18 JULY 1908, Page 15

IRISH TOURIST DEVELOPMENT. (To THE EDITOR OF TIM "SPECTATOR.' I

SIR,—I am again able to draw attention to improvements in the railway services which connect London with Dublin. Business men have long been able to leave London at 9 p.m.,

spend ten hours in Paris, and return to England the following afternoon by the 4 o'clock train. Those who wish to attend to business in Dublin have frequently complained that they do not enjoy the same advantages ; but the London and North-Western Railway make it now possible to leave Euston at 1.20 in the afternoon and to arrive in Dublin at 10.20 the same evening. The traveller can then leave Dublin at 1.15 next day, and be in London at 11 o'clock at night. The Great Western Railway have also improved their day service by Fishguard and Rosslare. Since July 1st Paddington may be left at 8.45 in the morning by the luncheon-car train and Dublin reached by a new dining-car train at 9.5 the same even- ing. The return journey, which gives the tourist a splendid view of the mountainous scenery of County Wicklow, leaves Dublin at 8.10 in the morning and arrives at Paddington at 9.55 at night. The Donegal Highlands will shortly be made more accessible by the opening of the new line from Strabane to Letterkenny, which runs through such interesting spots as Lifford, Raphoe, and Convoy. This change will also avoid the long car-journey from one station to the other across Belfast. Much more might be said, but space is so limited that I can only draw attention to the enlargement of several hotels, such as those at Glengarriff, where a new pier has also been built for the Bantry Bay steamers; the Laharna. Hotel at Larne, which has accommodation for four hundred visitors ; the Lakeside Hotel at Killaloe ; and the Royal Mail Hotel at Kingstown.—I am, Sir, &c.,