AWATEA LOWERS HER OWN TASMAN RECORD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 235, 4 October 1937, Page 7

AWATEA LOWERS HER OWN TASMAN RECORD.

TWO HOURS FASTER. One-Day Steaming Distance Also Bettered. TRIUMPHAL ENTRY AT SYDNEY United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12 noon.) SYDNEY, this day. The Union Steam Ship Company's liner Awatea arrived here from Auckland at 10.50 last night (local time). It was a glorious night. The vessel's average speed on the trip was 23.3 knots and she broke her own record.

There was great enthusiasm among the passengers and considerable interest in Sydney as her progress had been constantly recorded from broadcasting stations.

The crossing occupied 55 hours 29 minutes, which is 2 hours 2 minutes faster than the previous best run. The 24-hour run of 576 nautical miles made yesterday, is claimed to be a record for a merchant ship south of the equator, and beats the Awatea's own record by 21 miles. The weather throughout the voyage was fine. The Awatea' made a spectacular entry into Sydney Harbour, being a blaze of light from end to end, and her powerful searchlight was playing on the clouds. Captain Davey said the engines were not forced. There was not more than a fractional variation of the vessel's speed throughout the 55J hours. If driven hard the Awatea could further reduce the time. The captain added: "We are well satisfied with the record and there will not be any further attempt to better it." The Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, sent a message of congratulation to Captain Davey. The Springboks, who arrived on the Awatea. have received an invitation to attend the Australian Jockey Club races to see the running of the Metropolitan Handicap. They will entrain for Melbourne to-morrow evening and sail for South Africa on Wednesday.

The Awatea cleared the Auckland port limits for the start of her timed crossing at 5.39 p.m. on Friday, and steamed in good conditions at a trifle over 23 knots. She reached North Cape at 1.30 a.m. on Saturday, and picked up favourable conditions in the Tasman Sea. According to private advice received in Auckland, interest heightened among her 300 passengers as the time approached for the start of the 24 hours' run, and when the result became known congratulations were soon forthcoming. The Canadian Australasian liner Aorangi radioed her congratulations, a similar message being sent by Captain E. R. Johanson, of the Matson liner Monterey, which left Auckland early on Saturday morning. News of the record was received in Auckland with general surprise, as it was not known that the Awatea contemplated a further attack on the record. The staff of the Auckland office of the Union Steam Ship Company are greatly pleased with the fine performance. Captain Johanson, of the Monterey, stated before he left Auckland that he would arrive in Sydney about 1 p.m. to-day. thus maintaining schedule. He said that he would not race hie shin, not only because it was against the regulations of his company, but because he was solely interested in running to time-table, with the maximum attention to the comfort of his passengers. This is Labour Day in Sydney, and hence nothing would have been gained by an early arrival. Auckland shipping men consider the Awatea's new record will stand for some time, and one and all pay tribute to the excellent passage made. There k much speculation as to how she would fare were she to enter the trans-Pacific service in relief of one of the present traders, or for some other reason. With' the advent of the Awatea in the trans-Tasman run interest has revived in the question of record crossings, and on that account it is held that the Nbrd-deutscber-Lloyd cruise liner Bremen will shatter the existing best time for the Sydney-South Island crossing when she arrives at Milford Sound on April 4. The Bremen, with a gross register of 51.656 tons, is one'of the largest vessels •afloat, and is a former holder of the Blue Riband of the Atlantic, which she crossed at an average speed of 28 knots. As the detailed times of depwture and arrival at the various ports are not at present available the estimated time of crossing cannot yet be calculated. The service speed of the Bremen should be 25 to 27 knots. The Empress of Britain is another fast craft with a service speed Jn excess of that of the Awatea or the Matson vessels. Her substitute itinerary is not yet known.