New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-21
NAY CUT OCEAN RATES.
Company to Meet Ship Trusts
4dUances IN Service.

The Cunard Line has withdrawn from the
North Atlantic Conference in order to have a
free hand to meet competition. This means that
if it is deemed necessary to cut rates the COM
pany will be in position TO do it. No change
in the passenger rates has been announced and
it is said that no schedule has been prepared for
a change in the immediate future The reason
given for Withdrawing from the conference Is
that the Liverpool services Of late have been ex-
tended beyond those contemplated by the agree
ment between the companies. and that the
Cunard company does not care to remain in q
conference in which agreements are violated,
possibly TO its injury. This violation, it was
supposed yesterday referred to the additional
services of the White Star and other lines be-
longing to the International Mercantile Marine
Company. of which the Cunard Line is a COM
petitor
Only little more than a year has elapsed
since the White Star Line began a Friday service
in addition 10 its regular Wednesday sailings
AT first the service was semi-weekIy. the steam
ers Cymric and Celtic being the vessels sent out
on that day This spring a weekly Friday serv-
ice was established with the steamers Celtic
Cedric. Cymric and Arabic. The Arabic will
take her place in this service within few
weeks Besides this. the White Star Line has
lately begun a sen1i-weekly passenger service
on Tuesdays, with the steamers Armenian and
Victorian, formerly Of the Leyland Line. In COM
petition with this service the Cunard Line has
recently begun a sem-weekly Tuesday service
also, with the steamers Aurania, whio' was re-
Gently released from the British transport serv-
ice, and the Carpathia, a new steamer built
especially for the service. These steamers carry
only two classes Of passengers-second class and
steerage. Apparently the Cunard Line, feeling
that the steamship combination is trying to cut
into its BUSINESS. is preparing to meet any such
attempt.
Within the last two or three weeks the Cunard
Line has ordered from John Brown & Co.,
Limited, Clydebank, q steamship to be $50 feet
long between perpendiculars. - feet beam and
with a moulded depth Of 53 feet She is to have
a speed OF eighteen knots at She will thus
have z greater speed than the Celtic and the
Cedric
The Cunard Line took the first step toward
withdrawal from the agreements a little over
three months ago. notice Of three months
was required before line could withdraw from
the agreement. When this period elapsed, 4 few
days ago. there remained only one agreement
which had not been discontinued. This re-
ferred TO steerage passengers, and was made on
this side of the Atlantic. When the three
months had expired. Vernon II. Brown, the
agent OF the Cunard Line here. gave notice that
the company would withdraw from this also.
Only two weeks notice was required for with
drawal from this one; therefore, by July l, the
Cunard Line will be free to do as ii sees fit
regarding rates
John Lee the agent Of the White Star Line,
said last night that he did not believe that the
agreement from which the Cunard Line had
withdrawn, which of several years standing,
was being violated by his company, although he
did not know it's terms. 1t was made on the
other side OF the Atlantic. He said he could not
see what was TO be gained from a rate war. as
rate wars always meant a loss for all concerned
in them. AS TO the freight business, he said 1t
was very bad.
1t viii remain So he said, until ii is known
how large the grain crop is to be. Until it IS
certain that there is to be a surplus from this
years crops the present stocks are being held
back The cattle business from the ports OF
New-York and Montreal is good. These ports
are benefiting from the reduced shipments from
Boston because of the prevalence Of foot and
mouth diseases. They also are benehtng from
the loss Of shipments from Argentina, where the
same diseases have appeared.
In reply 10 a question rs to what was bring
ing ] Bruce Isnaay and other British executive
of1cers of the combination here with Mr.. Nor
gan, he said he did not know, but it might be
that all the executive heads were planning to
get together about July !, when the first six
months of the existence Of the combination
would expire.