NEW CONTINENTAL PASSENGER ROUTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1190, 21 December 1894, Page 15

NEW CONTINENTAL PASSENGER ROUTE.

From Our Special Correspondent. London, November 3

An excursion trip between England and Holland by a new passenger steamer is not a matter of paramount importance to the average colonial reader. But in these days of cheap and rapid travel, when few colonists who visit the mother country think their holiday complete without some stay on the Continent, it may be of some interest to show the pluck and enterprise displayed by the large companies in providing for their comfort. Thus the Great Eastern Railway Company has for some years past maintained a splendid fleet of fast steamers between its Harwich terminus and the Hook of Holland, and has succeeded in considerably reducing the time between London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin, and Vienna by this route as compared with rival services via France. Between 1883 and 1893 the number of passengers convej-ed by this Company's trains and steamers via Harwich has increased from 25,000 to 95,000 per annum. Three fast steamers, the Amsterdam, Chelmsford, and Berlin, each of 5000 horse power, have been constantly employed in the service, but the increase in the traffic during.last summer was so great that it was decided to add a fourth, the Vienna, which made an excursiontrip from Harwich on Saturday last, the 20th. A number of gentlemen, principally connected with Continental firms, members of Pailiament, railway officials, representatives of the press (among whom was. your representative) availed themselves . of the invitation to join the excursion. The party left the new station at Liverpool street at 9.50 a.m., reaching Harwich after a smart run of an hour and a half, and embarking on board the Vienna, which shortly afterwards steamed away from the wharf in the direction of the Hook of Holland against a cutting head wind and a choppy sea. She made the run from Cork Lightship to Longsand and back, a distance of 29 knots, in 95 minutes, equal to 18‘3 knots or:21 miles per hour. The Vienna is a splendid specimen of the modern type of passenger steamer, fitted with sets'of triple engines, working up to 5000 horse power. She has accommodation for 200 passengers, with spacious general and dining saloons, smoking room, ladies’ drawing room, etc., and is lighted throughout by electricity. Among the guests on board were Mr F. Gooday, manager of the Eastern. Railway Company, Mr F. Stockinger, Austrian Minister, Sir Seager Hunt, Mr T. VV. Maciure,,M.R,] Mr.Stauck, Mr Benson, and other officials of the Company. On their return to Harwich; .thie .;guests, ; , were invited to dinner at the' ParkestpnejvELo.tei.-v In the course of the speeches Sir Seager Hunt referred to the success that had attended the Company’s efforts to connect with the express systems of the Continent, and with the “ Lathidral Route " between Liverpool and London. ■ '