Proclamation 4207—National Maritime Day, 1973

The first transatlantic voyage by a steamship was made by an American vessel, the "Savannah", on May 22, 1819, from its namesake port in Georgia to Liverpool, England. To commemorate that event, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved four decades ago, designated May 22 of each year as National Maritime Day, and requested the President to issue a proclamation annually calling for its observance.

In welcome contrast to those of the past twelve years, National Maritime Day, 1973, finds this Nation at peace. Our merchant marine, which so effectively served as the logistic lifeline to our Armed Forces and allies in Southeast Asia, can now concentrate its full attention on the movement of cargoes which link the United States and its trading partners in peaceful enterprise.

International trade is an important and constructive force in forging concord between nations, and we have assigned high priorities to the improvement and expansion of our trade relations with the rest of the world.

I am confident that the American merchant marine, which is being restructured and revitalized under the Merchant Marine Act of 1970, will contribute in large measure to the success of these endeavors.

Now, Therefore, I, Richard Nixon, President of the United States of America, do hereby urge the people of the United States to honor our American merchant marine on May 22, 1973, by displaying the flag of the United States at their homes and other suitable places, and I request that all ships sailing under the American flag observe "dress ship" procedures on that day.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred ninety-seventh.

RICHARD NIXON