BIG LINERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 100, 30 April 1927, Page 20

BIG LINERS

THE LIMITS OF:MODERN LUXURY.

The whole question of sea travol, so - far as the'travelling public is cpncern--1 ed, resolves itself into getting'to one's d>stination as cxpeditiously as post siblci with the greatest degree of comj fort and luxury. In my opinion thelo is no class of ship, afloat to compare [ with tho big liners in "satisfying tlieai?. ■ conditions, writes Sir Bertram Hayes,' j White Star liner captain, in the "Daily Chronicle." Shipbuilders have solved , the problem of tho strength of hull nej cessary to withstand tho strains they t are subjected^ to in passing, through heavy seas, and engineers have evolved types of engines which cause little or no vibration when they aro being driven at high speed even in bad' wca- .. ther. Thus thoy arc just as safe and a good 'deal more:comfortable than ships of a'inore moderato size. They arc, of course, the most expen-' sivo class of ship to build oiraecount . of their great strength, and the luxuri- |. ous manner .in which they are fitted out. The cost, too, of operating them,; • on account of the largo crews .they i carry to 'miniater to the wants of pas - sengers, v ia ;cnorjrious. '}. One wonders t - sometimes how shipowners have the _ courage to "place so many eggs in one ':. L.isket,"'and' whether the limit in size • has liot been reached. Personally, I think it has. A few f more tons may be added, so that some I firm may advertise that they own "the . largest ship-in'the world," or to satisfy t some nation's vanity, but not enough .. to make any material difference in their j present size. V j . The limits of, luxury, too, I should » say, have been touchud. There, are j private suites of roomsi. that cannot bo r excelled foir comfort, even in tho most r expensive hotels on shore. In the j restaurants one-can entertain one's - friends as lavishly as one-wishes. Then 3 there' are Turkish, electric and swiint ming baths, gymnasiums, squash racquet courts, and specially laid dancing •'■ floors. , • . -.. ■• . . ... ..;' The size of ships is governed largely ) by the depth of water at tho ports bc- [ tween which they ply. Herb, again ; tho limit, if not quito, has almost been l reached, unless the port : nthorities arc . prepared to;; spend, vast sums to. deepen [ the channels leading to., their ports, l which they show no'signs of doing at I present.. '.•.,' - Ido nbt think that too much attenI I tipn need "bo paid to rumours that shipowners, will not be ablo to afford to i construct big liners' in. the near future. . Only a few months! ago Mr. Franklini' . president of the International Mercan- . tile Marine Company,. stated that, the ; White Star Line had had plans pre- :: pared for one, and were about tp begin building it. " ■ ' ■ '■•■'■• : i By far the greater number of tho .passengers on big liners are on holiday, and the voyage is probably the most renjoyablo part of all. While they aro they havo nothing to do but 'enjoy themselves. Everything is done \tomake the time pass pleasantly—so in fact, that, when the paswage is drawing to its' close, one hears c»n all sides,, wishes expressed that it ciould last a few days longer. . For this reason I: do not think that t'.&e air liners when they make their .appearance, will prove a serious rival to>i tho big ocean liners. |