The _Titanic_ was one of a fleet of 13 ships employed in the transport
of passengers, mails, and cargo between Great Britain and the United
States, the usual ports of call for the service in which she was engaged
being Southampton, Cherbourg, Plymouth, Queenstown, and New York.
The owners are the Oceanic Steam Navigation Co. (Ltd.), usually known as
the White Star Line, a British registered company, with a capital of
£750,000, all paid up, the directors being Mr. J. Bruce Ismay
(chairman), the Right Hon. Lord Pirrie, and Mr. H. A. Sanderson.
The company are owners of 29 steamers and tenders; they have a large
interest in 13 other steamers, and also own a training sailing ship for
officers.
All the shares of the company, with the exception of eight held by
Messrs. E. C. Grenfell, Vivian H. Smith, W. S. M. Burns, James Gray, J.
Bruce Ismay, H. A. Sanderson, A. Kerr, and the Right Hon. Lord Pirrie,
have, since the year 1902, been held by the International Navigation Co.
(Ltd.), of Liverpool, a British registered company, with a capital of
£700,000, of which all is paid up, the directors being Mr. J. Bruce
Ismay (chairman), and Messrs. H. A. Sanderson, Charles F. Torrey, and H.
Concannon.
The debentures of the company, £1,250,000, are held mainly, if not
entirely, in the United Kingdom by the general public.
The International Navigation Co. (Ltd.), of Liverpool, in addition to
holding the above-mentioned shares of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Co.
(Ltd.), is also the owner of--
1. Practically the whole of the issued share capital of the British &
North Atlantic Steam Navigation Co. (Ltd.), and the Mississippi &
Dominion Steamship Co. (Ltd.), (the Dominion Line).
2. Practically the whole of the issued share capital of the Atlantic
Transport Co. (Ltd), (the Atlantic Transport Line).
3. Practically the whole of the issued ordinary share capital and about
one-half of the preference share capital of Frederick Leyland & Co.
(Ltd.), (the Leyland Line).
As against the above-mentioned shares and other property, the
International Navigation Co. (Ltd.) have issued share lien certificates
for £25,000,000.
Both the shares and share lien certificates of the International
Navigation Co. (Ltd.) are now held by the International Mercantile
Marine Co. of New Jersey, or by trustees for the holders of its
debenture bonds.