CO., (PANAMA RAIL ROAD STEAMSHIP LINE), Chief of Office, the Panama Canal, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We have your telegram of this date advising that at the hearing on Panama Canal tolls Capt. W. J. Petersen stated that we went out into the open market to compete for commercial steamship business and carried 118,606 tons of freight at less than the rates charged by commercial steamship lines, and that the amount involved was $151,020.50; that this statement was confirmed by Mr. R. R. Adams, vice president of the Grace Line, who added that our steamship line not only carried freight at this lower rate to Cristobal but turned same over to foreign lines for delivery at west coast South American ports. Correct information as to our tonnage is printed on table 22 on page 39 of our Annual Report for 1934. This statement shows that the total number of tons of freight carried by our steamship line on their outward trips from New York, and on their homeward trips to New York, was 118,606 tons. This includes 22,000 tons of our own commissary supplies; 13,500 tons of shipments for the Panama Canal, Army, and Navy in the Canal Zone; and 22,000 tons of cargo carried to and from Haiti. There is no such thing as an open market in connection with this traffic. Our steamship line is a member of the various conferences that are concerned in the trade. Conference rates are charged by all of the lines, and our steam ship line, as well as other lines who are members of the conference, carry Government freight to the Canal Zone at a reduction of 25 percent from the regular rates of freight. Captain Petersen secured the sum of $151,020.50 from the third paragraph on page 7 of our annual report. That paragraph states that freight traffic of the Panama Canal and other departments of the Government was carried at a reduction of 25 percent from established rates; that passenger traffic for account of the Government was carried at reductions from established tariff rates that ranged from 25 percent to 80 percent, that had the steamship line been credited with tariff rates on this freight and passenger traffic carried for account of the Government, its operations would have resulted in a profit of $151,029.50. This sum, of course, has no relation whatever to the total of 118,606 tons of freight carried by our steamship line. Mr. Adams, the vice president of the Grace Line, knows from his traffic experience that shippers, and not the initial carrier, determine upon the final carrier to whom their cargo is to be transshipped at Cristobal by naming such carrier in their bills of lading, or by directing in the bills of lading that the cargo is to be delivered to "the first connecting carrier" from Cristobal. When the Grace Line or foreign-flag lines are named as the final carriers in the bills of lading prepared by the shippers, we are obliged to make delivery to those carriers that are named in the bills of lading. If we fail to do so, we assume legal responsibility for violating shippers' instructions. If we fail to deliver cargo to "the first connecting carrier" when shippers indicated in their bills of lading that delivery is to be made to "the first connecting carrier," we would also be legally responsible should we violate those instructions by making delivery to any other carrier. Yours very truly, T. H. ROSSBOTTOM, Vice President. |