NEW CUNARDER

Evening Star, Issue 21824, 13 September 1934, Page 9

NEW CUNARDER

RUDDER FITTED ■ELEVEN DECKS READY. GLASGOW, August 9. After many hours of skilful and dangerous work Scottish erectors fitted the world’s largest rudder to the sternpost of the liner 634 on Tuesday. It is a hollow, streamlined affair of special steel weighing 163 tons, so delicately poised and balanced against the colossal stresses of steering the 73,000-ton liner as to require a minimum of power to operate it. It will respond to the helmsman’s lightest touch. _ Iron ladders are permanently fixed inside it to enable workmen to paint and repair its internal system of trellis-Hkc girders.

The fourth and last propeller shaft end was slipped into position well ahead of the schedule, which calls for the launching ceremony on September 26. with Queen Mary officiating. The ceremony is to be broadcast throughout the world. Experts arc convinced that oven a high gale would not interfere with the actual launching of the ship, which is now being rehearsed, although there is some risk that a wind may catch the huge bulk as it enters the water and make it unmanageable before it can bo got under control by tugs. It was at first planned that Urn ship would have only nine decks at the time of the launching, but snob progress Ims been made Unit two additional decks will be completed before the ceremony.