ton. Where American materials were used in the construction of iron or
composite vessels, allowance was to be made of an amount equivalent to
the duties imposed on similar articles of foreign manufacture. The
bounties were thus classified: to owners of American registered ships
engaging for more than six months in a year in the carrying trade
between America and foreign ports, or between ports of foreign
countries, a dollar and a half per ton upon a sailing-ship each year so
engaged, and a dollar and a half upon a steamer running to and from the
ports of the British North American provinces; four dollars upon a
steamer running to and from any European port; and three dollars to and
from all other foreign ports.[HF]

The intent of the second bill, "imposing tonnage duties and for other
purposes," was the readjustment of the existing tax upon tonnage so that
it should fall "more equitably upon the different classes of vessels
affected thereby."[HF] It removed all tonnage, harbor, pilotage, and
other like taxes imposed upon shipping by State and municipal authority
(except wharfage, pierage, and dockage); and imposed a duty of thirty
cents per ton on all ships, vessels, or steamers entered in the United
States.

The committee's measures were ably advocated, but they finally went down
in defeat.

* * * * *

In 1872 the Pacific Mail Steamship Company came forward with an offer to
add another monthly mail-steamship service to Japan and China, for an
additional subsidy of a half million dollars a year. At the same session
a project to establish a subsidized line to Australia was introduced;