ute steamers.[DS]

In 1896, after the expiration of this law, a new law was enacted (July
23) closely modelled upon it. The construction subsidies were the same,
except that war-ships built for foreign countries were debarred from
receiving bounties. The navigation subsidy per gross ton for every
thousand sea miles sailed beyond the Suez Canal and the Strait of
Gibraltar was increased to 0.80 lire, the rate to be diminished by ten
centimes for steamers and fifteen centimes for sailing-ships every three
years. An important addition was the reenactment of the customs rebates
on shipbuilding materials. This law was also to be in force ten
years.[DS]

In 1900 (November 16) a royal decree was issued modifying the law of
1896 in several particulars. No bounty was hereafter to be allowed to
vessels built in Italian yards for foreigners. The customs drawbacks
were abrogated, and in place of them was granted a bounty of five lire
per quintal of metal used in repairs. A bounty of fifty-five lire per
gross ton was offered for iron or steel steamers showing a speed of
above fifteen knots; fifty lire, for steamers speeding twelve to fifteen
knots; forty-five lire, for steamers or sailing-ships with speed below
twelve knots; and thirteen lire per net ton for modern hulls. The
navigation subsidies per gross ton per thousand miles, were thus fixed:
for steamers, forty centimes up to the fifteenth year after
construction; for sailing-ships, twenty centimes up to the twenty-first
year after construction. The yearly distances run for which the bounties
were to be paid were limited to thirty-two thousand miles for a steamer
below twelve knots; forty thousand for one of twelve to fifteen knots;
fifty thousand above fifteen knots, and ten thousand for a sailing-ship.
All Italian ships were eligible to this bounty; foreign ships were
debarred. The maximum expenditure for all the bounties was limited to
ten million lire ($2,000,000) a year.

In 1910 (May) a new subsidy bill was enacted providing for the
continuance of the arrangement under the measure of 1900, with a few
immaterial modifications.[DT] Early in 1911 the Government was reported
to have in readiness ten bills looking to the support of domestic
shipping and shipbuilding. Eight of these had relation to the increase
of subsidy on the Italian mail and cargo service of the Mediterranean.
Other routes subsidized included lines to Central America, Chile,
Canada. Domestic shipbuilding