New-York tribune., 1901-07-29
FROM CANADA TO ENGLAND
u,wFNTY-THREE KNOT SHIPS AND FAST
RAILWAY TRAINS PROPOSED.

Montreal July q CspeciaD.-while the announce
=. has been made that the calling OF tenders
~ fast Atlantic steamship service between
~.,ada and Great Britain has been deferred until
,rs return from abroad Of the various Ministers
- visiting In England and on the Continent q,
q well understood that the government has taken
.,on in this important matter and soon the
h.;e subject Will be reopened.
when the Conservative party. under the leader
ss,o of Sir Charles TupDer. defeated in 1895
4here was arrangement perfected by which
canada was TO have a faster and better line Of
.earnships than had ever before been attempted
with the defeat Of the party, however, the project
vas dropped, to be taken UP by the Liberals
some three years ago. Nothing came of these
,eqotiations, for the reason that the Hon. R r
Tobell who had the matter in hand, became con-
rinced that the "turret" or, as 1t is commonly
Known the hottie neck type OF vessel was the
n-oper thing. Why the Minister should have be-
come welded to this peculiar style for fast line
s mystery. but a any rate IT killed the project
and UP this time the country has been obliged
81 content itself with the ordinary combination
Messenger and freight ships, such the Allan.
tbe Elder Dempster and the Dominion lines op-
crate.
and II is evident that tie government viii
vrithin the next few weeks advertise for tenders
Cor a fast Atlantic service. The propositions are
nractically two in number. and which will eventu-
ally be decided upon it is yet impossible to say
knot vessels be constructed-equal in all respects
10 the finest steamships running between New
York and European ports-to operate between
sydney and Southampton.
Tie second proposal is that feet of vessels of
more moderate speed. say eighteen or twenty
knots be built. and that the Canadian summer
terminus be Quebec and the winter port be either
Halifax ST. John. y. B., both
To those who do not count the cost. the propo-
sition Of tWenty-three knot service between sgd
IQrfffe
tractive. The enthusiast points out that line of
fxenty-three knot vessels operating between Sgd
ney and Southampton would be able to run from
land 10 land in three and one-half four days,
and that the trip could be made from Chicago to
southampton in six days. Cape Breton. jutting
far into the Atlantic it does, gives vessel
sailing from there to British ports the advantage
Of something like thousand miles. compared
with Ncw-York. The thousand miles however,
must be traversed. and this would be done by
means Of the Intercolonial Canada's great gov
eminent railway The distance between Montreal,
which may be termed the centre OF Canada's popu-
Iation and Sydney, is $50 miles by the Inter
colonial Railway. It is proposed by those who
favor the scheme double track this road the
entire distance and bring it up such a state of
perfection that the entire be made in bet
ter time than fifty miles hour.
AT Montreal the Intercolonial connects with the
Canadian Pacific Railway system and thus the
links brought together which form fast and
0irect all bTlISn route WIN lne racine, ana so on
to japan, China and India. Thus Great Britain is
looked upon as a factor in the enterprise. and is
expected TO foot at least portion of the bills in
consequence. That it will be expensive all admit,
but at the same time there many who would
be willing 10 the Canadian Government put up
for il handsomely.
Mr. Hunter, head of the firm OF c. S. Swan &
Hunter, the wealthy Wallsend England ship
builders. spent a month in Canada looking into
the enterprise, and has just returned to England.
Before going, he said that tour ships could be
constructed and equipped for the service for the
be willing TO take the matter in hand. organizing
the company with the necessary capital on the
other side. In consideration of imperial high
way. IL is understood that the British Government
would be willing grant a good share of the
Necessary subsidy which it is thought would not
amount to less than S.0e000o a year. Whether,
10 grant $4,000 per annurn for period of ten
years. and whether the Canadian taxpayer would
De willing 10 put up an equal amount, remains to
be seen
While enthusiastic upon the project Mr. Hunter
obliged admit that anything like trans
porting a pound of freight by this route would be
out Of the question II must depend entirely
Tie passenger traf1c. The great argument which
he put forward in its favor that people could
keep in constant communication with their busi-
ness or families for a longer period than is pos
this route OF twenty-three knot ships and fast
railway trains passengers could be landed at CEN
tral points. such as New-York and Chicago, hours
quicker than by New-York any other American
port.
Several members Of the Cabinet are said to favor
the enterprise, and prominent among them are
the Hon Mr.. Fielding, Finance Minister and Sir
Richard Cartwright. 1t is stated that the propo-
sition does not meet the appreciation of Sir Nfrid
Laurier