New York, May 3.—(AP)—Disruption of what promises to be a record trans-Atlantic tourist service may result if the general strike in England, scheduled to go into effect at midnight, extends through the month of May, shipping line officials and representatives of British seamen said here tonight.
Estimates of the number of tourists going to Europe this summer based on advance bookings, reach as high as a half million persons.
Bookings have been so heavy that several of the larger lines are already sailing ships on an average of one a day.
At a late hour today there had been no cancellations of booking on the Cunarder Aquitania, due to sail for England tomorrow night. All inquiries as to whether the ship would leave port despite the strike were met by officials of the line with positive assertions that it would. The 837 seamen and stewards aboard the vessel, all of whom are members of the British transport workers union, said they would sail the Aquitania for home regardless of the strike, but immediately upon reaching England they would be compelled to walk out if the strike were on.
By next Friday, when the Olympic of the White Star Line, and the Berengaria of the Cunard Line have arrived, it is estimated that fully 8,000 British stewards and seamen will be in New York. In addition to a half dozen of the largest liners plying between Britain and America that are now in port, there are always from 50 to 100 freighters and small passenger vessels flying the British flag here. The smaller vessels have crews of from 50 to 100.
Among the larger liners now in port, or due shortly after the strike is scheduled to go into effect, are the Carmania, crew of 482; California, crew of 344; Samaria, 400; Berengaria, 943; and Tuscania, 367, of the Cunard Line; the Celtic, 475. Minnewaska, 570, Olympic, 875; and the Adriatic, 600, of the White Star Line, and the Zeeland, crew of between 300
and 400 of the Red Star Line.
Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME, May 4, 1926