OCEAN TRAVEL

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1935, Page 7

OCEAN TRAVEL

TWO GIANT LIMES

JOINT SCHEDULE

MINIMISING COMPETITION

An event without precedent in the history of North Atlantic shipping will take place in the spring of next year, when the giant express liners Queen Mary and Normandie are to inaugurate a weekly "shuttle" service between Southampton and New York, writes Hector C. By water in the "Daily Telegraph." . ■ Under, a working agreement between the Curiard-White Star and the French Line the two ships will operate oh a joint schedule. . This arrangement will tend to minimise the competitive element, since to some, extent the speeds of the two . ships must be adjusted to conform to they common time-table. • On the other hand, it goes without' saying that each will strive to secure the blue riband if only as a matter of national prestige. Although the Normandie will begin her maiden voyage in a few weeks' time, when she is expected to beat the existing record (now held by the Italian liner Rex) by a handsome margin, her maximum speed is not likely to be developed until the Queen Mary has shown her paces. The Clydebank engineers, however, are supremely confident that their ship will prove the faster, and their conviction is based on technical data relating to both vessels which have yet to be made public. i, . I happen to know that tank model tests have shown the Queen Mary to be capable'of steaming at 34 knots iri » i moderate sea. ~.■■'. This speed can be made on a dis« placement of 80,000 tons, which wilUiie approximately her weight when fully loaded, with" all equipment and 6300 tons of fuel on board. : Owing to the enormous steaming capacity of her 24 Yarrow high-pressure boilers and the well-known flexibility of modern geared turbines, the British ship will have a reserve of speed almost certainly superior to, that of tha turbc-electrically-driven Normandie. SISTER ESSENTIAL. Between them the Queen Mary and the Normandie are certain to skim the cream of North Atlantic passenger traffic. Besides reducing.the voyage to four days from shore to.shore,, they offer a standard of seaworthiness and comfort never before approached. In the circumstances this AngloFrench collaboration is to be welcomed. Better still, however, would be tha quickest' possible construction of • sister to the Queen Mary. A second vessel is absolutely essential if British supremacy on the Atlantic. ferry is to be regained and maintained. ' ■ - . - Unlike the French Line management, which openly admits that the Normandie will be run at a dead.loss, the Cun-ard-White Star directors are confident that the Queen Mary will more than pay her way: But to implement their policy of operating,an all-British weekly express service a second ship is indispensable. . ■ Thanks to experience gained with the Queen Mary, a sister vessel could be built more speedily and at less cost. There is, unfortunately, no immediate prospect of her keel being laid, but negotiations which may lead to that happy* result are, I learn, being conducted in London behind closed doort, FAMOUS FIRST PASSENGERS. The world-wide interest in the Queen Mary i* indicated by the large number of passages which have already been booked for her maiden voyage. Applications are pouring in, mainly from Great Britain and the Dominions, though American reservations are numerous. . The first passenger list contains some famous names which cannot yet be divulged. I may hint, however,. that the interest which has all «*»«.»»» evinced in high quarters in Britain s crowning marine achievement w so well maintained that the Queen Marys first voyage across the Atlantic: is likely to prove a social event of the hrst °rTne Queen Mary has 12 decks, and her accommodation will provide for three classes of travellers-first tounst and third. No fewer than 25 public rooms will be at their disposal. First-class state rooms are to be situated on four decks, the upper .promenade T, B, and C. Most of them will have private baths. The majority of fhe rooms are outboard, with natural licht and ventilation, warm air heatIn? being supplemented by electric Jurist passengers are to be housed mainly onE deck, but * certain£un> ber of staterooms are on B and be? of tourist cabins will have private SSsSSs

noused as was the first-class passenget of this floating townThip is conveyed by ?%»**s additional to the conventwnal.bunk^ for subordinate members of•«£.«««*. over 4000 bedsteads, have been of d%tere will also be a Scotland Yar4 in Sture, staffed SSt^o^raSSS floating community.