THE INDOMITABLE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 2631, 5 August 1908, Page 7

THE INDOMITABLE.

TRANSATLANTIC RECORD. THE 810 CUNARDERS ECLIPSED. AVERAGE, 25.13 KNOTS. (DI TELEGRAPH —I*UESS ASSOCIATION—COnitIGET.) London, August ,3. A marconigram has been received at Portsmouth, stating that the cruiser Indomitable, which is bringing back the Princo of Wales from the Quebec tercentenary celebrations, will roach Cowes to-night. Sho crossed the Atlantic at full-speed, and bcr test averago was twenty-sis knots. ' , ARRIVAL AT COWES. PRINCE OF WALES AS STOKER. (Rec. August 4, 9.45 p.m.) London, August 4. The Indomitable lias arrived at Cowes. She averaged 25.13 knots per hour in her run across the Atlantic, and her speed frequently exceeded 26 knots. The Prince of Wales and all the officers assisted the stokers during tho voyage. Tho Indomitable passed fifty icebergs.

CUNARDERS" RECORDS. For the purposo of comparison with the speeds of tho Cunard leviathan lines, we reprint the following from "The Times" of Juno 3:— 1 The Cunard liner Mauretania on her voyage from Liverpool to New York direct has established a world's record in ocean steaming. Although using only three screws, tho fourth having met with an accident some time ago, she accomplished the passage between the usual points in i days 20 hours 15 minutes. She left Liverpool at 5 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon and reached New York at 7.50 on Monday night. Her daily; runs were:— , To noon, Thursday, 202 nautical miles, average speed 21.41 knots. To'noon, Friday, G2l nautical miles,' averago speed 24.81 knots. To noon, Saturday, 620 nautical miles, average . speed 24.90 knots. To noon, Sunday, 635 nautical miles, average speed 25.50 knots. • The total distance to Sunday was 2078 miles, and average speed 25 knots. The best day's run of 635 miles exceeds that of the Lusitania by-three miles. The best westward run of tho Lusitania and Mauretania is respectively as follows:— '

Lusitania.—Distance, 2889 miles; time, 4days 20 hours 22 minutes; average, 24.83 knots. Mataetania.—Distance, 2890 miles; time, 4 days 20 hours 15 minutes; average, 2-4.B6knots. The Lusitania rcachcd Liverpool yestorday, her speed from Sandy Hook averaging 23.5G knots. CAN GIVE OR REFUSE EIGHT. The Indomitable in her trials easily, maintained a speed of 2G knots, and the leviathan cruiser was oxpectcd to smash in average speed all' trans-Atlantic records. The immense superiority of this new armoured cruiser was recently dwelt upon in a striking article in the Paris "Matin," which maintains that she is the only ship capable of forcing an engagement or refusing to fight. She greatly reduces the value of the armoured cruisers of all other navies. Owing to her heavier guns -and greater protection, sho could keep such a distance from the three best French, Japanese, and, American vessels of the same type, that while her own fire would bo perfectly effective, she would be invulnerable to their fire. Indoed, the Indomitable could match'herself against most of the French and Gorman battleships in commission, and is superior to some of the British. "Germany and Japan are each constructing two armoured cruisors equal in' valuo to the Indomitable. What are we doing? We contemplate putting two battleships on the stocks two years hence."

The Indomitable's run across from Canada will probably be used as an advertisement for the All-Red route, though no doubt its supporters will not emphasise the icebergs. The cruiser, like the Cunarders, has turbine engines.