▁the ▁company ▁since ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁He ▁had ▁expanded ▁the ▁company ▁rapidly : ▁aside ▁from ▁the ▁White ▁Star ▁Line , ▁he ▁bought ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ste am ▁Navigation ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁for ▁£ 1 . 5   mill ion , ▁the ▁Union - Cast le ▁Line ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁and ▁assumed ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Har land ▁and ▁Wol ff ▁ship y ards ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁had ▁prosper ed ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁as ▁the ▁government ▁paid ▁to ▁requ is ition ▁its ▁ships ▁as ▁military ▁supply ▁vessels ▁and ▁tro op ▁trans ports . ▁The ▁company ▁had ▁saved ▁the ▁prof its , ▁predict ing ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁need ▁them ▁to ▁cover ▁income ▁tax ▁and ▁excess ▁prof its ▁tax . ▁After ▁these ▁tax es ▁had ▁been ▁paid ▁there ▁was ▁approximately ▁£ 1 ▁million ▁left , ▁which ▁they ▁again ▁saved , ▁hoping ▁to ▁use ▁this ▁to ▁cover ▁any ▁financial ▁difficulties ▁that ▁might ▁arise . ▁ ▁The ▁res erves ▁were ▁again ▁boost ed ▁with ▁government ▁money ▁paid ▁under ▁the ▁Trade ▁Fac ilities ▁Act ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁but ▁between ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁the ▁prof its ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁rapidly ▁dropped ▁and , ▁beginning ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁the ▁direct ors ▁supp lement ed ▁the ▁company ▁income ▁by ▁taking ▁money ▁from ▁the ▁res erves . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁the ▁company ▁asked ▁H M ▁Tre