MAMMOTH LINERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 March 1934, Page 2

MAMMOTH LINERS

AN UNHAPPY HISTORY. “It is obvious that, under existing conditions, the construction of the great Cunarder could not be financed without State assistance, which, in the minds of those best qualified to judge, must be extended even to her eventual operation, at any rate, unless and until the North Atlantic passenger traffic resumes its post-war peak level,” says “Modern Transport.” “It is apt to be forgotten that the construction in 1907 of the Lusitania and the Mauretania, each of 32,000 tons, with a speed of 25 knots, was made possible only through Government assistance, and the procedure may well have inaugurated that worldwide policy of State subsidy from which the country now appears to be the/chief sufferer. These* were the largest ships of their time, although a few years later they were dwarfed by their White Star rivals, the Olympic and the ill-fated Titanic, of 46,000 tons each.

“What induced the White Star Line, in 1910, to adopt the ‘Big Ship policy will probably never be known, but it is on record that Herr Ballin, of the Hamburg-America Line, having vigorously protested against it, proceeded to go one better by constructing the Imperator (now the Berengaria}, of 52,000 tons;, the Vaterland (now the American Leviathan), of 56,000 tons; and the Bismarck (now the Majestic), of 56,000 tons. Meanwhile, to operate with the Lusitania and the Mauretania, the Cunard had, in 1914, con-1

structed the Aquitania, of 47,000 tons. “Now, twenty years later, the White Star Line, which was thus responsible for launching the ‘Big Ship’ policy, is pinning its faith to ten moderate-sized, cabin-class ships of the Britannic and Georgic type of 27,000 tons each, whilst the Cunard is engaging in the production of the super first-class liner.

“Now, the price of Government assistance in the construction of the giant Cunarder is the practical amalgamation of these two supposedly competitive lines, and it is patent that, if, as is generally supposed, she is put into service in 1935, the entire resources of both lines will be required to keep her in operation.

‘‘Nevertheless, it is no secret that, with the possible exception of the Norddeutscher Lloyd’s Bremen and Europa, of about 50,000 tons each and having a speed of 26 knots, none of the so-called express liners on the New York run has been really profitable in recent years. The United States have laid up the Leviathan for many months; the Mauretania and Homeric have been entirely en-

gaged on cruises; and the remaining foui' Brtiish ships have been carrying on what is virtually a joint service between Southampton and New York. “The French line has practically stopped work on the construction of the 75,000-tons Normandie, and, at the earliest, she will not sail the Atlantic until 1935, though launched many months ago. The Ttaiia’ Line has satisfied national pride with the completion of the Rex, of 51,000 tons, and the Conte di Savoia r of 48,000 tons, and it is believed that the policy 5 of constructing these ships was due to the wishes of Mussolini.

“Experience on the Atlantic has shown that, unless a weekly service of similar ships can be worked, no service can be really profitable, and on this account both the Empress of Britain and the new Cunarder will need sister ships. In short, history of the ‘Big Ship’ has not been a particularly happy one, and during the last few years it has been nothing less than disastrous. Indeed, acute observers on both sides of the Atlantic claim that the day of the ‘Big Ship’ is past.’’