Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-26
SHIP LINES FACE
AIR COMPETITION
Seadrome Project Also Wide.
Iy Discussed by Railway
Executives.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, November gj-T,he sea.

NLV &SAtkAj NVfCADCl gu llC oCds
drome project now before the Public
Works Administration in Washington
is being widely discussed in shipping
and railroad circles, especially since it
was predicted here that a regular trans.
atlantic air service, independent of
ships. would be established before the
end of next year.
Predictions of a 24-hour service-by
land plane, seaplane, flying boat. or air
! ship-between New York, London, Paris,
Berlin and Rome next year are taken
seriously in shipping circles. AS the
only immediate way to combat such
competition, the ship lines see further
! link-ups between planes and ships.
One-day air service between here and
Europe Is considered probable by rail-
| road executives, many of whom back in
1928 frankly were skeptical when Clar-
ence D. Chamberlain predicted a five
hour air schedule from New York to
Chicago. Planes today regularly make
the trip In Az hours and there Is talk
OF cutting the time to 81 hours. The
fastest trains still take about 10 hours
between the two points.
Stress Price Factor.
Railroad executives now are more in
terested in price competition than time
competition with planes. The air-con-
ditioned coaches, stream-lined Pullmans
designed to 60 100 miles an hour and
similar belated attempts by the railroads
to meet the speed of planes have given
the carriers some comfort. out of which
I they are being rudely jolted by reports
that air companies plan to bring air.
plane trips from New York to San Fran
cisco and back within the 500 limit.
AT present the regular coast-to-coast
rail fare is s20l.l4. 1t is possible to
obtain cheap 45-day ticket" during
the Summer for 1925. Present plane
fares are $3.50 one way and 1888 round
trip, but the swift technical advances
In speed are said to be lowering costs
at such rapid rate that a 500 round
trip plane fare to the coast within the
next two years Is considered possible.
Railroad executives are quick to
point out to shipping heads who come
to them for advice that the plane can
become a real competitor in the matter
OF speed and, over short distances, in
price.
The Graf Zeppelin at present provides
the only regular transatlantic air serv-
ice. 1t operate- between Germany and
South America. The North German
from the Bremen and Europa in its
ship-to-shore plane service, ranging
from 500 to 1000 miles out at sea. but
this service carries mail-no passengers.
1t cuts down the time Of mail service
often more than day.
Predicts Low Fares.
E. R. Armstrong, inventor of the sea-
drome, in talking here about the project
before the Society of Automotive Engi-
neers, contended that a transatlantic
air service would be operated as a pay
ing proposition on a $3.50 rate per pas
senger. as against $500 now being
charged by the fast steamships. Natu-
rally the suggestion that air service
will be able to compete on price basis
with the fastest ship service is not rel
ished by operators Of ocean-going
steamers.
Freight, however, rather than pas
sengers, pays the way. whether 1t be on
railroads, ships or airplanes. according
to Guy Paschal Of the Postal Telegraph
Co.. who has studied the paying aspects
Of various forms of transportation. He
believes that the first problem that will
have to be met by TRANSATLANTIC air
service will be that Of carrying freight,
rather than passengers.
Copyright. 1887