THE ALL-RED SERVICE.

Evening Star, Issue 14038, 20 April 1909, Page 6

THE ALL-RED SERVICE.

[From Oue Special Coesespondekt.] LONDON, March' 12. Mr E. J. Stephens, managing director of Alexander Stephens and Sons, Ltd., a' Glasgow shipbuilding firm, who recently went to Australia and New Zealand to investigate the possibilities of the “ AllBed ” route, has returned from his mission. “The Union Steam Ship Company,” he said in an interview, “are prepared to establish a faster service between Victoria, New Zealand, and Australia if the various Governments will increase the subsidies. As the contract does not expire until July next, and as our firm built the new steamer Makura, nowon the Canadian-Australian run, my advice was sought by Sir James Mills. After studying the peculiarities conditional to a long voyage such as that between. this port, and Australia, I think the cargo-carrying requirements should not be entirely sacrificed to speed. ■ The jseeent service is one of knots, and I think this is too slow, and would favor something intermediate between this and a 20-knot service. In my opinion, steamships providing an 18-knot service would meet existing needs. It must be remembered that the conditions existing on the Pacific, with its long stretches between ports, differs from those which obtain on the Atlantic.. If a 20-fcnot service was inaugurated it would restrict cargo space, and involve the carrying of large quantities of coal.”