The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-10-03

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English press completely misunder.
stands the gist Of the latest develop
ments In the shipping com
hlnation and attributes II TO mo-
tlves which do not exist and coupled
with weird secret agreement that
was never contemplated From the
highest sources the Associated Press
learns that the statement OF Gerald
4 Balfour. nresident OF the Board OF
| Trade at sheffield evcent wherein II
l concerned the final agreement with
the cunard Line. did not In the slight
est degree alter the conditions that
previously existed.
! From the commencement, said
one Of those chiefly interested in the
| Anglo. American combination. we
have intended that vessels which were
! British when the combine was begun
| should remain British. Any sane bus
lness man reading our agreement with
| Harlan 4 Wolf could arrive at no
other conclusion. Taking Into account
the cost Of building and the rates Of
wages In the shipping business pre-
| valling In the United States, IL was a
/ policy 50 obvious that Il IN hard to
understand how II could Sbc mislnter-
prcted. The trouble all along has been
that the English papers Insisted on be-
! ileying or pretending 10 believe thar
the combine was n matter OF politics
! instead of being EurAly a commercial
agreement IN which English capital Is
vastly concerned. The absurd sug-
gestion that the Morgans receive a
! quid pro quo In another instance OF
persistent ignorance OF the situation.
Mr.. Isalfonr told all that was to be
told and merely explained what have
always been the plans Of the combine
| in way that would allay this un-
founded agitation In England. All
| that In behind this consists In the mo-
tIves which prompted ns ID give The
public specific understanding. We
| gave an account of the rumors that
several members OF paliament interest
cd N shipping were preparing n bill
| TO prevent vessels from using the kfit-
ish flag unless owned by British capl-
tai. This would have embarrassed the
government and would have been
more stringent ship law than exists
In the United States. To prevent n
misunderstanding. we gave our word
that the British perstige shall be
maintained our word was taken as
sufficient and In return we take the
present governments word that they
will not sanction any such legislation
as have mentioned, In both cases
the guarantee Is perhaps rather sem
tImental. But the Morgans may be
expected to last us long as a govern
ment elected by one party IN the
United Kingdom,
so far as the combine Is concerned
Mr.. Ralfour's announcement contains
no change of policy. We have given
nothing we intended TO withhold and
the government has conferred no more |
material favors on the combine.
"Regaring Ne CIlui Line, 10 not |
agree with the opinion In English |
shipping circles that the increase of |
Its subsidy and the loan of money sig
Nifty the pauperlzation of that com
pany. From political point of view
1t was necessary for the government
to take some steps to soothe the ruff
fled feelings Of section of It's con-
sldy. AS to the loan, there are stnl
many laymen and naval officers VINO
believe that mercantile cruisers last
er than those possessed by other lla-
tons increase the naval strength of
the country, Anyway, "a to 25-knot
cruisers, all British, will be ready to
be turned over to the government in
case of war 1t will help the Brit
lshers to sleep quieter."
In an address delivered at the West
Indian Club last night, Sir Alfred
Jones' president OF the Liverpool
Chamber of Commerce, said he thought
the government had achieved bold
stroke in the Cunard agreement and
that the Cunard Company deserved
the arrangement and the subsidy.
outside shippers might consider that
they had been left out in the cold,
said Sir Alfred but that did not mat
ter II the nation benefited by the
There was no doubt that
the British people would have the fast
est steamers on the Atlantic and that
is what they ought to have.
LONDON, Oct, "A days reflection
appears to have convinced many peo-
pie that the government has treated
the Cunard Steamship Company too
and a considerable objec.
tion Is crystalillzing around the ques-
lion whether the government has not
lcted over-hastily In this departure