The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-03-04
FRENCH PLANE
TRAVEL RISES.
Up 30 Pct; Network Gov
ers Europe, Goes to
Indo-China
By HERBERT C. KING
United Press Staff Correspondent


PARIS, Mar. 4. (UP)-Despite
strained economic atmosphere
throughout 1887, the four COM
panies in whose hands lies inter
nal and colonial commercial ava
ton have reported relatively SAT
isfactory progress, with a passen-
ger increase of SO per cent over
1886. A.,
These four companies are All
France, Air Antique, Compagnle
Aeromaritime des Chargeurs Ne
unis and Air Bleu. Of these, Al
France is by far the most mpG Or,
ant, with daily services to all Eu
ropean capitals, weekly fai
Eastern service by way of Naples
Corfu, Beyruth, Damascus, nara
chi, Calcutta, Rangoon, Bangkok'
Saigon and Hanoi in French lhao
China and a observation-disclosures
giers likewise daily.
The number of passengers on
these lines steadily increasing (
from &c $40 for 1886 to 10000
for 1887. onc
However, goods transport mas
fallen off slightly, only 9oo tons
being carried last year. IN 1874
the figure reached l,343 tons.
This decrease is ascrlbed TO lwo
causes - the economic setback
and the fact that space previous
" taken up by goods now IS De
ing occupied by more passengers.
Operating costs for such iong
routes as Paris to Hanoi are hlgh
and the number of passengers is
small. French Indo-China has
population one-third less than the
Dutch East Indies, while its eX.
ternal trade is one-fourth that OF
the Dutch possessions. Also, the
planes on this line have seating
place for only six passengers. =,
The weekly service to South
America from Toulouse to DaKar,
Natal and Rio de Janeiro has not
proved to be successful tinan-
cial undertaking and the COM
panv receives a subsidy of S3 tor
every kilometer flown on TINS
line The Damascus to Gaghdad
section has been doubled and now
there is a weekly service in both
directions between thes two
points.
AFRICAN LINE is
HANDICAPPED 49,,
Tn company Air Antique, with
a service running through Central
Africa from Algiers to Tananar-
i've in Madagascar via Agadez.,
Fort Lamy, Stanleyville, Bangul,
Oar es Salam, has many dlsad-
vantages to fight. Chief is the
Belgian S. A. B. E. N. A. line,
which is equipped with more mod
ern machines capable of carrying
more passengers at higher speeds.
The .Algiers-Tananarive service IS
weekly, taking seven days to COW
er the 6,125-mile journey.
On the west coast of Africa be-
tween Dakar and Point-Noir an
other line belonging to the Char
geurs Reunis shipping line is in
operation. 1t receives no subsidy.
The 3,25O-mile route is flown
twice weekly. Passengers lug
gage is carried free of charge by
boat. :.
The interior postal service IN
France is in the hands of Air Bleu
company and for the moment is
limited to the transport of letters
only, no parcels being taken. Au-
thorities are studying a plan for
regular night services to speed up
postal deliveries between Paris
and the larger cities.
French anyways cover an ex-
tremely wide international net.
work, on a large proportion OF
which they enter more or less d.
rectly into competition with other
companies, some of which are
heavily subsidized and equipped
with the most modern planes.
Automatic train control has
lon+oJ by q railway in