Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-09-06
THE SHIPPING COMBINE.
The Approaching Expiration of the
Option Limit Causes Wide
Speculation.
WHAT ARE MORGAA'S ULTIMATE PLANS2
What Also IL the British Govern
ment Going to Do About the
COmblnntiOns-AG General subsidy
Scheme Seems TO De the Plan Most
Generally Favored.

London, Aug. 31.-The approaching
expiration Of the time limit for the
completion of the Atlantic shipping
comone is arousing he British press
10 all sorts Of speculation regarding
j. Pierpont Morgan's ultimate plan,
as well as the governments scheme
for dealing with the combination. The
promised statement OF the premier,
A. j. Balfour, on the reassembling Of
parliament, is awaited with intense
interest. The statement has already
been printed that the government
plans are complete, and that the au-
thorities are all ready to make the
effective cOunteT-mOye against the
American syndicate. Inquiries made
in the best-informed quarters indi-
cate that this announcement is not
true. The government has had to
deal with so many powerful and con
ficting interests that it has not yet
been able to definitely decide on a
plan of action.
A General Subsidy scheme.
In spite to the opposition to a gen
eral subsidy scheme, well-infOrmed
persons consider this TO be the most
likely solution. on the lines OF a gen
erous distribution Of government sup.
port, not in behalf of one but Of sew
eral companies. The form which such
assistance will take is still under dis
cussion, there being considerable OPP
position to straight subsidies. There
is no doubt that Mr.. Balfour's an
nouncement will include scheme for
a direct, fast Canadian service. IN
which the Canadian Pacific railroad
probably will participate, but not, as
originally planned as sole promoter
and beneficiary The indications
point more and more TO the drawing
together of the Atlantic lines outside
of the Morgan combine.
One of the Alliances.
One Of the alliances which may be
earliest expected is a combination OF
the Allan Line and Elder. Dempster &
Co. The heads of the English lines
are chary in expressing themselves
on the Atlantic combine. Time is
rather intensifying than allaying
their jealousy of the Americans bid
for the Atlantic trade. and the gov
ernment has been so thoroughly
stirred up that it will not leave
stone unturned to allay the existing
commercial and colonial discomfort.
In this connection it may be men
toned that the tariff discussions at
the recent colonial conferences were
very intimately connected with the
shipping situation. \ leading ship
owner and close friend of the crlo-
NAL secretary, Joseph Chamberlain,
is quoted as saying;
America Would Better Look out.
america must not think that the
imperial government is going to leave
the colonials at the mercy Of the
shipping er any other trust. The dis
content Is acute enough now in many
quarters of the empire. While Great
Britain does not want comht rcial
war with the United States, she Wa
not stand indefinitely shut out by the
American tariff wall while keeping
open house for American traders in
the United Kingdom. The question
Of retaliatory duties is not SO i'm
probable as many people imagine.
There is no reason why the British
colonial markets should not e
opened to British goods on prefer
entail basis, We have been asleep
here in England for long time, but
when we wake up, America would bet
ter look OUT