THE LEVIATHAN

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1933, Page 6

THE LEVIATHAN

WITHDRAWN FROM THE TRADE

LONDON, May 6.

The Leviathan,, the largest American liner, is to be withdrawn permanently. from, -the trans-Atlantic service next nknitli.

'inis great shin, formerly the German Vaterland—seized here duiing toe nar—lias L-eui steadily losing money for some time past, due, it is said, to tiie combination of continued high operating expenses and a decline in trnn.s-Atiantic travel.

Even the heavy mail-carrying subsidy from the Government has. failed to bridge the gap between costs and receipts, and the vessel will be returned to the United States Shipping hoard by her present owners, the United States Lines. What will finally be done with her .is not known. It i understood that she will leave New York on April 25 for her last trip across the Atlantic as ; a passenger liner.

The withdrawal from service of the largest vessel sailing under the United States flag is teiitamount to an admission that tiie policy under which American shipping has been operated since the war is a failure, writes the shipping correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.”

It is another and very large nail in the coffin of the subsidy system, the ultimate collapse of which is believed to be inevitable.

Built in 1914 as Germany’s largest liner, the Vaterland—as she was then cal'od-—was caught by the war in New York, and. there she lay idle until America became a combatant in April 1917, when she was seized. Aft?r the war the renamed Leviathan was reconditioned' as a .luxury, liner at fabulous cost, and in order to make her on paper “the largest ship in tifo world”, certain open.spaces were decked over, bringing fior gross tonnage up to 59,957, as against the Majestic’s 5(5,021 tens. , ’

Actually, however, the British ship has always been the larger of the, pair her displacement—the true test of size • —being 04.000 tous to the Leviathan’s 63,100.

From the first .the American giant failed to pay her way, handicapped as she was in common with all American flag ships by operating charges, including labour, which are abnormally high compared ..with foreign standards. Moreover, her . speed of 23 knots was too hnv.to attract the'many passengers who prefer fast .ocean travel. As. the ship is 19 years old,. she is long past her- prime, and no doubt she will soon ha broken un.