Queen Mary's First Journey

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 72, 26 March 1936, Page 7

Queen Mary's First Journey

Successful Progress Down Clyde

enormous crowds line

BANKS

(British Official Wireless).

RUGBY, Mar. 24,

Tho great; Guaard-Wliito Star liucr Queen Mary cast off front her fitting-out basin oa the Clyde this morning under good conditions and began her 14-nnlo •journey to the sea in the presence of an enormous crowd of sightseers who lined both banks of the river.

Tho delicate task, of manoeuvring from the basin was carried out without incident, and all the preparations mado for her departure proceeded strictly according to plan. For a few seconds the great ship remained motionless in mid-stream, and then she began to move slowly down the river. The first of the many awkward turnings in tho course, the Bcardmorc bend, was perfectly negotiated. Four tugs—-two fore and two aft—were in charge, and at these difficult places three additional tugs which wero in attendance nuzzled up to tho liner and pushed and coaxed her through the channel, which gave the vessel a clearance of only a few feet. Thi3 manoeuvre was accomplished very slowly, but to the complete satisfaction of tho experts. A great cheer was raised from the crowds when tho manoeuvre was coni' pletcd aud the vessel appeared to movo ogain at an appreciable speed. It is reported that the keel touched the ground twice for a few minutes, once fore and aft, and the second timo stern only, but it is authoritatively stated that no damage was done.

Having successfully completed the first stago of her journey down tho Clyde early this afternoon, the Queen Mary anchored for tho night off Greenock. When she proceeds in the morning she will be put through her paces on reaching tho open water off the Isle of Arran. She is due at Southampton on Friday afternoon. Navigation Feat Makes History PILOTED WITHOUT A HITCH. LONDON, Mar. 24. Thousands of people camped on the banks of tho Clyde all night in order to witness tho Queen Mary mako her historic journey to the sea. A slight breeze favoured the voyage. The mighty liner moved slowly from the basiu, and two tugs commenced to pull her to tho middle of tho channel. Her movement was at first imperceptible, and it was fifteen minutes before tho liner’s two inside propellers churned the water. Five minutes later .the tugs took up their positions. Tho operations were carried out -without a hitch, and the crowds, with thunderous cheers, paid tribute to the completion of tho most difficult aud most intricate operation in the history of navigation in the Clyde. The Queen Mary began her journey downstream as aeroplanes zoomed overhead and dipped in saiutc. It took hail' an hour to negotiate the Bcardmorc double bend, a quarter of a mile from the shipyard. The pilots directed the operations by moans of electric loudspeakers at each end of the ship. After passing Bowling, the most acute bend in .the course, the’ Queen Mary gathered speed for a clear run to Greenock.