Evening star., 1896-11-05
LIN E OF STEAM ERS
Will Bun From Liverpool Direct to
Savannah.
Those Who Are Interested-An Es-
pecially Important Move for the
Southern Road.

1t will be remembered by the readers Of
The Star that several months ago Presi-
dent Samuel Spencer Of the Southern Rail-
way Company and the great king of
finance Mr.. ]. Pierpont Morgan. went to
Europe, for. SO 1t was stated, the purpose
Of enjoying a much-needed rest by each.
Evidences are continually cropping out
that despite their efforts to secure relaxa-
ton from the cares Of business nature as
serted Itself and one result Of the trip is
the proposed starting Of line Of steam
ships between Savannah and Liverpool,
the Inauguration Of the enterprise to take
place on the 18th of the present month.
1t is stated by President Conner of the
Central Of Georgia Railway Company. who
has been intrusted with the management
in the United. States Of the new line, that
the latter will work in harmony with all
the railroads centering in Savannah, and
while this is doubtless true, it does not
make the fact any less apparent that
the enterprise is another great step In the
transportation business Of the world In
which Messrs. Spencer and Morgan are the
directing spirits.
The European partners in the ownership
of the new line are Messrs. William John
ston & Co., who are among the leading
steamship owners in the world. and who
already operate lines of steamers between
Liverpool and Baltimore, Liverpool and
Norfolk and Liverpool and various points
on the Atlantic seaboard of the United
States.
1t is understood that a charter for the
corporation which it Is necessary to or
ganiZe in order to carry the project TO sue
cess will be applied for at oIIce and that
the concern when organized will be known
the Georgia Export and Import Com
pany. 1t will, 1t is understood, start with
a capital of s5".Uo. with the privilege o:
increasing 1t to $1,oU0,0r0, the intention be-
ing that some time in the future, when ii
sufficient Al
own its own ships as well as charter and
operate others. There will be four in
corporators, two Of them being Mr.. John
ston and Mr. Conner. One of the Others
will be a resident of the state of Georgia
and the fourth citizen of New York.
An Important Deal.
The establishment of this new line OF
steamships is regarded in railway and ship
ping circles as one Of the most important
movements Of the kind that has taken
place in many years and II is likely to add
very largely to the revenues of the South
ern Railway Company, as it will enable
them to secure the carrying of a vast
quantity of cotton and other bulky freight,
such as barrels of turpentine and other
southern products intended for export TO
Savannah, which Low finds its way 10
Charleston and Norfolk
1t is stated that the managers of the pro-
posed line have been answered by the man
agement of the various roads interested
in the development of the shipping interests
of Savannah that they will extend to the
newcomer generous share of patronage,
and the former have agreed to work In
conjunction with all of them and to accept
freight from each on exactly the same
terms and under exactly the same condi-
tionS."
Another advantage expected to be brought
about by the establishment of the line will
be tC the shipper himself. who will be able
always to find a vessel for his cargo, and
rate Of marine insurance attendant upon
using a direct line of steamers. Marine
risks upon ordinary tramp steamers are
considerably higher than on those which
ply direct, and arrangements have been
made by which insurance will be secured
to the shipper at the rates usually given in
direct line steamers.
The Reasons.
A request to the Office Of the general
manager Of the new company from Star
reporter brought the following reply: Il
am tired" Mr. Conner is quoted saying,
"of hauling cotton through Savannah to
Port Royal and to Charleston. and of see
ing cotton that rightfully belongs to us go
to Norfolk. This diversion of the traffic
has been going on for long time, and /
have been working on some plan to put an
end to ii.
when a comparison of the figures is
made 1t seems apparent what is responsible
for this state of affairs. With an ocean
rate at Norfolk - to IA cents lower. and
one at Charleston 6 to cents lower, than
that from Savannah, it ought to be perfect
ly clear why the cotton does not go 10
Savannah.
ut is not proposed to wage any war on
the ship brokers in any legitimate business.
but simply to insure to Savannah and to
the railroad lines which are striving to
build up the port a proportionate rate as
compared with other Atlantic ports TO in
sure to Savannah rates to foreign ports
which will bear the same relation to her
natural advantages as the rates from other
ports bear to their natural advantages.
THE rates to be given Savannah through
this line of ships will, 1t is believed, insure
to the port not only her full proportion of
cotton, but of all other products we'll"
From another source it is learned that
now the direct line to Europe is an accom-
plished fact, Mr.. Conner will take the mat
ter up with the Central railroad of Geor-
gfa's western connection, and there was be-
lieved to be but little doubt that arrange
ments can be made for foreign shipments
of grain through Savannah. 1t is urged I'm
support of this that Savannah has every
other advantage for making shipments of
western grain but the proper ocean rate.
1t is claimed that the distance to some of
the western grain centers is considerably
less from Savannah than from New York
or to Norfolk, and, with the facilities for
loading and an equitable ocean rate there
would Seem to be no reason why Savannah
cannot and will not get its share of the
buSneSS