It is a matter of common knowledge that a very serious fight is being waged (1903) in the South African shipping trade, owing to the entrance therein of the Houston Line. In July, 1902, sailings from Glasgow, Middlesbrough, Bristol, Liverpool and London (as well as from New York) to Cape Town, Algoa Bay, East London, Durban and Delagoa Bay were announced by the Messrs. Houston. The Steamship Lines then engaged in the trade had formed a Conference or “ring.” The members of this “ring” are the Union-Castle Line, the Clan Line, the Bucknall Line, the Harrison-Ellerman Line, J. T. Rennie & Co., and Bullard, King & Co., forming the strongest shipping ring ever known. It is this shipping “ring” that the Houston Line is opposing. Great public interest in the struggle has been excited by the many angry and strongly worded letters from shippers which have been published from time to time in the current Press regarding the _modus operandi_ of the “ring.” Tactics of such a character have been adopted by the “ring” as will, we understand, form a subject of an action in the Courts of Law, as they have already provoked discussion and protest in various Chambers of Commerce, and have even been discussed in the House of Commons. From present appearances the Houston Line is growing steadily in favour of shippers to the Cape ports, and having now been in the trade for over twelve months it must have secured a firm foothold. Certainly shippers and merchants generally welcome and support this “Line” as having a beneficial influence upon the trade between this country and our South African Colonies. The latest built and largest steamers of the fleet are engaged in the Cape service. Amongst them are HYACINTHUS, HALIZONES, HYDASPES and HYPATIA, with an average dead weight carrying capacity of about 9,000 tons each. We understand several large carrying steamers are in course of construction for the firm. As showing the great increase in the size of the firm’s vessels, it may be interesting to compare the dimensions of one of the earliest and of one of the latest built ships. The HERCULES was 212 feet long, 34 feet broad and 16 feet 6 inches deep. The HYPATIA is 452 feet long, 52 feet 2 inches broad, and 28 feet 3 inches deep. The gross registered tonnage of the former was 1,155 tons, while that of the latter is over 5,600 tons. The growth of the Houston Line has been a remarkably rapid one, and shows what ability and energy combined can do. The fleet now consists of 25 steamers of a gross registered tonnage of over 90,000 tons, and with a dead weight carrying capacity of over 130,000 tons. HOUSTON LINE STEAMERS. HALIZONES. HARMODIUS. HARMONIDES. HELIADES. HELIOS. HELLENES. HELLOPES. HERACLIDES. HERMINIUS. HERMIONE. HESIONE. HESPERIDES. HILARIUS. HIPPOMENES. HONORIUS. HORATIUS. HORTENSIUS. HOSTILIUS. HYACINTHUS. HYADES. HYANTHES. HYDASPES. HYLAS. HYPATIA. HYPERIA. [Illustration: Lighthouse]