Evening star., 1909-03-06
Increased Liner Bookings.

increased Liner BOOKINGS.
1t is now evident that this season will
witness a big improvement in the trans
Atlantic shipping trade, as the liner com
panies both here and on the continent
already report greatly increased bookings
as compared with this period last year.
For instance from Hamburg and Bremen
the em1grants who left in January num-
bered q ,955, and increase of over 15,00O
and the prospects are said to be most
promising. 1t was the German COM
panieS that were most affected by the
financial depression in the United States.
1t is learned that no settlement of the
long and costly dispute in the New York
Mediterranean trade has yet been arrived
at. but as a result Of the meeting of the
North Atlantic conference lines in Paris
last week the provisional agreement with
the Italian companies was extended for a
further period, and it is hoped that in the
interval wiser counsels will prevail.
Some trouble, however, has arisen over
the entry of the White Star line into the
Canadian trade, and the Allan line. which
will be most affected by the new serv-
ice, which is to be opened next month,
has lodged protest with the conference
and threatens to withdraw unless the
sailings are reduced. No trouble seems to
have arisen over the new Canadian serv-
ice of the Hamburg-American, Nord-
deutscher Lloyd and Holland American
lines, which also begins next month, and
is to run jointly.
This is an entirely new move OF the Ger
mans, and the service is to be worked In
conjunction with the Grand Trunk and
Canadian Pacific railway companies.
1t Is resolved that the government has
practically decided upon the principle of
an all British transatlantic cable to link
up with the Pacific lines already estab-
lished. Negotiations toward this end
have been lin progress for some time.
Last year the Hon. r. Lemieux, the Can
adian postmaster general. came to Lon
don and had a series of interviews at the
house of commons with both the prime
minister and Mr.. Sidney Buxton.
The result of these interviews was that
a report was called for from the depart
ments concerned and these have been
under consideration by the government.
Mr.. LemieuX is returning TO London prob
ably next month, and until then nothing
will be officially stated on the subject.
The report recommends the principle OF
a state trans-At antic cable, but it has
not yet been decided whether new lines
will be laid down or whether one of the
existing companies will be acquired.
The important point, however. is that
the cost of cables across the Atlantic will
be reduced to half the present rates. The
proposal is sure to meet with powerful
opposition in the city, but both the Brit
ish and Canadian governments are de-
termined upon seeing it through.
Theatrical Season Disappointing.
The theatrical season, which opened so
well, is proving a terrible disappointment
to certain popular managers. In spite of
the fact that few plays are proving
splendidly successful, some quite good
works are being withdrawn for lack Of
public support.
One play after another is being taken
off in rapid succession and being re-
placed. not by new works, but by reviv-
ais. Mr.. Lewis Waller is reviving the
perennial Monsieur Beaucaire." Mr..
Beerbohm Tree has put on Mr.. Henry
Arthur Jones well known play, The
Dancing Girl for which a new last ac;
has been written, and on Thursday
night Mr.. George Alexander brought
back to the stage the once phenomenally
popular Prisoner of Zenda."
L. H. MOORE