The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-18
GRAND DUCHESS TO GO BACK.
WILL RUN AGAIN BETWEEN NEW
YORK AND SAVANNAH.

nnh 10 BE Re-established - The
Changes Effective shortly After
Oct. 1-Vice President Egan An
nOunces Them From New York
City of Macon and Gate City to Go
Back on the Boston Line-The Ad-
vnntages to De Gained.
The direct line Of the Ocean Steamship
Company's vessels between Savannah
and Boston will shortly be re-established,
and the Plant system steamship, La
| Grande Duchesse," will soon resume her
place on the Savannah-NewYork line.
This news came to Savannah yesterday
from New York, and is direct from Vice
| President John NJ. Egan, who went there
several days ago. He has been in confer
ence there with Vice President r. G. Err
win of the Plant system, who is exercising
the functions of the SYSTEMS chief execu-
tive during the absence in Japan of Pres
ident II. B. Plant.
This conference settled the question of
became necessary TO dispose of the vessel
she is to relieve. 1t has been known for
some time that the Ocean Steamship Com
| pany officials were considering the re-
establishment of the standardization di-
rect line, so the settlement OF the run for
| the Duchess left a vessel for Mr.. Egan
to put back on the line between these two
! ports.
The City of Macon and the Gate City
will probably be the vessels that
will run on the Boston line. The former
| instead of Savannah. The changes will
become effective early in October. the
| Duchess sailing from New York on, or
soon after that date.
| The Plant system vessel, it is under
stood, is still at Newport News, where
her builders have been making extensive
alterations in her machinery. She was
given builders trial trip short time
since, and was found, it is said, to have
proven thoroughly satisfactory. An Off
cial trial is to be given her at New York
before she is accepted by the system.
Supt. Fitzgerald of the Plant steamship
line is now in New York and will prob
ably be aboard the vessel when she is
given her final trial trip. The Duchess
was on the Savannah-New York line last
winter, having made her maid
for Savannah. In equipment and
appointment the vessel was elegant and
realized all that had been reported of her
magnifcence. She Is steel throughout,
and a splendid evidence of the stage to
which the ship-building art has advanced.
There were errors in the Duchess
machinery however, that needed correc-
ton. Too much coal was consumed, and
the water tube boilers were not found to
give satisfaction. IL then became neces-
sary to turn her over to her builders as
she had never been finally accepted by the
system. For nearly the entire summer
she has been in the docks at Newport
News.
The re-establishment of the Savannah
Boston line will be welcomed by the ship
pers of Savannah. Very few complaints
have been made against the New York
transfer line, but there is a sort of de-
mand, which is more a sentiment than
anything else, the officials say, for a d.
rect line. The transfer line probably gave
I just as quick service as will the direct
but there Is removed the disadvantage
of the transfer at New York which was
objected to by shippers for some classes
of freight.
There will be a sailing every four days
between Savannah and Boston. The
south abound vessel will touch at New
York on the way down. thus increasing
the service between that port and Savan-
nah The five sailings a week will be in
creased to six Thursday, day on which
no ship now leaves New York
being that on which the Gate
City and the City of Macon, provided they
| are the vessels that are put on, will touch.
Northbound from Savannah the vessels
/ mil aa1 40
The rumor that the Clyde people have
been thinking of putting on line between
Savannah and Boston may have had
something to do with the re-establishment
of the direct line, which was taken off
July l. when the service between here and
New York was so greatly increased.
Whether the Clyde rumor forced the move
of the Ocean Steamship Company Is not
definitely known, but they say that the
fear of direct competition from that line
induced the steamship company people to
| take the initiative. 1t was remarked by
an official yesterday. however, that there
| was probably nothing left TO be done with
the vessel that is to be relieved by the
| Duchess than to put her on between
| Savannah and Boston.
| The direct line will save some items of
! expense that are incurred by the transfer
| line The charges for the transferring Of
| freight to and from the SaVannah-New
| York line at the latter port were expen-
| sive, and for this there win be no fur
| Their necessity. An advantage in time for
! the shipper will be gained, as he viii be
able to ship from Savannah every four
days while by the transfer method the
| freight sometimes had to wait at New
! York for that length of time for the de-
! parture of the City of Macon.
Boston is considered a splendid distrib>
uting point for cotton, and this will be
one of the company's advantages in ship
ping direct The manufacturers of cot
ton goods are in the vicinity of Boston
and the rail routes are consequently short
er than If the cotton was shipped to New
York and distributed to the eastern New
England points from there. Boston also
is good port for the expectation of GER
tain classes of freight that are shipped
from here via an eastern port to foreign
! ports