New-York tribune., 1921-11-20
Ship Lines Cut
E,lropeanRates
By 20 Per Cent
Levant Conference Broken:
Reduce Third Glass Fare
TO Continental and Mid
die Europe; Freight Down
Trend Said To Be Lower
Charges on Grain. Glucose
ana Flour Are Decreased
on the North Atlantic

Drastic cuts in freight and passen-
ger rates to Continentaf AID middle
Europe were announcer Yesterday by
several steamship lines belonging to
the North Atlantic conferences. The
average reduction on third class pas
sengers and on certain commodities
was 20 per cent. At the same time, it
was learned that the conference sched-
uie to the Levant was broken down,
and that the market has been thrown
wide open to rate cutting.
These developments were the culmi-
nation of a trend that has been evident
for several weeks. The conference
rates to Europe have been maintained
after substantial decreases.
The international Mercantile Marine
Company announced that third class
fares to Continental and middle Euro
pean points have been reduced an aver
age of 20 per cent from existing rates,
effective yesterday on the American,
Red Star and White Star lines. These
decree ses apply to passages from New
York to English ports and by steamer
and rail to Continental points and Bal
tic cities; from New York to Cher
bourg and Antwerp, and from New York
the quarantine charge of $25 on pre-
paid tickets is now included in the
nrices of passage, which range from
$40 minimum for Channel ports to S1l2
for Reval.
The conference rates to the Levant
have been cast aside, it was learned.
Fer the present, at least. rates are to
be fixed by each company, without con-
certed action. The break is said to
have arisen after friction between the
Shipping Board and some of the con-
ference lines on the question of main
tanning charges. A number of compa-
ence and have been fixing their own
rates. This has made it necessary for
the others to take similar measures.
The companies credited with breaking
the conference are the Globe Line. the
National Steam Navigation Company
of Greece, and Stephanidas. Benas &
Co, operators of the American Black
Sea Line. Members of the Levant Con-
ference have been the Cunard, the l.
ii. NJ, the United American, the Export
Steamship Corporation, the Export
Transportation Company, the Fabre
Line, Moore e. Mccormack and the
Phelps Brothers Company.
Freight rates to Continental Europe
have suffered in the change. The
charges on grain have been reduced
from l61s to ii cents per 100 pounds,
Hour and starch from 211z to 10 cents
and glucose from 271z to 20 cents. De-
creases have been made to Bremen and
hamburg on grain from IS to Is cents.
Hour and starch from % to 20 cents
ond glucose from 80 to % cents.
Rates to the Baltic ports have moved
in sympathy, with reductions averap-
ing about 20 per cent AS instances.
the rates to the group of cities includ,
ing Bergen, Gothenburg. Christiania
and Copenhagen on grain, flour and
glucose have been cut to 21, 26 and IS
cents. respectively. Rates on the same
commodities to Stockholm. Malmo. etc
have been cut to 221a, 271a and 37M
cents, Rates to Riga and Helsingfors
nave been reduced to "a, 20 and 30
cents respectively. To Danzig the new
rates are 20, 26 and 35 cents.