WORLD'S BIGGEST SHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 3, 5 January 1928, Page 5

WORLD'S BIGGEST SHIPS.

SIXTY THOUSAND TONNERS.

FOR CUNARD AND WHITE STAR

COST £6,000,000.

Britain's great Atlantic lines —the Cunard and White Star —are in keen rivalry for the distinction of owning the biggest passenger ship afloat. The White Star have ordered from Harland and Wolff, the. famous Belfast firm, a vessel that will be bigger and longer than their own Majestic, which, with its tonnage of 56,550 and length of 956 feet, is at present the largest ship in the world. 1,000 Feet Long. The Cunard officials are discussing details of a new 60.000-ton luxury liner. During the last day or two, Sir Alfred Booth, a director, and representatives of the company in London and abroad have met in Liverpool, and these meetings may continue for several days. According to present plans, the new ship, which is expected to cost between five and six million pounds, will be 60,000 tons or even more, and will have a length of 1000 feet. On Tyne or Clyde. Every possible device for comfort will extend through all the classes. "When the building will start has not been arranged, but it is probable that either the Clyde or the Tyne yards will be used. For some time, the question of replying to foreign competition in passenger ship service has been under consideration, and the new mammoth liner is intended as one solution of the problem. Each winter, improvements are made in the Cuuard ships and in the last two years both the Aquitania and the Mauretania have had their passenger accommodation largely remodelled. Oil Engines. The new White Star liner will be driven by internal combustion engines. That oil motors should have been chosen in preference to steam turbines is a signal triumph for the Diesel system. The largest motor ship so far built is the Italian liner Augustus, of 33,000 tons, but the tonnage of the new White Star motor liner may be nearly twice as great. No information as to her speed is available, but apparently it will not be remarkably high. The keel is to be laid at Queen's Island, Belfast, as soon as one of the big slipways becomes vacant. The Blue Riband. With regard to the blue riband of the Atlantic, which has been held by the Cunard liner Mauretania for the past 20 years, it is understood that the Germans hope to capture this honour with their new liners, Bremen an»d Europa, now being built for the North German Lloyd service. It was announced only a few weeks ago that the American Shipping Board was in favour of constructing ten highspeed super-liners for the North Atlantic service. They were intended to travel at an average of 32$ knots, or six knots faster than the Mauretania. Ocean Giants. Following are the largest liners in the world:— Tods. Majestic (White Star) •»- 56,551 Leviathan (U.S.) 54,282 Berengaria (Cunard) 52,226 Olypmic (White Star) 46,439 Aquitania (Cunard) 45.647