SUPREMACY OF THE ATLANTIC.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 28 October 1922, Page 10

SUPREMACY OF THE ATLANTIC.

A most interesting situa&fen has arisen iif the contest for speed supremacy on the Atlantic. There are six great liners on the Southampton-New York run—the Mauretania, Berengaria, and Aquitania^ of the Cunard Line, and the Majestic, Olympic, and Homeric, of the White Star Line —all timed up for the greatest "Ocean "Oerhy" since pre-war days. The position of the vessels in-this contest for :Le Atlantic blue ribband is at \ rvsent /'as follows, the figures denoting the best speed for. a whole: voyage .'ormg the present season: Mauretania, 25.29 .knots; Majestic, 24.2 . knots; Beren- ! garia, 23.38 knots; Aquitania, 23.33 knots; Olympic, 22.55 knots; Homeric, 18.69 knots. 'All these vessels, with the exception of the Homeric, hum oil fuel. JFhus, as well as settling the (championship, this season's results will provide useful data for comparing the new

method of steam-raising hy ou with the old method of using coal. The contest has progressed far enough to reveal that ■ the race now lies between the Mauretania and the Majestic. The Majestic, like the Berengaria, is Germanrbuilt. I §he was designed to capture from Brii tain size and speed records. Her backers point out that she has shown her I qualities in the latter respect by doing i a recent' sprint at 27.82 knots, and that (as she is only beginning "to feel her she will make things hum for I the Cunarder when they* get tuned to the right pitch. The Mauretania backers reply that she too. has not yet settled down since her conversion to oil-burning; that if spurting counts for anything she has a 28.2 knots spurt to her <credit. and that with a, former whole-voyage achievement of^over 26 knots she will, if needed, still show allcomers a clean pair of heels.. With all this healthy and good-natured rivalry new records are expected. There may be surprises, too, ; for the Cunarder Berengaria, since She took to oil fuel, is looked upon as a, "dark horse" of the Atlantic. ■ x