The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1911. SHIPPING RATE WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 121, 14 July 1911, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1911. SHIPPING RATE WAR.

i When tho last mail left Home there was much speculation on the prospect of a rate war in the Atlantic trade. It is believed that the Canadian Pacific will not continue to, work under tire agreement which covers all the shipping lines of the North Atlantic. This agreement forbids shipping lines to run to ports served by rivals, and also provides that vessels carrying immigrants should got only a certain percentage of the proceeds of this traffic without regard to the number of immigrants carried. The effect of this agreement is considered to have been detrimental to Canadian shipping. There is now such- an enormous movement of immigration to Canada that tho Canadian vessels have been loaded on almost every trip, whiie a considerable part of the overflow in trafficJhas gone to American rivals. A further cause of complaint arises out of the manner in which tho clause in the agrsemei t forbidding trespassing by tho linos on one another’s 'territory has been interpreted by some of the companies. For example, although such linos as tho Cunard, White Star, and Gcr-man-American are forbidden to come m) Montreal/the White Star has come in through the Dominion Line, tho Cunard through the Thompson Line, and t lie German-Amcrican Lines through the Canada Line This, it was contended, amounts practically to a violation of the agreement, and justifies tho cancellation of tho whole understanding. Another cause of dissatisfaction is that when the agreement was made the figures of the preceding three years of Continental unmigration were taken as a basis for allotting the percentage of the German boats. There has, however,• boon a drop in Continental immigration, and as a result the British lines have had to hand over part of thag earnings to German -competitor Altogether the Canadian-PaeiW has determined to withdraw from the agreement and control its own business* and it seems to have tho support of tho other shipping companies.