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30 Moon Re EN UE R BY I BE OW: LIVERPOOL SHIPPING LETTER Liverpool, Nov. 28.--I regret that it is not possible for me to announce in this letter that the North Atlantic rate war is at an end It is true that an understanding has been arrived at between the Cunard company and the German lines, but trouble has since arisen between the former company and the White Star Line through which the conflict is being pro- longed. Happily the negotiations are pursuing a peaceable course and I have the best authority for saying that there is now a prospect of the differences which have stood in the way of an all round settlement, being satisfactorily arranged. The following account of the present position of the North Atlantic trade by a Liverpool shipping authority very accu- rately summarizes the position: Considerable misapprehension exists as to the exact position which the North Atlantic pas- senger rate war has assumed, and the causes which have been operative in creating the present position. In the first place, the London conference resulted in a probable basis of settle- ment being arrived at, and this was followed by the Berlin meeting at which thé preliminary articles of agreement were discussed, and after some modification, were tacitly accepted by the belligerents. But this agreement had reference only te the principal. parties concerned, i. e., the Cunard Line and the German companies, and the points agreed to were the definite delimitation of the spheres of operation of the respective lines. In short, the Cunard Line signified their intention of joining, under satisfactory conditions, the North Atlantic passenger conference. Scandinavia was to be reserved to British enter- prise, the German lines agreed to withdraw from British steer- age business, and a similar policy of give and take was adopted with regard to the Hungarian emigration business. But be- fore this section of the agreement could be made absolute, the Hungarian authorities, as signatories to the Cunard contract, had to be consulted. This phase of the subject is even now subjudice. Doubtless the matter will be satisfactorily ad- justed, and this view was evidently adopted by the German lines, for they regarded the struggle as practically settled, and authorized the notification that on Nov. 12 their indemnity to the British lines, which had cut their rates.to fight the Cunard, ceased. In these circumstances, the lines which had been opposed to the Cunard, of which the White Star Line was the head, desired to raise their rates at once, and a hurried meeting was convened at Liverpool on Nov. 14 to consider the position, and take the requisite steps for raising rates. At this meeting there were present representatives of the White Star, Dominion, Allan, Anchor, Canadian Pacific railway and Cunard Line, but the rates were not raised. The Cunard principals were away negotiating the settlement of the Hun- garian question, and they decided that before the peace de- cision could be given effect to there were other points of difference still to be settled. It is an old story now that fric- tion with the Germans was not the only, or perhaps the first. cause of the Cunard withdrawal from the North Atlantic pas- senger conference. That was originally determined by the action of the White Star Line in introducing Friday sailings from Liverpool to New York, and overshadowing with their big 20,000-ton boats the smaller section of the Cunard fleet sailing on the Saturday. What the Cunard company then asked for was a differential arrangement in favor of their Um- bria and Etruria. This was refused, and hence a rift in the lute. This action of the White Star brought about, no doubt, by the rapid pace at which they had increased their tonnage, was also felt by other lines. It will no doubt be considered as quite the correct thing for the Cunard company to have this material point of difference cleared away before crying peace when there is no peace. In this connection it is interest- ing to note that the Cunard company are not alone in their protest against White Star methods. The Allan Line have suffered severely by the action of the Dominion Line, which is run under the aegis of the White Star, in carrying only second and third class passengers on board two of their steamers, the Kensington and Southwark. The contention of the suffering lines is that in these vessels an attempt has been made to secure custom by offering passengers first class facilities at second class rates. A third vessel, formerly en- gaged in the New York trade, the Germanic, is to be renamed the Ottawa, and is to be put into the Canadian trade. It is feared that in this case also an attempt will be made to violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the agreement between the various lines concerned. It is perhaps a little difficult to un- derstand why the Allan and other lines have accepted the position, and merely contented themselves with a protest. Probably the rate war has prevented the settlement of these minor points of difference, but now that the Cunard have stuck out for their differential arrangement in the case of cabin bookings for the Umbria and Etruria, which will enable them to charge lower rates, and so remove the adverse handi- cap due to their smaller size, it is possible that they will not be alone in their insistance upon a thorough clearing of the atmosphere before steerage rates are allowed to revert to their normal level. It is stated that the White Star Line have given assurances that this differential arrangement will be allowed. But even then there is the question of the Kensing- ton and Southwark and Ottawa to be considered, and it is generally felt, especially in shipping circles, that it is far the wiser policy to carry on the war a little longer in the hope of definitely settling the points in dispute, than to accept an alleged peace which might at any moment change into a re- sumption of hostilities. Just how and when the rate war will cease therefore, it is impossible to say, but it is not thought that the Cunard Line will give way on the points contended for. Lord Inverclyde has evidently laid down a basis of set- tlement, the minimum the Cunard company can accepf, and does not intend to depart from it. Notices have been issued by the London county council inti- mating that application will be made to parliament in the en- suing session for. leave to bring in a bill constituting and incorporating a commission for the administration, regulation and control of the port of London, defining the limits of the port to which the bill is to apply, transferring to the commis- sion the property, powers, etc., of the Thames conservators, and authorizing the Board of Trade by provisional order to reconstitute the Thames conservators. Authority will be asked for to empower the commission on terms, etc., defined by the measure to take over and carry on and to provide for vesting in the commission the undertakings of the London & India docks, the Surrey Commerical dock, and the Millwall dock companies, and to transfer to the commission the pow- ers, etc., of the Watermen's Co., compensating the latter. This bill, should it become law. will authorize the most momentous . change known in the maritime history of the port of London. The sailing list of the Dominion Line for next summer shows that, beginning April 20, a weekly service will be main- tained between Liverpool and Quebec and Montreal by the existing fleet of vessels, with the addition of the White Star liner Germanic, renamed Ottawa. The Germanic was to have been put on the Canadian service last stimmer, but had to be sent to Southampton to replace the New York of the Ameri- can Line. Since then she has been overhauled by Messrs. Harland & Wolff, Belfast, chiefly in the matter of passenger accommodation. She will carry rs0 cabin and about 800 steerage passengers, after a number of four-berth cabins have been provided for emigrants in place of the common living and sleeping accommodation for emigrants provided on -some lines. The Germanic, though perhaps the oldest Atlantic liner afloat, has been remodeled at a cost of $500,000, and is now a thoroughly up-to-date vessel, and under the name of the Otta- wa should enjoy as long a run as she did when called the Ger- manic