SUPREMACY ON THE ATLANTIC.

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 73, 23 September 1922, Page 12

SUPREMACY ON THE ATLANTIC.

A most interesting situation has arisen in the contest for speed supremacy on the Atlantic. There are sis great liners on the Southampton-New York run -(the retania, " Berengaria, and Aquitania, of the Cunard Line, and the Majestio. Olympic, and Homeric, of the White Star Line), aIJ tuned, up for the greatest

"Ocean Derby" since ijre-war days. The position of the vessels in this contest for the Atlantic iblue ribband, is at- present as follows, the figures denoting the best speed for a whole voyage during- the present season:—Mauretania, 25.29^ knots; Majestio, 24.2 knots; Berengaria, 25.38 knots; Aquitania, 23.38 knots! Olympic, 22.55 knots i Homeric, 18.69 knots. All these vessels, with the exception of the Homeric, burn oil fuel. Thus, as Trail as settling the championship, this season's results will provide useful data, for comparing the hew method of steam-raisins; by oil with tiro old method of usinp coal. The contest has progressed far enough to reveal'that the race now lies between the Mauretania and the Majestic. The Majestic,, like the Berengaria, is Germanbuilt. She was designed to capture from Britain siie and speed record*. Her backers point out that she has shown her qualities in the latter respect by übirijr a recent sprint at 27.82 knots, and that as she is only besiiiiiinff. "to feel her engines" she will make things hum for the Cunarder when they g-et tuned to the right pitch. The Mauretania backers reply that she, too, has not yet settled > down since her conversion to oil-burning, that i£ spurting counts for anything, she • has a 28.2 knots spurt to her credit, and. that with a former whole-voyage achievement of over 26 knots she will, if needed, still show all-comers a clean pair of heels. With all this healthy and good-natured rivalry new records are expected. There may be surprises, too, for the Cunardcr Bereri-geria, sinoe she took to oil fuel, is looked upon a« a "dark horse" of the Atlantic.