The fare of the river steamships plying between Hongkong and Canton will be increased considerably, it is earned from reliable sources to-day.
Owing to keen competition among the river steamship companies in the past few months fares on these vessels, have been reduced to a ridiculously Tow level. As a result most of the companies sustained heavy lotses.
Realizing the futility of this competition ship-owners have agreed to False the fare simultaneously. It is also learned that arrangements have been concluded between the shipowners and the railway authorities: fof the British and Chinese sections of the Kowloon-Canton Railway to inferease passenger railway tarlfls to avoid competition between rail and river treffes.
TI is understood that first-class prices will not be increased and only the second and third class fares will proportionally raised, The new rales possibly will be inirodueed on February 7, and at the same time the special cheap express which Teaves Kowloon for Canton at 720 jam. and together with the one that Teaves Canton for Kowloon at 320 pin. will be cancelled.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.