DUAL CHRISTENING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 27 September 1934, Page 7

DUAL CHRISTENING

ENTHUSIASM MIDST RAIN LAUNCHED WITHOUT HITCH (Received 27th September, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, 26th September. The Cunarder 534 had a dual christening, drenching rain falling .as the Queen proclaimed, “I am pleased to name this ship Queen Mary.” The enthusiasm of a quarter of a million people was not dampened and thunderous cheering broke out as the surprise name was announced. Lord Abercomvay was the first to be presented to Their Majesties, then Mr D. Kirkwood, a member of the House of Commons who was prominent in the efforts to resume the construction of 534. A huge wave swept out- as the gigantic hull took the water. The glide occupied one minute. Thousands of tons of drag chains rattled out like continuous thunder, taking the strain and checking the liner. When the launch was safely accomplished thousands of cheering spectators threw hats, caps and umbrellas into the air. After the launching the crowd was permitted to the water’s edge from where it was previously barred owing to danger from the wave. Aeroplanes, previously forbidden within a mile, then flew over. The Royal Party watched the tugs tow the Queen Mary down the Clyde. The King turned smiling with satisfaction. and the party departed. There was not a hitch in the whole proceedings. The engineers’ calculations were accurate to the last degree. A remarkable incident preceded His Majesty’s speech. The crowd shouted “Umbrellas!” and silk hatted men and lace gowned women on the launching nlatform obediently closed their umbrellas and stood in the drenching rain.

Rehearsals in connection with the launching were begun early this month.

Eight great steel launching triggers, each with a hydraulic load of 300 tons, were in position and were operated by an electric button. The world’s largest rudder, weighing IG3 tons, streamlined

and made of special steel, was swung into position on 7th August. It is so delicately poised and has so perfect a balance that it will absorb _ the liio’best degree of stresses in steeling. The giant liner, 1018 feet long and 0000 tons heavier than any vessel launched in Britain before, lay in the slipway overlooking the Clyde, which at this point is only 700 ft wide. Tho launching however, carried the ship into the ’mouth of the River Cart, which enters the Clyde immediately opposite the building yard. The Cart has been widened and dredged in anticipation of the event. In view of the limitations of the spaco available arrangements were made to. check the vessel’s momentum. Massive drag chains of a total weight of nearly 1000 tons were attached to the sides of the vessel, asserting a gradual but progressive pull.

QUEEN OF THE SEAS “No. 534” or Queen Mary as she has now been named is destined to be queen of the seas —a majestic and beautiful vessel, capable of averaging 30 knots in almost any kind of weather, except a hurricane. Her largest rival, the uncompleted French Normandie, may run her close in several respects, hut will have neither her tonnage nor her speed. There are so many technical secrets being unfolded in the construction of this titanic ship that the Clydebank yard of Messrs .John Brown and Co. is as carefully guarded as a naval dockyard. Imagine a ship 1018 feet long with twelve decks, and yet so gracefully moulded from her tapering bow to her cruiser stern that she resembles a yacht writes the London correspondent of the “Sydney Morning Herald”. Imagine four colossal propellers each weighing 35 tons, and a streamlined rudder of 103 tons. Imagine turbine engines that will develop 200,000 horsepower. Imagine 27 oil-fired highpressure boilers that can be used so economically that at full speod they will burn hardly more fuel than the Mauretania, a vessel half the size. Imagine over ten million rivets weighing up to eleven pounds each, and plates and frames so strong that they could be used for a battle-cruiser. Imagine all this and you will have some conception of “No. 534”. Moreover, her hull has been so honeycombed with water-tight compartments that experts have pronounced her to be virually unsinkable. Such pronouncemens, it is true, have been made before, notably in the ease of the illfated Titanic, but marine engineers have made strides since those days. It took four long years to determine a design consistent with speed, seaworthiness and comfort, and this design, at last perfected, has been followed to the uttermost detail. Certainly it has been unaffected by the recent decision to provide a slight increase of gross tonnage, which will now exceed 73,000, equivalent to a displacement of 84,000 tons. This was done by enlarging the passenger accommodation.

A FLOATING PALACE Every known luxury is to be embodied after the liner enters the water. Both the Italians and the French have, of course, set a very high standard in this respect, hut that standard will be exceeded, with duo regard to British taste in decoration . and embellishment. There will be “streets” of shops, a theatre, a cinema, restaurants, roof-gardens, gymnasiums, a classic swimming a garage, palmcourts, and all . manner of aids to the comfort and convenience of passengers. Indeed, the ship will not be. so much a “floating hotel,” as a “floating palace.” Yet, despite her prodigious size and costliness her owners expect her,to earn.dividends, basing this hope on the fact that her mechanical efficiency will ensure economic operation. * Every conceivable electrical device to save time and money has been installed, and. this circumstance, combined with a relatively low oil fuel consumption, should produce tile required result. . The actual launching of a steamer so huge w r as a problem in itself, and the details of the operation have engaged the attention of experts for months. In actual weight, the hull is 9000 tons heavier than that of the Aquitania, the largest vessel hitherto launched from a British yard. It lay on the stocks diagonally to the Clyde proper, with the stern facing towards the River Cart, a convenient tributary. Among the largest ships in the world to-day apart from the Compagnie Gentrale Transatlantique’s Normandie and the Cunard S.S. Company’s No. 534, are:—The Majestic (50,021 tons gross), a British ship of the White Star Line built in 1921; the Berengaria 52,220 tons built in 1912 also British hut owned hv the Cunard line; the Bremen 51,050 tons g. built by Germany in 1929; the Rex 51,002 tons g, ! an Italian ship of the “Italia” Line built in 1932; tlie Europa 49,746 tons g., a German ship built in 1928; Ihe Leviathan 48,943 tons g., owned by U.S.A. and built in 1914; tlie Conte de Savoia 48,502 tons g. built by Italy in 1932; the Olympic 46,439 tons g. a British White Star liner built in 1911; and the Aquitania 45,074 tons g. built by Britain in 1914.

RESUMPTION OF BUILDING It was expected when the contract for th e “534” was let in December, 1930, that the launching would take place about the middle of 1932, but owing to the 'economic depression work was suspended after it had been in progress for a year. Subject to certain arrangements with the Treasury, however, the Government made advances to provide for the completion of the ship, and work was resumed last April. The resumption of building was an occasion for great rejoicing on the Clyde. Led by a pipe band playing “The Campbells Aro Coming,” the men returned to work full of enthusiasm. The first workmen to board the vessel were a squad of carpenters. They were followed by engineers and rivetters. Within a few moments yellow smoke was curling from the fires kindled by the “rivet boys”, and gradually the silence which had reigned for so many months was changed into a thunderous roar.

AN INDICATION OF SIZE Some indication of the size of the vessel may be gained from the following : if the vessel were laid along Trafalgar street it would reach from the Church Stops almost to the Post Office. The width would be half as wide again as the street, while the height from keel to boat deck would be twice as high as the Trafalgar Hotel.