DISTANCES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 29, 21 January 1929, Page 3

DISTANCES

(To the Editor.) Sir, —The “Orama’s” BrisbaneSydney record, 447 miles, is not fullyexplained. The Orient Line's booklet gives the distance as 508 miles, ■perhaps the distance liy sea in land miles, which would make it about 447 in sea miles, and the “Orama’s” speed over 20 knots, which she did on her trial trip. The distance by rail must be a lot over 500 miles. I would be g'lad if you could tell me what it is, and the meaning of the “508’’ and “447” miles, for certain. About 15 or 20 ships seem to be capable of doing over 14 knots between New Zealand and England, that'run through the Panama Canal. The best 8 or 10 Atlantic liners are much the finest in the world. The 15-year-old “Aquitania,” 45,000 tons, could steam from Wellington to Sydney in two days four hours, and the 21-year-okl “Mauretania,” over 30,000 tons in well under two days, at anything up to 28 knots, for that comparatively short run.—l am. etc., R.H.F. Havelack North. The Year Book of Australia gives the railway distances of the capital cities of the Commonwealth as follows :—Brisbane-Sydney 725 miles, Melbourne-Sydney 582 J miles, Mel-bourne-Adelaide 483 miles. Maps show the sea-distances between Brisbane and Sydney at 471 nautical miles.—F.d. H.B.T.