Mr. Hugh Mackenzie, general passenger agent for the Dollar Steamship Line, is visiting the various offices of the company in the East and is at present in Japan, It iv expected that he will arrive in Shanghai within the next ten dayr for so. Whilst in Kobe, a represen: tative of the "Japan' Chronicle"
interviewed Mr. Mackenzie and was, informed that the Dollar line i tends to put several new fast liners the Far Eastern run. These vessels will necommdlate 3,500 passengers and each will Lo equip ped with two seaplanes which wi shorten the Paciie journey Uy 2¢
"The addition of aeroplanes conerete part of our scheme," said Mr. Mackenzie. "Bach of the new boats which we are gving to build will carry two machines. These will be available for any passenger who is ina hurry to get to his destination. When still four ey five hundred miles from Tokyo, the planes will be catapulted in the air and within four or five hours they will have landed. The system is the same ay that adopted by. the tie de France, the big French liner, answering very successfully on the Atlantic. The result will be a saving of some 30 hours. Mail Will also be carried, of course. Th machines we shall use will be thre. motored all-metal Fokkers, or perhaps the Ford type. They will carry more than six passengers each, and will be perfectly snf2. All three motors will have to be ovt action before the machine is forced down, and 9s they will be equipped with both pontoons ani choels, it will be possible for then:
descend either on ater er lant.
If the descent is om land, then the wheels which are normally: folded abore the pontoons, are simply lowered. Naturally there is to be wireless set on each machine, Endas the trip will take at the most only five hours there will not be the slightest danger." respect Mr. Mackenzie quoted the record of the US. A Mail and passenger services in the fying in ati weathers, has had only one fatal accident in twelve months.
'The Nollar Line aeroplane service will probably be commenced in a half years' time. swith four liners are to These vessels. enid Mr ie, will incorporate all the fa text boats present average speed f the Dollar Tiners is 173 knots. The new vessels have all average speed of 213 Knots, with a maximum of several knots' faster. They will maintain 218 knots on their run, and 20 shorten the San Franciseo-Yoko-bhamo ran by two days.
Approximately 600 feet in length the liners will be designed especial-Ly for comfort in warm weather. The first class accommodation is for 375-400 passengers,. with spacious promenade decks, and the usual smoke room, laanges and social hail. About 250. scoond class passengers will be carried, and here again there are to be spacious dining saloons, smoke room, lounges and Promenade facilities. ' The steerage quarters will be able to accommodate about 900. All the cabins will larger than those found on the present Dollar liners.
Mr. Mackefzie -pointed out that more and more travellers are ctotsing the Pacific, and the present amount. of tra Mle warrants the Building of these new boats.
"As a matter of fact I do not think we have anywhere near rea-iter mark in travel hho added. "Americans, especially those on the Pacific Const, are great travellers.
They patronise the round the world and i addition to the tourist boats riy privately conducted parties. We have, for instance, carried as many as 84 in one party, and there are always Pan-Pacific conferences or group tours such a8 the recent Shriner tour to the Orient, and the visit of the hotel But it will be necessary to attract visitors if this sort of thing is to be developed, Europe, either community advertising or literature distributed by railway companies and hotels, has won a large share of the American tourist traffic, and Mr. Mackenzie expressed his belief that the Orient, if t adopted similar measures, would be even more popular as a holiday centre. Thousands of Americans have paid several visits to Europe, and naturally are looking for new places to visit, The Orient, if it sets itself to attract them, will gain wha: Europe will lore.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.