The age-herald., 1901-05-14
STEAMSHIP LINES
 ID BE COMBINED English Capitalists Are Alarmed
 Over Loss of Trade DEAL WILL LIKELY SUCCEED President Baker of the Atlantic Trans port Line Arrives in New York to
 Aid ]. p. Morgan In the Big
 Consolidation.
DEAL WILL | IKELY SUCCEED

New York, May 1s.-President B. NJ Baker, of the Atlantic Transport Line, arrived here from London tonight on the steamship Minneapolis. He went to Eng land short time ago for the purpose of securing, through the aid of J. P. Morgan, the consolidation of the Allan tic Transport and Leyland lines, the fleets of which will next year aggregate 75,000 tons. Should the deal be consum- mated the combined lines will be the lar gest in the world.
 President Baker will soon return to England, when it is expected that the amalgamation of the Atlantic transport line with the Leyland. which has just been purchased by MT Morgan, will be perfected.
 President Baker said that the English people have just begun to realize that the United States and Germany are far ahead of them in the manufacturing of machin- cry, and are fast taking possession of the ocean-carrying business. This Is because these countries are operating the most improved tools while the English still adhere to antiuuated methods which are costly as we'll as slow. There is the most gloomy outlook in England, he said, on account of this discovery of the real sit uation now confronting their market. President Baker said that the London docks which originally cost millions to build are not suitable for the docking of the monster vessels now plying the ocean and Parliament has recently passed an Iou tO ha rohi1ilf
 Difference in Cost.
 "It costs. a shilling ton to handle freight under the system in operation at the Atlantic ports here," said President Baker Yet to handle the same cargo when 1t arrives in England costs 3s a ton This is because the English dock laborers who belong to unions, are op- posed to the introduction of quick-hand- ling machinery, on the theory that they are labor saving devices, while as mat ter 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 modern methods are tabooed the manufacturers now realize when it Is too. late that they cannot com pete with goods made in this country or Germany.
 gro further reduce the expense of oper- ating the Atlantic Transport and Leyland line which have always been friendly competitors, and control the entire carry ing trade to London, which amounts to 100 900 tons week from American ports or to 5,0so GOO tons a year a community of interests will be necessary. I have had my engineers prepare plans for new docks on the other side of the Atlantic; the sites have been selected and surveyed and of course the joint use of these by the steamers of two lines would be sav- ing and profitable investment. I know that MT. Morgan has purchased the Ley land line, but just what he Is going to do with it I cannot say.
 "There is nothing in the reputed absorp- ton of the American or Red Star lines or the talk about the White Star and Gu hard lines combining. The absorption of the Atlas line by the Hamburg American Company was necessary for the interes ts of the latter corporation. I do not think there will be change of flag, because if there Is some English line may enter the West Indies and Central American trade. There is too much good in England now to make any change in that direction.
 The tonnage of the Leyland line Is now about 350.O00 tons, and the vessels they are building or have contracted for will make an increase of 100000 tons, or an aggregate of 45O,000 tons. The present ton mage of the Atlantic Transport line is about 150, 900 tons and the vessels building and contracted for will measure nearly 100000 tons, or roughly, 250,000 tons in all. This would make an aggregate tonnage, were the two lines combined, of over S00,- 900 tons. The Hamburg-American line will be the next, with 630,000 tons. and the North German-Lloyd line third with it's 900 tons."