Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-02
CANNOT STOP SHIP MERGER.
British Government Still Much Stirred
Up Over It.
VI
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A dispatch from London yesterday says:
An attempt was made in the house of
commons today to get the government to
pledge itself to prevent the transfer Of Brit
ish steamships to a foreign flag pending
the report of the committee recently APP
pointed by the admiralty to inquire inc the
subject The government leader, A. J. Bal
four, pointed out that q suggestion OF such
a startling character could not be carried
out without the gravest consideration. 1t
simply amounted to a proposal that the
government should prevent a British sub
ject from selling his property to a for
eigner. No doubt the matter referred TO
was very serious. but such a drastic change
in established practice could not be under
taken lightly.
After the president of the board of trade,
Gerald Balfour, had informed the house of
commons that he had been confidentially
informed Of the terms Of the proposed
transatlantic combine. which did not neces-
sarily involve change in the nationality
of the ships, and the government leader A.
j. Balfour, had announced that the officials
of the White Star line did not appear to
have violated their contract with the Brit
ish admiralty, Russell Rea, radical and a
ship owner and merchant, moved the adj
journment Of the house in order to discuss
the matter, which was Of urgent public i'm
portance.
A few members having spoken Of the
very great anxiety experienced throughout
the country result of the forma ton of
a combination Of such strength and char
acter as the American shipping syndicate
A. j. Balfour expressed the hope that the
debate would be closed. He quite appreciat-
ed the Importance Of the subject and the de-
sire Of the members to discuss 1t, but no
useful purpose could be served by a debate
now. The government had been privately
informed regarding the actions Of private
individuals giving ma fer
anxious consideration. If 1t disclosed this
Information 1t would shut the door to
further condolences.
The government would be bound to make
such arrangements with regard to the navy
as the proposed changes might necessitate;
but regarding the effect Of the combination
on British maritime interests. and what
should be done to meet it, no announcement
of it's policy could be made, except after
prolonged and anxious consideration of the
complicated problem. Under the present
arrangements the subsidized ships remain
in the service of the admiralty for another
two years.
1t must be remembered that this was not
a commercial enterprise engineered by a
foreign and hostile government, but trade
combination. Those who thought this COM
bination menaced the commerce Of this
country that the government should inter-
fere were admitting whether they liked it
or not, that the doctrine Of individual enter
prise had broken down.
The remarks Of Rear Admiral Lord
Charles Beresford Conservative rather
sided with those who thought the Ameri-
can invasion spelled ruin to Britishers. He
said he feared the American trust would
use this combination to pour American pro-
duce into this country to the disadvantage
Of the producers here, and that there would
be general disruption Of the whole trade
and commerce Of Great Britain Lord
Beresford advocated substituting steamers
on the Canadian route.
Mr. Rea's motion was ultimately with
drawn.