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Francis R. Mayer Steps to the Front in Marine Activities in Creating U.S. Mail Yachtsman Becomes Directing Head of New Company Operating Big Fleet of American Vessels--Realizes Ambition To Develop Line Under American Flag To Compete in Transatlantic Trade BY V; G. IDEN LD-LINE steamship men are QO cognizant of, but at the same time they. are puzzled over, the creation of the U. S. Mail Steam- ship Co., which came into being after the war with the aggressive backing of the shipping board. This is the line which with one stroke of the pen contracted to take over the bulk of the ex-enemy passenger tonnage and operate it all under one house flag in the transatlantic trade. The total fleet which was acquired under this contract numbers 15 ships. The U. S. Mail line today is operating only seven transatlantic passenger liners with two Who in more, the GEORGE WASHINGTON and AMERICA, to be in commission within a few weeks. Of the seven, four are char- tered vessels. The remainder of its char- tered flect awaits reconditioning for serv- ice with prospects for the success of the undertaking undiminished. Such an undertaking as this, involv- ing in all some 200,000 gross tons of shipping, would normally command unprecedented interest. Conditions sur- rounding the transaction, however, have been popularly conceived to have been concealed in secrecy and _ so much misunderstanding that ques- tions are still frequently heard. It - six years QUEENSTOWN (Le_g= f ee FRANCIS R. MAYER ' s has developed an- idea In that time he has built up the U.S. Mail Steamship Co. into one of the largest units operating American flag vessels into practical form. was with the intention of clearing up all this alleged mystery that MARINE Revigw made a_ careful investiga- tion and went to the fountain-source for its information. The U. S. Mail Steamship Co. was chartered in 1919 with a capital stock issue of 200,000 shares of no par value. All this stock is tightly held, none of it being offered for sale in the market. The ownership of the company lies with Francis R. Mayer and his father. Charles Mayer is the father and two other sons, Carlos and Juan, are associated with the management. The directing head of e *LAHAVRE 4 CHERBOURG GENOA £ TRANSATLANTIC ROUTES NOW COVERED BY U. S. MAIL LINE STEAMERS Solid lines show routes on which ships are now operated and are (1) Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown; and (4) New York-Genoa and Naples. (2) N Broken lines show routes Cherbourg and Bremen, New 259 York-Plymouth pe Chesbouty. eis: ening ' ork- town, Plymouth, Boulogne and London; (3) New ork-Bremen an anzig,, ---- eS ce which steamers will be operated and are : and (2) Baltimore-Havre and Bremen to Bremen, returning via. (1) Boston-Queenstown, Plymouth,