THE MORGAN SHIP TRUST AND ENGLISH RIVALRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12040, 9 August 1902, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE MORGAN SHIP TRUST AND ENGLISH RIVALRY.

When in London lately Bernard N. Baker, president of ' the Atlantic Transport line, was interviewed fin the changes and economies in Working expenses to be put in operation. He said i — ' -

"We are contemplating various steps which Will be greatly to the public's convenience and economy. Before long the benefits of the combination will become patent to every individual crossing the Atlantic, -"As to the rival all-British cbmbine I can only say that -we Welcome it. The Atlantic is big enough for us all. If they think they can do better by Combining they would be foolish if they did not. If they intend to depend on increased government subsidies rather than on diminution of expenses and improvement of the service I think they arc mistaken. But I suppose they know what they are about. We are not worrying. Prior to the formation of- our combine we had the opportunity of acquiring Several more lines than Were eventually included, and some of those which were not acquired are now prominently mentioned as factors in the rumoured rival combine. However, when the latter materialises into something more than mere suggestions it will be time enough to discuss it, _ " One of the motives attributed by a section of the English press as constituting the necessity for an ad-British trust, namely, the likelihood of the Morgan organisation putting all its vessels under the American flag, is perfectly absurd. We Would not do it if we could, and We cannot. There seems to have been quite a little hysteria over here on the subject of our combine, though I am glad to find it is not shared by the* leading or thinking people."