New-York tribune., 1902-02-15
FIVE LINES IN POOL.
MORGANS STEA MSHIP COM
BLNATION A FACT.
MOVEMENTS OF THE BIG FLEET TO BE
DIRECTED FROM ONE LON.
DON HEADQUARTERS.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrsuNE.l


Boston. Feb 14-Several Boston and New
York steamship lines have combined their inter
ests and fnanciers look IL the largest
steamship deal ever consummated in this coun-
try. Included in the combination the Do
minion and Leyland lines. Of Boston, and the
White Star the American and the Atlantic
Transport lines of New-York.
The movements OF the boats Of all the lines
will be directed from one headquarters in Lon
don which Is to be presided by Henry
Wilding, a director of the Leyland. the Atlantic
Transport and the American lines.
One OF the men most deeply interested in the
combination is J. Pierpont Morgan, and no one
had more TO do with bringing It about than he.
Mr.. Wilding is looked on among steamship men
as a Morgan man
The combination controls 100 steamers of ali
sizes. has Behind IL great many millions OF
dollars and is practically in position to dictate
what shall happen after this in the steamship
business of Boston and New-York.
1T means that there will be a proper distri-
button of tonnage in the different ports 70 meet
the demand" said c. +. Jameson Boston agent
of the Dominion Line when asked this morn
ing about the combination
1t is more Of pooling OF interests than an
amalgamation, and it means that Boston will
be greatly benefited"
The work Of forming the combination has been
going on quietly for some time and it is said
that the details have been so arranged that the
combination Will be permanent Boston steam
ship men do not believe that the lines which
have gone into the combination have been pur-
chased by one syndicate, but such purchase IS
considered among the possibilities.
1t is not the intention of the combination TO
permit any Of It's lines but the Leyland and the
Dominion to share in the trade to Boston, but it
viii be always ready to furnish new boats
should accident happen 10 any or those or
the two Boston lines.
It is believed by some that the foregoing is
the Boston end of the freight rate agreement
signed by practically all the lines of steam
ships running between the United States and
Great Britain here recently. This agreement
was signed by all the lines mentioned in the dis
patch.
The new phase of the effort to make profit
in carrying freight when it is so scarce as it is
now by distributing the tonnage in some meas
ure to ports where it can be best utilized would
be a feature which would make the agreement
more effective in its purpose and meet the
tramp steamer its own ground
The dispatch from Boston suggests that
there is a wheel within wheel, and thus some
OF the lines which signed the freight agreement
are endeavorng 10 form more complete and
permanent union than that provided by the all
inclusive agreement.
For months there nave neen rufnorS OF
an amalgamation of the American owned lines.
This may be a forerunner of the next step in
the process.
Ii was announced yesterday that the Do
the Boston service-the Haverford, which has
Line two of the latest additions to its fleet for
the Boston service. the Haverford, which has
been running on the New-York Antwerp route
for several months. and her sister ship, the
Meron which was to make her maiden trip
early in March. These are 1OOOO-ton vessels of
large freight carrying capacity
The fact that the Red Star Line is chartering
two of it's ships to run between other ports sug-
gests that the freight business here does not pay
il to operate its full New-York fleet, and the
fact that they are going to Boston may be one
item OF evidence in favor of the contention of
those behind the Freight Discrimination bill in
troduced at Albany at the suggestion or the
committee Of the Produce Exchange that Boston
IS reaping at the expense OF New-fork
James a. Wright vice president OF the Amer
lean Line, when seen yesterday, maintained his
usual silence He declined 10 say anything re
garding the Boston dispatch. Mr. Wildlng could
not be seen, but his secretary connrn1ed the
chartering OF the two boats TO the Dominion
Line He said he could not discuss any other
feature of the dispatch.
John Lee. of the White Star Line, had noth-
ing TO say about il.