The Manchuria Air Transport Ca., which enjoys a monopoly of air transportation in this country, was formed in October 1932. At the present time it is operating fourteen commercial lines with a total length of 8,170 kins. In addition it sponsors the four lines into North China with a total length of 1,475 kins. It also operates two military lines on which ordinary passengers could be carried whenever vacant seats were available, This company, which was financed by the Manchoukuo Government, the South Manchuria Railway Ca. and the Sumitomo Ca. of Japan, operates a through service with the Japan Air Transportation Ca.
During nearly four and a_ half years of operation there have been remarkably few accidents reported on the commercial lines. The route on which this accident occurred runs up through the Tung Pien Tao district along the right bank -of the Yalu, and makes the total distance of 515° kins, in five Jheps. Between the river town of Chian and Tung-hua, the plane passes through the district in which Father Burns was held captive last year. Huan Jen is the last stop before Mukden. It lies in the valley of the Hun Chiang a tributary of the Yalu, and is surrounded by hills. The route is 4 new one, and little patronized by foreign travellers, who would take the direct plane from Shingishu to Mukden instead of the circuitous trip through Tunghua, which is twice and a half as long.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.