NEW STEAMSHIP LINER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1732, 24 April 1913, Page 4

NEW STEAMSHIP LINER.

AMERICAN PROPOSAL: LARGEST STEAMERS IN THE PACIFIC. Considerable interest has been aroused iu shipping circles in Sydney regarding a proposed new line of trans-Pacific steamers, < by means of which passengers and mails trom Sydney could leach London nearly a week earlier than is possible by 'tile present route, via Italy.

The proposal, according to the "Sydney \Morning. Herald," has emanated from Mr. James Hill, the American railway magnate, and chairman of the board ot directors of the Great Norinern Railway system. ' It is said that it is Mr. Hill's In'tention tv< order r'our powerful passen-. ger steamers and place tlieni in the transPacific service to connect with the Hillsystem of railways at Seattle. ThCio steamers arc to be larger and faster Shan anything at present running between Sydney and America. Seattle, which is tits terminus .of the Hill railway systems, is to bo the port of call for the new line/

Itis intended thai, tho speed of the new steamers shall be.such as to enable them to cover the journey between Sydney and Seattle in the short period ot 1G days. By tho aid'of the laslt railways in America, and the spjedy Atlantic liners on the other side ot the continent, passengers would be landed in London 25 or 2(3 days after leaving Sydney. Besides being oil great' tonnage, the vessels are to be fitted up in the mostluxurious stylo in order to attract the passenger traffic. Mr. Hill has Iwen closely _ associated with many railway and steamship ventures in tho past. Jn 1878 lie organised a syndicate' which secured control of the St. Paul and Pacific Piailroail from the Dutch owners of the securities. He reorganised the system as the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railway Company, and was its general manager from 1879 to 1882, vice-president 1882-3, and president 18S3-SO. It afterwards became part of tho Great Northern Hailway system, in the building of which Mr. Hill took part. This extended from Lake Superior to

Puget Sound, with northern and southern branches, and a direct steamship connection with China and Japan. Ho was president, ol' the entire Great Northern system from 1803 to 1907, and then became chairman of tho board of directors.