The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-14
THE BRITISH WAKING UP
REALIZE THE SUPERIORITY OF
 AMERICAN METHODS.
President B. H. Baker of the Atlantic Transport Line Returns and Talks of English Indus
 trial Methods.

New York, May 13.-President B. N. Baker of the Atlantic Transport Line arrived here from London tonight on the steamship Minneapolis. He went | to England a short time ago for the | purpose of securing, through the aid | of I. P. Morgan, the consolidation of the Atlantic Transport and Leyland lines, the fleet of which will next year
 aggregate 75o,oQO tons. Should the deal be consummated the combined lines will be the largest in the world President Baker will soon return to England when it is expected that the amalgamation of the Atlantic Trans port Line with the Leyland which has just been purchased by Mr. Morgan will he perfected.
 President Baker said that the Eng fish people have just begun to realize that the United States and Germany are far ahead of them in the manu- featuring of machinery and are fast taking possession of the ocean carrying
 business. This is because these coun-
 tries are operating the most improved
 tools, while the English still adhere
 to anticipated methods which are costly
 as well as slow. There is the most
 gloomy outlook in England, he said. on
 account of this discovery. of the real
 state of things and they Believed that
 Germany, with her fast-growing colo
 nies will be more dangerous com
 petitor than the United States at the
 present time. President Baker said
 that the london docks, which originally
 cost millions to build are not suitable
 for the docking of the vessels now ply
 ing the ocean and parliament has
 recently passed an act allowing them
 to be rebuilt.
 "It costs a shilling a ton to handle
 freight under the system in operation
 at the Atlantic ports here" said Presi-
 dent Baker. Yet to handle the same
 cargo when 1t arrives in England costs
 three shillings a ton. This is because
 the English dock laborers, who belong
 to unions, are opposed to the introduce
 tion of quick handling machinery, on
 the theory that they are labor saving
 devices, while as matter of fact these devices give more men work. The same can be said of the work in the
 English factories. It is too slow and
 costly and as modern methods are
 tabooed, the manufacturers now realize when 1t is too late that they cannot compete with goods made in this coun- try or Germany.
 ITO further reduce the expense of operating the Atlantic Transport and Layland Lines, which have always been friendly competitors and control the entire carrying trade to London, which amounts to 100000 tons week from American ports or to 1000, 600 tons year, a community of interests will be necessary. have had my engineers prepare plans for new docks on the other eide of the Atlantic: tho sites have been slected an surveyed, and, of course, the joint use of these by the steamers of two lines would be saving and profitable investment. know that MT. Morgan has purchased the Ley land Line, but just what he is going to do with it at this time I cannot say. I have had several interviews with MT. Morgan. There Is nothing in the re- puted absorption of the American or Red Star Lines. nor the talk about the White Star and Cunard Lines combin- ing. The absorption of the Atlas Line by the Hamburg- American Company was necessary for the interests of the latter. I do not think that there will be change of flag because of there is. some English line may enter the West Indies and Central American trade. There is too much gloom in England now to make any change in that direc- tion.
 "The tonnage of the Leyland Line is now about S50.000 tons, and the vessels they are building or have contracted for. will make an increase of 100000 tens, aes asTzf aggregate q Of i53,666 tons. The present tonnage of the Atlantic Transport Line is about 150,000 tons, and the vessels building and contracted for will measure nearly 100000 tons. or, 250, 900 tons in all. This would make an aggregate tonnage. were the two lines combined, of over 100000 tons. The Hamburg American would be the next with 630,000 tons, and the North German Lloyd third with its 600. 900 tons"