Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-29
ON THE ANXIOUS SEAT.
ENGLAND Doesn't Know What to Do TO
Save Auxiliary Service.

London. April es-The Shipping Gazeds,
this afternoon. says.
while it is perfectly true that the
White Star Line had not been sold. to
the American syndicate and that the
present owners of shares retain their
holdings. the statements made, Saturday,
do not fully represent the real position.
I'VE are authoritatively informed that
while there will be sale of White Star
shares there will be an exchange of these
shares for those of the new company.
In this way the financial interest of the
White Star in the combine VIII be es-
tablished. The two great German com
panies will. on the other hand, make
similar change of their shares for those
of the new company, but they Will enter
into an agreement binding them for 10
yearS and renewals for another 10 years
b. which their cooperation is secured.
The simplest way of indicating the real
position is to describe the companies con-
cerned as entering INTO a pooling arrange
ment. 1t follows that there will be no
competition between them at the ports
with which the individual steamship cor
porations have hitherto been more par
ticuarly identified.
The parliamentary committee appointed
by the admiralty to consider the ques
ton of subsidies. as affected by the new
Atlantic shipping combine, and the best
means of obtaining for the naval ServlN
auxiliary steamers of greater speed anG
efficiency than the ships now employed
will be presided over by the earl of Cam
perdown. Il former lord of the admiralty.
The DtnEf members bl lilc tpifiiilttr' III
Vice Admiral Fitzgerald, Prof. Byles,
Captain Stafford. K. n. and representa-
tives of the treasury and post office. The
committee will report on the modifica,,
tions necessary in existing contracts and
what alteration in the present rate OF
subsidy will be necessary to prevent YES
selS passing to a foreign flag without the
permission of the admiralty.
In the House of Commons, today, the
president of the Board of Trade, Gerald
Balfour, replying to a question, said the
board had no power to require the dis
closure OF any agreement for the trans
fer of a British ship to a foreign power
or to require the White Star Line or 9th
err lines which had entered into the
American combination to disclose the
American syndicate or to produce any
documents showing the status of the
persons who. under the agreement, ac-
quirc a share in the control of beneficial
interest in the ships concerned.
The effect of the shipping combination,
he added, was engaging the serious at
tentiun of the British government.
Replying to questions on the same top
ic in the House of Commons, today, the
secretary of the admiralty, Mr.. Arnold
Forster said the admiralty was of the
opinion that the services of merchant
cruisers should be continued if compat-
ible with reasonable expenditure. Such
subsidies would not seriously effect the
expenditure on fast cruisers, whose ser
vices could not he performed by mercan-
tile cruisers. The government present
arrangements gave it the power OF utii-
ling i'm war time certain number Oh
,nerchan steamers and gave IL u lien on
steamers now being constructed