RISE IN SHIPPING SHARES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 453, 3 April 1912, Page 6

RISE IN SHIPPING SHARES.

RUMOURED AMALGAMATION. UNION AND P. AND 0. COMPANIES. According to a telegram received from a Wellington correspondent, it is rumoured ihat the Union Steamship Company has amalgamated with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which it is contended, would account for the rise in shares which has taken place. Such an amalgamation if brought about would control a fleet of 135 steamers, with an aggregate tonnage of 661,046. The history of the P. and 0. Company dates from 1825, though the institution under its present name was not incorporated until 1840. During 1909 the company purchased the stpamers of the Lund Blue Anchor line, and its fleet now comprises 64 steamers, aggregating 4650,00 tons register. The latest additions to the fleet are: Morea 10.890 tons, in 1907; Malwa 10,838 tons, in 1908; and the Mantua 10,885 tons, in 1909; followed by the Maloja 12,800 tons, the Medina 12,500 tons, and the Ballarat 11,100 tons, completed and placed iin the service during 1911. It was the Malwa which inaugurated the company's service to Auckland on February 16th, 1910. The completion of the Maloja and the Medina raised the total tonnage of the company's "M" class steamers to upwards of 100,000, comprising 10 ships, which cost about £3,500,000. ' Established in 175 the Union Company is now the most important shipping concern in the Southern Hemi'sphere. It owns 67 complet ed steamers, in addition to which f'jur others are building. The aggregate tonnage of the fleet is 196,046, the largest vessels being the Makura 8075 tons, built in 1908; the Tahiti 7585 tons, recently purchased, and originally the Port Kingston, bailt ?. n 1904; the Maunganui, 7000 tons, built in 1911; and the Marama, 6<\37 tons, built in 1907. The vessel?, building inc'ude a steamer of 13,500 tons. Should the rumoured project be carried into effect, the combine will control the third largeF,t number of steamers owned by one concern in the world, and the aggregate tonnage will be the fourth largest in the world. The principal shipping combines of the world are: The. International Mercantile Marine Co'.npnny (Morgan combine), 132 steamers, totalling 1,159,704 tons; Hamburg-American line, 168, totalling 908,679 tons; Norddeutscher Llovd, 133 steamers, 718,000 tons. It has also been rumoured that there is a scheme afoot for an amalgamation of the Union Company and the British India Steam Navigation Company. The company owns 112 steamers, aggregating 472,000 tons. | Should a combine be effected between these two concerns, the result would be a fleet of 183 steamers, of 665,046 tons, the largest fleet in respect of numbers ever controlled by one organisation.