The White Star Company announced on Monday their decision to
transfer four of their largest liners on the Atlantic service from Liverpool to Southampton. The announcement has created a good deal of excitement in shipping circles, but the competition of the French, and, above all, of the German, Companies rendered the step inevitable. Under the new arrange- ment the White Star liners will touch at Cherbourg once a week, and thus enter directly into competition with the German and French lines for Continental passenger custom. The Cunard Company have issued a statement which clearly indicates their intention to follow suit before long in view of the advantages which the Channel ports offer for the Con- tinental first-class traffic, though for the present the usual service will be continued from Liverpool In any case, the new move need not affect the goods trade between Liverpool
and America and Canada. It was bound to come as a result of altered conditions, and to represent the news as an" absolute surprise " is to cast a slur on the intelligence of Liverpool.
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