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30 MARINE steamers. They purchased several “wreck” steamers and repaired them under the law which permitted a steamer wrecked in American waters and repaired in American yards to the extent of two thirds of its value to receive the American flag and coastwise trading privileges. Later, _after this law was repealed, the firm built several steam- ers at Newport News and Sparrows Point. By 1917 the Bull Line had a fleet of 15 steamers. The A. H. Bull Steamship Co. had been organized in 1902 to op- erate these vessels. But interesting things had happened in the meantime. As a part of its schooner business the firm of A. H, Bull & Co. had been hauling sugar from Porto Dico dur- ing the season. In 1910 the sugar manufacturers for which it rendered this service had increased their output very largely and wanted quicker transportation. They put up to the Bull firm the ultimatum that if the Bulls did not give steamer service on this sugar business, such service would have to be obtained elsewhere. The agree- ment that A. H. Bull was not to reenter the Porto Rico trade for a period of 10 years no longer was in- effect. The younger members of the firm bestirred them- selves and obtained assurances from certain large trading interests that if the Bulls conducted a year-around service to Porto Rico, they could have their support. Accordingly, they entered into contracts which necessi- tated the regular operation of steamers. A. H. Bull then was in Florida and the first he knew about his firm’s action was after it had occurred. Pre- viously the regular Porto Rico business had been enjoyed by two lines, the New York & Porto Rico Steamship Co. and the Insular Line. There now developed a_ three- cornered, cut-throat strife in which even the ship captains and crews rallied to their respective standards. “Father certainly enjoyed this struggle and was determined to carry it on to a conclusion,” said Ernest M. Bull to the writer. “At one stdge of the proceed- ings he came down to the office as usual one morning and told us that he had been wondering, coming in on the train, whether we would carry on the fight if any- thing should happen to him. He told us that unless we guaranteed to carry on, he would revise his will in such a way as to make it obligatory for us. He said that his entire estate, if necessary, should be dissipated in this struggle, excepting a principal sum which would leave my mother an income of $3000 a year. Father did not have to revise his will, because we were as earnest as he was. As a matter of fact, while this struggle was costly, it was a remarkable experience. We were kept constantly on our toes during this period and on the whole we enjoyed the fight.” In 1913 the Bulls secured a controlling interest in the Insular Line. By that time all parties involved had had enough, and the fight petered out by silent consent. Later the Bulls acquired complete ownership of the Insular Line. Has Seen Steady Growth of the Line When the Bull firm started in New York in 1899, its office organization comprised seven people. Ernest M: Bull and W. H. R. Killeen attended to the char- tering and handled a great many other details. The original partnership was increased to four by the addition of A. L. Burbank as a member of the firm in 1917, but the following year again was reduced to three by the death of Mr. Killeen. In 1925 the firm of A. H. Bull & Co. was incorporated and Ernest M. Bull was elected president. Mr. Bull in 1920 succeeded his father as president of the A. H. Bull Steamship Co., the elder Bull becoming chairman of the board. The following REVIEW February, 1927 month, February of 1920, A. H. Bull died. Twenty-five steamers now are comprised in the fleet owned by A. H. Bull & Co. Of these, nine were bought since the war from the shipping board and four were obtained through the acquisition of the Baltimore & Porto Rico Steamship Co. In addition the company charters vessels on a large scale. The company operates four ships regularly in the New York and Porto Rico trade, with regularly weekly sailings in both directions. It requires additional vessels for this trade during the sugar season. It regularly operates three ships in the New York-San Domingo trade and also usually has one or two chartered vessels in this trade. It has one passenger and freight vessel which makes regular weekly trips between San Domingo and San Juan in the Virgin Islands. The firm owns the Baltimore Insular Line which operates four vessels that make weekly sailings from Baltimore to Porto Rico. A weekly service is operated between Baltimore, Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla. In addition to its headquarters at 40 West street, New York, the company has branch offices at Baltimore and Chicago. In order to handle its business as agent for the shipping board’s American-West African Line, the company has three offices on the west coast of © Africa, maintained to take care of it _ efficiently. Vice President of Steamship Owners Ernest M. Bull is a vice president of the American Steamship Owners’ association. He was a member of the advisory committee which functioned with the shipping board up. to the time of the organization of the ship control committee over which P. A. S. Franklin presided. Mr. Bull’s chief interest outside of his business, is in his farm in Orange county, N. Y., where he resides dur- ing the summer. During the winter months he lives at Montclair, N. J. Aside from going to Porto Rico for a short stay each winter, Mr. Bull spends his time be- tween his home and his office. He is a member of the Montclair golf club and plays the game irregularly. He is a member of the Union League and Cornell clubs in New York City. Mr. Bull is deeply impressed with the great oppor- tunities for further progress in the development of the coastwise merchant marine. “Looking back to 1900,” he said, “there has been an enormous increase in coastwise business compared with what then existed. There is no question but what the development over the next 25 years will be just as spec- tacular. When one considers our far-flung coast-line, and the fact that railroad facilities are taxed in the big cities, the possibilities of future developments in the coastwise trade are clearly seen. Water transportation, in addition to being economical, makes it possible to jump past the centers of congestion, and undoubtedly will have to be used more for that purpose as time goes on and existing land transportaion facilities continue to be further taxed. “The present conditions in the coastwise trade are satisfactory,” said Mr. Bull. “A large proportion of the vessels have been especially designed and built for the services in which they ply and these boats operate as efficiently as might be expected from the ability of Americans in all lines of industry to create the best. The various coastwise companies have splendid facili- ties in this direction. Furthermore, the business is held in many hands, with resulting keen competition. This competition serves as a challenge to every individual company constantly to study its operating costs, and to further improve its facilities and its service.” ¥