The Portland daily press., 1888-01-06
THE ENGLISH STEAMERS.
Arbitration Proposed as a Means Of
Getting Them Back TO Portland.
What the Dominion Government, u
Is Said, Proposes.
The Accomplishment OF sir John
MacdonaId's Pet Scheme.

A letter to the Toronto Globe says:
Sir,-Thirty-two years ago the Allan Line
Of steamships was established, and during
the whole time 1t has made Portland, Me-,
its winter port
The Dominion Line has also sailed from
the same port for many years, and the traf-
fic Of both lines has passed over the Grand
Trunk Railway, but now, strange to say, in
consequence Of disagreement between the
steamship companies and the Grand Trunk
Railway as to the division Of through rates,
or other cause, this long connection Is about
to be severed, and both steamship lines In
tend to run TO Baltimore.
The first steamers Of the Allan Line we're
small compared with those Of the present
day, and 100 car loads Of freight was a fair
cargo now the magnificent ships Of both
companies can carry double the quantity.
In its earliest years the Allan Line only ran
to Portland monthly, and then fOrtnightly,
and even for that 1t was difficult to obtain
full outward cargo. The writer remembers
that the Allans frequently purchased deals
to complete cargo.
1t has taken 30 years to build up the win
ter trade between Canada and the Western
States via the Portland route, creating an
immense business in cheese, pork, fruit. live
stock and general produce, which previously
had no existence.
Portland is admitted to be one Of the fin
est harbors on the Atlantic coast, possessing
the best facilities for rapid shipments. with
hrst-claSS customs arrangements, so that
English goods have been delivered In
Toronto twelve days after leaving Liverpool.
mo- ofk 4arars sr.rtf
isting for third Of a century, will be seri-
OuSly felt by shippers and merchants gener-
ally throughout the Dominion, as well as the
Western States, and though other steamship
lines may take up the route vacated by the
Allan and Dominion companies, this cannot
be done without large traffic being diverted
to the American roads, which 1t may take
years to recover
Railway were the first to introduce the
through bill Of lading system, a system that
has done much to foster trade between Can
ada, the Western States and Europe.
BY approval Of Walter Shanly, General
Manager Of the G. T. X. at that time. and
the late Sir Hugh Allan. the writer drew up
the first form Of Western through bill Of
lading, and introduced the system into Gin
cinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee, etc. The first
shipment was made In 1859 or go from Gin
einnati, which was one OF box meats, and
the through bill Of lading was issued by Tay-
l0r Bros, who had been appointed as agents
for the G. T. X. in that city.
The new through booking system was re-
ceiyed with general acclamation by shippers,
and 1t enabled them at once to draw upon
banks on through bills Of lading, at the point
of railway shipment, instead OF cousigning
their produce TO a forwarder at New York or
Boston, there 70 wait until shipped on board
vessel before bill Of lading could be OBJ
tained often taking up two or three weeks
before merchant could draw upon bank.
For two or three years the Allan Line and
G. t. r. controlled the through system, but
1t was finally adopted by all the Western
roads, and the steamship lines sailing from
the Atlantic coast and the through trade has
now become one Of the largest on this con-
tinent.
All well-wishers Of the Dominion must re-
gret that the pioneers Of the through trade
are about 10 quit the field, and am sure all
will unite with me In asking these great cor
poratl0ns 10 pause and reconsider the matter.
and II they cannot agree, 10 submit the case
to arbitration. There are good men and
true IN Canada capable OF judging upon II,
and / need only mention two gentlemen, Col
Gzowski and Walter Shanly. who have had
much 10 do with railway development, and
know as much about the through trade as
any men in the country.
NJ PENNINGTON,
First General Freight Agent Of the
Grand Trunk Railway.
Toronto, Dec. 9th, 1887.
A Boston Herald correspondent, at Otta-
wa, says the Dominion government has de-
cided TO put on fast line. which can sue
eessfully compete with the New York and
Boston lines for the passenger traffic cross
ing the Atlantic. At present 70 per cent. OF
the Canadian passengers go and come by
New York lines. An English firm offers 70
put on five steamers of 1900 tons register
each, and 1900 horse power, TO carry 4aS
saloon and 10O0 steerage passengers; 70 have
a maximum speed Of 20 knots. and draw ~
feet loaded. The Allan Line received $685.
900 subsidy per annum from the Dominion
zaversnssnt Tor carrying the malls. Tenders
received f6f new stszice, are greatly IN
excess Of this amount, but the .len. 1 Is
determined now at any cost To ~ .1e.
fastest line of steamers 10 can secure on thfs-'
route, and TO make 1t exclusively Canadian
service.
1t has been represented that return cargo
could not be obtained at Halifax during the
ton or Portland was made terminal point.
the annual subsidy would have to be made
sufficiently large to cover the loss OF going
home empty The postmaster general argues
that to continue allowing these Canadian
mail steamers to call at Boston or Portland
would be subsiding line TO run to AInert-
can ports.
This IS part Of Sir John Macdonald's
Canadian Pacific scheme, placing fast ocean
steamers on the routes, at Vancouver, aud at
Halifax, and Is opposed to subsidizing any
vessels running from American ports.
The Canadian Pacific people state that In
another ye.r, when their short line railway
through the State Of Maine to the seaboard
of New Brunswick Is completed, they will
be able TO furnished all the cargo these yes
sells will require. Sir Johns main object
appears to be to capture the passenger
traffic now going and coming by Boston and
New York lines.