The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-12-10

tourists and the travelling public in gen
eral
At an earlier period it will be remem-
bered that the steamers Alameda, Mari
posa. Australia and Zealandia success
sively carried on the service for num-
Der of years, but developments soon
made it apparent that a vastly accelerat-
ed service was required to meet the de-
mands of the mail, passenger and freight
| traffic, which had been growing to
! larger proportions year by year Hence
it came about that these steamers had in
! turn to give way to vessels of larger
tonnage, and the steamers maintaining
| the present service were placed in COM
mission to Sydney while the fast steam
er Alameda is run between San Fran
cisco and Honolulu only.
Mr. J. D. Spreckels has given a sub
stantial guarantee for the future in the
steamships he has placed on the route,
and by substituting the existing three
weekly for the former monthly service.
These high-class liners are over 5000
tons each, nearly double the tonnage of
the ships which did their work up to
the end of 1000. They have a guaran-
teed speed of seventeen knots. They
perform their portion of the journey
from Sydney to London by way of
America, in such time that travellers may
find themselves in London in about
thirty-one days after leaving Circular
Quay They are entirely new ships,
having been built expressly for this line
at a cost of over half million sterling.
The Sonoma began her career by max
ing the record voyage from Philadelphia
to San Francisco, a distance of 1900
miles, at an average speed of fifteen
knots an hour. Already the ships have
made a favorable impression in this
trade, passengers speaking highly of
their sea-going qualities the comfort
experienced during their voyages, and
the efforts of the staff in each case,
from the commander down, to make
the trip interesting and enjoyable.
Special attention has been paid to the
provision of upper deck staterooms, so
much appreciated on these pleasant
Pacific voyages. The main saloon is on
the spacious upper deck, and like the
social hall, ladies' retiring rooms, and
the three bridal apartments, is appro-
priately fitted and furnished with all
modern Improvements. AS an addi- /
tional convenience to patrons the Gee !
anic Steamship Company, in conjunc- |
ton with it's associated railway lines. |
has established a travelling passenger !
agent service between Honolulu and /
San Francisco. It is the duty of these :
agents to meet steamers and during .
the voyage to confer with passengers, |
and to afford information with regard .
to handling of baggage, hotels, train |
service, sleeping car accommodations, !
and in every way to render any other !
10 h.. 70 f|al
comfort of patrons of the line. AS Mr..
SpreckeIs puts it, the company is de-
termined to make the service fit for it's
and I'VE have got the
desired steamers" They have necess-
itated a large expenditure, but the di
rectors do not begrudge it.
Hawaii is enjoying at present the
efforts of the Hawaii ),
Promotion Committee to bring the nat
1raI and practical advantages of the |
Islands to the attention of the world
at large This committee is a sub
5idiary company, organized by and di-
-ectly representing the Territory of Il
Hawaii, the Honolulu Chamber of i
and the Merchants Associ-
alton. and its destinies are therefore
controlled by the leading citizens Of
ne city. us purpose Is 10 Iurnlsn
ourists, investors and settlers with
he unvarnished truth about the Ha-
Tafian Islands. The committee is
alive to the kind of in
ormation required as well as to the
present needs of the islands, and has
lad prepared a series Of attractive
for free distribution upon re-
quest. The Promotion Committee is
oing yeoman service in the island
and very much of the
ewly awakened interest in Hawaii
nd her resources is due to this valu-
bic work. The writer of this short
nd incomplete article desires to ex-
ress his most grateful appreciation of
he kind and generous treatment he
as received from the gentlemen con-
ected with the Promotion Committee
$ well as with the Territorial Gov
rnment. for the courteous readiness
18th which they have opened to him
II avenues that lead 70 reliable and
trustworthy information T
Continued on page 81