ship-yards, foreign (English) as well as home, in building steamships
for their service.[BR] Most of the domestic-built iron and steam tonnage
produced during the law's ten years' term was of steamers.[BS] The
tonnage of steamships increased from 278,000 tons in 1880 to 500,000
tons in 1890. Of this increase more than three-fifths were represented
by vessels bought in other countries.[BT] The results of the navigation
bounties are shown in official statistics covering the years 1882-1890.
During this period iron or steel French-built ships earning these
bounties increased from 159,714 tons to 190,831 tons, gross tonnage;
while wooden or composite tonnage decreased from 150,233 tons to 57,068
gross. Foreign-built iron or steel tonnage earning the bounties
increased from 43,787 tons to 91,170 tons, gross; and wooden or
composite tonnage increased from 1,220 tons to 9,799 tons, gross.[BS] In
1891 the law which had then reached its limit of ten years was extended
for two years. Doubting its renewal shipowners had sometime before
ceased to increase their fleets.[BS]

These results were variously pronounced unsatisfactory, and a revised or
a new law was called for, with more and higher bounties. Owners of
wooden sailing-ships were especially clamorous for larger benefits. They
argued that sailing-ships being much slower than steamers should
therefore receive higher mileage subsidies in order to compete on equal
terms with steamships.[BU]

A new law was enacted in 1893 (January 30). This act cut off bounties to
foreign-built ships, and granted increased construction premiums. The
construction subsidies were again declared to be given as "compensation
for the charges imposed on shipbuilders by the customs tariff"; the
navigation bounties, "by way of compensation for the burden imposed on
the merchant marine as an instrument for recruiting the military