New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-05
Board
Wins Share i'm
British Trade
Threat of Rate War Brings
Consent to Permit Boats
10 Carry Half of Traffic
From Alexandria to u. S.
Full Demands Refused
Vessels May Not Compete
in Direct Movements to
the United Kingdom

From The Tribune's WASHINGTON Bureau
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4.-The United
States Shipping Board to-day won an
initial victory in its fight to transport
IN American bottoms part of the crop
of Egyptian cotton which soon is to
be shipped from Alexandria, Egypt, ac-
cording to adviccs received to-day by
the beard from london.
Attempts by British ship owners to
combat efforts on the part of American
merchant vessels to carry the cotton
resulted, it is understood, in an ulti
nahum to British shipping interests. in
which the United States Shipping
Board threatened rate war unless
England consented to give up~her mon
opoly and permit American vessels to
compete in the trade This ultimatum
has been the subject of conferences
this week in London between represen-
tatives of the shipping interests of
both countries.
Captain Frank Ferris, the Shipning
Boards European representative, ca
bled through the State Department that
, the British ship owners felt that the
American demands were excessive. but
that they agreed to release to the Ship
ping Board vessels not less than so per
cent. OF the traffic moving direct from
Alexandria TO the United States
insists on Demands
The British ship owners declined,
however, to permit American vessels to
participate in the direct movement of
traffic from the United Kingdom. The
Shipping Board replied to Captaia Fer
ris late to-day, insisting that the orig
iaal demands be adhered to.
= Indications are that the poin+ in
velved, the transportation of so per
cent: Of the cotton crop by way of the
BRITISH ports for reshipment to this
country, will be granted when the sub
Ject IS discussed further. 1t was said
at the boards offices that the amount of
cotton diverted to American bottoms as
result OF the conference is 100, ,0OC
tons Captain Ferris's cable said in
part:
AT meeting in London, August Q.
lne following representatives of the
BRUSH conference lines were present.
IN addition to Captain Ferris, repre-,
sentlng the United States Shipping
Board; Morse Line, Prince Line, Gu
nard Line and Ellerman Line.
Believed Demands Excessive
"The British lines, especially Morse
and Cunard, felt that our demands
were excessive. They, however, agreed
to release to the United States Ship
ping Board not less than so per cent
of the traffic moving direct from Alex
| andria to the United States, but de-
clined to allow Shipping Board vessels
to participate in the direct movement
to the United Kingdom.
However, it was felt that thew had
misunderstood our proposals on this
part, as our desire was only to partici-
pate to the extent of not less than so
per cent from port of transshipment
in the United Kingdom and the port of
destination in the United States. Our
demand with respect to participation
IN the latter movement is so eminently
fair that we are quite certain that even
the opposition of the Cunard and
Morse lines will be withdrawn when
they more fully understand the equity
of our demands"