SHIPPING COMPETITION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 16, 16 May 1912, Page 4

SHIPPING COMPETITION

There appears to be a good deal of unrest in shipping circles, and much talk of amalgamations and the absorbing of smaller lines by the larger ones. A London correspondent also learns that eight steamship lines will compete for the traffic between Canada and Europe this season, and that there is a possibility of a rate war, inasmuch as the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, which controls the Allan Lino, has the largest fleet in the trade and will lie a keen competitor with the White Star-Dominion Line. Observing that the trend of immigration from Europe is now in the direction of Canadian ports, the

Ilussian-American Line and the Cranium Line have, it is stated, decided that in future their steamers shall stop at Halifax on their way from Li ban and Rotterdam to New York. The details of the scheme which the Canadian Pacific Railway Company has proposed for the consideration of the Canadian and Jamaican Governments' have now been submitted to the British Government. They include the building of three 30,000-ton boats to travel between Liverpool and Halifax, the establishment of a weekly lino of fast steamers between Jamaica and St. John, N. 8., including a call at Boston for American passengers, the establishment of a coast 'd service in the West Indies without a subsidy, and the appointment of a commercial agent for putting Jamaican exporters in direct communication with Vancouver, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and other places with which the Company lias business connections. The Company’s Atlantic liners will link up with their boats in the West India coastal service, an

arrangement which will guarantee a fortnightly service between England and her West Indian colonies. The Company hopes,by concentrating mainly on Jamaica to develop the sugar trade between that island and Canada. In consideration of the fortnightly service between Liverpool and Jamaica it is hoped that a,share of the colony’s subsidy will bo paid by the Imperial Treasury.