July 16, 1991

For John F. McGillicuddy of Manufacturers Hanover and Walter V. Shippley of Chemical, common struggles paved the way to a merger. Page D1.

The Bank Merger The largest bank merger in American history was announced by two of New York's biggest banks. The combination of Chemical Bank and Manufacturers Hanover would create the nation's second-largest banking company, after Citicorp. But 6,200 people would lose their jobs, up to 70 branches in the New York area would be closed and Chemical's Park Avenue headquarters with its lobby gardens would be abandoned. [ Page A1. ]

Riding calm seas, with thunder crackling across a hazy night sky, 163 men, women and children jammed aboard a leaky Haitian fishing boat called Conail were 30 miles from Miami when they were stopped July 7 by the Coast Guard cutter Baranof on border patrol. Following procedures, Coast Guard officers ordered the people off the Conail and on board the Baranof. Of the 163 people on board, 161 were Haitians trying to escape the grim poverty of their homeland. The other two were Cubans whose flimsy raft had been plucked from the water by the Haitians in a gesture of brotherhood.

Confirming that the American automotive market is growing ever more robust, sales of domestically built vehicles fell a modest 7.7 percent in early July from a strong sales period a year earlier. Sales of cars built in North America -- which the industry considers domestic production -- dropped 4.4 percent, and light-truck sales were off 12.9 percent. The seasonally adjusted annual sales rate was 7.3 million, the second-highest 10-day rate this year, after the 7.4 million of the last reporting period.

The chairman of the UAL Corporation will discuss United Airlines' application for daily nonstop service between Chicago and Stansted Airport in London with the British Government, The chairman, Stephen M. Wolf, said United wants to begin service on Oct. 1. If approved, it would be the first scheduled trans-Atlantic service to Stansted, London's third-largest airport, after Heathrow and Gatwick. United would soon decide whether to buy routes and aircraft owned by the Pan Am Corporation, Mr. Wolf said. UAL said last week that it had offered to buy certain routes from Pan American World Airways and was interested in 21 of Pan Am's Airbus jets.