New-York tribune., 1902-04-29
THE SUBJECT IN THE HOUSE.
BOARD OF TRADE POWERLESS TO IN
VESTIGATE DEAL.

London April oS-In the House of Commons
to-day the president of the Board Of Trade.
Gerald Bafour, replying 70 a question, said the
board had no power to require the disclosure or
any agreement for the transfer of British ship
to a foreign owner to require the White Star
Line or other lines which had entered into the
American combination to disclose the terms or
their agreements with the American syndicate.
or to produce any documents showing the status
of the persons who under the agreements ac-
Quire a share in the control or a benehclal IN
terest in the ships concerned.
The effect of the shipping combination, he
added, was engaging the serious attention or
the British Government.
Replying to questions the same topic in
the House of Commons to-day. the Secretary OF
the Admiralty. Mr.. Arnold Forster. said the Ad-
mralty was of the opinion that the services or
merchant cruisers should he continued. If com
patible with reasonab BILE expenditure. Such sub
sides would not seriously affect the expenditure
fast cruisers. whose services could not he
performed by mercantile cruisers. The govern
rnent's present arrangements gave to it the
power of utilizing in war time certain num-
her of merchant steamers, and gave to it a lien
on steamers now being constructed
The Shipping Gazette" this afternoon says:
While il is perfectly true that the White Star
Line has not been sold TO the American syndi-
cate and that the present owners OF ShareS
retain their holdings. the statements made sat
urday do not fully represent the real position
We are authoritaIively Informed that While
there will be no sale of White Star shares there
will be an exchange of these shares for those
of the company. In this way the imam
cial interest of the White Star Line in the COM
bine viii be established The two great Ger
man companies will, the other hand, make
no similar exchange of their shares for those
of the company. but they VIII enter into
an agreement binding them for ten years, and
renewa bic for another ten years, by which their
cooperation is secured. The simplest way of
indicating the real position is to describe the
companies concerned entering into pooling
arrangement. It follows that there will be no
competition between them at the ports with
which the individual steamship corporations
have hitherto been more particularly identified
The Parliamentary committee appointed by
the Admiralty to consider the question Of sub
sides as affected by the new Atlantic shipping
combination, and the best means Of obtaining
for the naval service auxiliary steamers OF
greater speed and efficiency than the ships now
employed. will be presided over by the Earl of
Carnperdown a former Lord of the Admiralty.
The other members of the committee are Vice
dmiral Fitzgerald, Professor Byles, Captain
Stafford r. N, and representatives of the Treas
ury and Postoffice. The committee will report
on the notifications necessary in existing con-
tracts and what alteration in the present rate
of subsidy will be necessary TO prevent vessels
passing tc a foreign flag without the permls-
sion of the Admiralty.