CHALLENGE TO BRITAIN.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17979, 26 March 1930, Page 7

CHALLENGE TO BRITAIN.

GERMAN SHIPPING MERGER. SUPREMACY IN ATLANTIC. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel.—Copyright. LONDON, March 24. A formidable challenge to British supremacy is foreseen as the result of the German shipping merger. While the companies were in rivalry there was much overlapping and duplication; now that they are presenting a united front to foreign competition experts point out that the agreement has relieved the Hamburg-America line of the necessity of building costly rivals to the Bremen, Europa and Columbus, which will assume a weekly service between Germany and New York, in addition to which sevenday Atlantic trips are being instituted with the four 21,000-tonners, Hamburg, Ballin, New York, and Deutschland, all of which are undergoing extensive alterations, including the installation of new turbines and high pressure boilers, which will double their engine power and increase their speed from 16 to 20 knots. Large economies are also being effected on every world route. Meanwhile there Is likely to be no serious -British challenge for the recapture of the Atlantic record until the completion (at least two years hence) of, the giant Cunarder now definitely planned for.