THE STORY OF THE STEAMSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 14535, 10 December 1910, Page 13

THE STORY OF THE STEAMSHIP

Tii:; hunch from the famous shipbuilding yard of Harland and Wolff at Belfast of the greatest British strainer afloat —tho Olympic—marks another stage in the history of British shipbuilding. Hho is undeniably the largest strainer" that sails undi;!' the British Flag. • Tho history of the .steamship covers very little more than 100 years, for it was only the other'day that the. centenary of Fulton, who built tho first steamer to crot-s the' Atlantic, was celebrated in tho United States. It w;is in 1803 that Fulton submitted to a commission set up by the groat Napoleon his design for a steam towboat, which, on being tried on the Seine, broke in two and went- to the bottom. The hull \v;vs too weak to carry the machinery, a misl.ako that Fulton loot no time in remedying. His next experiment was successful, for he turned out a boat thatwjus "moved like a chariot by wheels, these wheeis being provided with paddles, or Hat plates, and being moved by a fire engine." The boat, was propelled at the rate of three and a-haif miles per hour. The problem of propulsion by steam \ya*i thus solved. It is jii6t seventy years ago since the crack Atlantic liner, the- British Queen, of which a picturo is presented below, crossed the "herring pond." She

THE BRITISH QUEEN, THE FIRST STEAMER TO VOYAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

v.vs about 200 ft i.i length, and cost £60,000 to buil<l. She made the voya.go in sixteen daw, whiili iif those days was considered wonderful. .She consumed 613 tons (if ( oal each uuy. THE MODERN LEVIATHAN. \:. i, [..! above, the Olvmpic is the largest steamer afloat to-day. In the con-<.<-i''-'i-'-i (,;' !].•;• linU OO.OOO'tons of sUcl have been used, and she i.s 840 It m length, Vi'n ilv ;. :i i of 92ft.'and a depth from keel to main deck-rail of 62ft. With nmc -;''■! d--'-!----'. <-'e- will provide accommodation for 5,000 p;us*>ugers. and will carry a .'■■■'■ v ;.:' KlO >(»-.., i n,. ~uite a small town. One of the upper decks is to be eom,,|r■.•!•• to serve as a bull room, or as a'.skating rink or theatre, while the '.Mr; lie e onmodation i.s on the sumptuous seale of the best of first-class hotels. \^, L ~.,;... v; ;| i; i, ; . possible to obtain eabin suites, but one may travel ju a complete ■'• ti'n ' ; ''.,...| ,1-L-uii- bedroom, sitting room, or parlor, privaie baths, and even a pnvV pi,, ,;v v.hh of course, private meals. 'then for the. vigorous there are c-lee, vi' ! i oiivate shower baths, a, great swimming bath, a.ud a. gymnasium, while Vi> ~!;,■ u\"-m- upper decks astern there i.s to be a verandah cafe after the idea ot t|i'.. (,•)..., .-W tares of Southeni Europe, with an orchestra and an orpin playing the n,iV-n inrv To make absoluK-iv sure that the lady passengers .shall not- suiter -■.■c,.|. criui a medislcV parlor and a jewellery store ale to be open to Inst and V„„„lViaV with a " \fi."- ''iU iIV fact that there are to be nurseries: for children seems a mere item. r p,."..,'■;.'„,. .',i this powerful vessel are of from 'IB.OOO to 50.000 horse-power, and !■.',' vVkV'when completed will be £1.500,000 sterling. Tiiis picture of the Olympic, ,s fhe wi'l appear when in commission, was taken from an oil painting m the possession "i Messrs ltmav, Imrie, and C 0... of the .»lute Ktar line.

THE OLYMPIC (THE CREATEST SHIP AFLOAT), BELONCINC TO THE WHITE STAR LINE, RECENTLY LAUNCHED AT BELFAST. |.-.,- 11... piin,.ec of <oinnari.-on wc .pioto here, a table -icon by Ml I!. A. i.'leu-'r.,- in hi< '• Steamships : The .Story ->< their Dovelopmour, u, the l.'rose-nt Day.' Miowiii", the dimensions, ihe <-..,*£, and the daily coal coiiHW.ption ot live ot tl.' .-iviteft Atlantic liueiY alloat- today :■ - . . ■-• ■ " , l\;iif,er I.imCOTliin.uV. iVe.-uiiv. Haiti". Wilhehnlf. lama. ~- , ~..„> o 0 Vjo,) L'o.iOO -vi.ooo 2U.000 -U.oOO j ll , 1 ,-',, ;;; ;;; ;.'.' .'.'.' .'.'.' ,■•„,,:, III „, I ,i li:l ';>i <■-,,!, iohm'" , 8 . 4(X) 2GO 6()() m \f A - V b -'' Go 68.5 75.0 72.3 (38 '. lv:u,:1 45 40 40 52.0 60.5 f |)th .„.„..."■ .' 12,950 17.274 23.G00 19,560 38 ; 830 Nnmlßsi'of ho.krs ... £73 g iooo £BOO,OOO £927.200' £1,250,000 'l2 double and 7 fingle.