QUEEN MARY SALLS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 207, 29 May 1936, Page 11

QUEEN MARY SALLS

Maiden Voyage Across Atlantic HUGE CROWDS GATHER Captain to Decide Whether To Attempt Record (British Official Wireless.) Rugby. May 27. Crowds estimated at 250.000 throng ed the Southampton Docks, the shores, of Southampton Water, and the heights of tlie Isle of Wight, and packed the decks of every available steamer and motor-boat, while aeroplanes flew overhead. as the new Cunard-White Star liner Queen Mary cast off on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic and moved slowly from her berth at 3.32 p.m. to-day. The manoeuvre was carried out perfectly and in less than a quarter of an hour. Then the great vessel, dwarfing all the craft she passed, gathered way and moved rapidly toward the sea. She was dressed over ad, and before she left the Blue Peter was run up at her foremost masthead to join the double house-flag of the Cunard-White Star Company flying at her aft mast. The huge liner made tier way through dozens of excursion steamers, while various aeroplanes and seaplanes signalled messages of good luck from the air. Twenty special trains were run from London, and many others from different parts of the country, packed with people who watched her departure. Many busy hours preceded the liner’s departure, and every incident, from the muster of the entire crew of 11(10 and boat drill with thfe launching of all 24 unsinkable motor lifeboats to the arrival of many distinguished pas sengers and their friends, was cheered by the quayside sightseers. There art--3000 persons aboard. In an interview, the liner’s captain. Sir Edgar Britten, who received messages to-day from well-wishers all over the world, said he was sure the Queen Mary would be a great success and spoke of her as a link of goodwill between two great English-speaking peoples. The captain was not to be drawn on the question of record breaking. He said the ship had a schedule, and he thought that if they kept to it they would not break the record.

Great crowds gathered this evening at Cherbourg to welcome the Queen Mary on her first call. Descriptions of the steamer’s departure are being broadcast in the 8.8. C. programmes, and each evening, in addition to special broadcasts during her voyage, reports of the liners progress will be relayed direct from the ship during nil news bulletins. The Queen Mary was thoroughly searched for stowaways before she left. The decision whether to attempt a record rests with Sir Edgar Britten, and will depend largely on the weather. Since the merger of the Canard Steam Ship Company and the White Star Line it lias been the practice for the ships to fly the house-flags of both lines. In the case of the original Canard liners the Canard house-flag is flown above the White Star flag. The ships taken over from the White Star Line, including the Majestic, Georgic, and Britannic, fly the Wliitc Star flag above that of the Cunard Line. CALL AT CHERBOURG Liner Still a Gala Ship FLOWERS EVERYWHERE (Received May 28, 7.50 p.m.) Cherbourg, May 28. The Queen Mary arrived at Cherbourg four hours 20 minutes after leaving Southampton. The liner embarked 100 or more passengers and also received by air films depicting her departure from Southampton and the running of the Derby, which will be shown aboard to-night. Tlie Queen Mary also took aboard £2,500,000 worth of gold bullion. A woman stowaway, found soon after leaving Southampton, was landed al Cherbourg. The Queen Mary is still a gala ship with flowers everywhere. More than 2000 bouquets were delivered for pas sengers at Southampton. The com mander received over 4000 telegrams wishing him good luck, including one from King Edward. The ship carries 3500 bags of mail from London and 35.000 letters through the Southamp ton Post Office, mostly envelope souvenirs owing to special stamping. The liner left Cherbourg for New York at 12.35 a.m. The “Daily Mail’s” special correspondent aboard learns that the sailing orders are to attempt a record if conditions are favourable. To break tlie record it will be necessary to reach Ambrose Light, New York harbour, on Monday at 6 a.m. The recognised course for tlie Atlantic record is between Bishop’s Rock, Scilly Isles, and the Ambrose Light. SPEED TRIAL RESULTS Strict Secrecy Observed The strictest secrecy regarding the actual results of the speed trials of the Queen Mary has been observed by the Cunard Steam Ship Company and by her builders. John Brown and Company, of Clydebank. While the tests were being carried out the liner was handled by Clydehanh engineers and the engine-room was tinder (he control of Mr S. J. I’lggot, managing director of John Brown and Co., Ltd. During her trials the Queen Mary sent out a radiogram telling of their success It came from Lord Aberconway, chair man of John Brown and Company. Ltd., ami read: , ~ “From Queen Mary, travelling full speed off Arran. “The directors and staff of John Brown's desire me to inform their workers at Clydebank and Sheffield, and also their neighbours on Clydeside, and (.heir friends elsewhere who have shown alien deep interest, sympathy and support during the building of the vessel, that Hie speed and the trials of the Queen Mary, conchidine to-day. have been in every wav successful, and that the performance of the vessel tins amply fulfilled our expectations." The French liner Normandie on tier maiden voyage made the westward passage across the Atlantic from Bishop's Rock to the Ambrose login, outside New York, in I days 3 hours 2 minutes, tlie average speed being 21198 knots On tlie return passage, her time from the Am brose Light to Bishop’s Kock was 4 days 3 hours 25 minutes, the average speed

being 30.35 knots. The best day’s run was an average speed of 30.91 knots over 24 hours. Mr. A. E. W. Mason broadcast from the Queen Mary a talk on her voyage from Southampton. In it he said: “Where Southampton Water widens into the Solent we saw the great ship put to as severe a test of her steering qualities as the most timorous seagoer could desire. Tho narrow Brambles channel, with its sharp turn to the west and its bend to the south, forces many much smaller steamers to go astern with one engine, but the Queen Mary did not need that check —she went ahead all tho time, and, though with a gross tonnage of 80.000. slid round the Calshot lightship as easily and lightly as if she were a toy boat on 'ho Round Pond . . “Wo are not out to show off. or to. aim at fantastic records. What the ship is engaged npon is the endurance trial of her engines, in aceordance with tho contract entered into five years ago. with the ship running daring the Inst 24 hours of her voyage upon her regulation service That service hogan at half-past four this afternoon Since then, to use a loose but intelligible phrase, we have been running at her regulation full speed : and vet. sitting in the groat dining-ronin, so free was it from vibration, we coma hardly be aware that the Queen Mary was moving at all. . .

BUILDING SISTER SHIP

Announcement Expected

(Received May 28, 7.-10 p.m.) Loudon, May 28. The “Daily Herald” says ••>«( ;l sister ship to the Queen Mary, to be called the King George, will ba announced in a few days.