THE NEW CUNARDERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13355, 8 December 1906, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE NEW CUNARDERS.

DRAUGHT TOO GREAT FOR NEW

YORK HARBOUR.

[from our OWN correspondent.]

London", November 3. When Robinson Crusoe- built inland his famous long boat, in which he purposed escaping from his island, he overlooked the trivial point of how to get her to the sea— which, of course, he never did. Much the same oversight stems to have accrued in respect of the two gigantic turbine Cunarders just built for the Liverpool-New York service at. a ratio of 25 knots, for New York Harbour, it is now thought, will not be ready .to receive the vast Cunard. liners Lusitania and Mauretania when they arrive off that port a year and a-half hence. The builders estimate the load draught of the Mauretania at. 37ft .The American boatbuilders, according to the Shipping Gazette, think the draught will prove to be much greater, and that the two vessels will not be able to enter New York Harbour until the completion of the new Ambrose Channel, which, it is estimated, will take four years. Mr. Henry N.Babcock, United States assistant-engineer on New York harbour improvements, < who has charge of the work of the Government dredge, in the new Ambrose Channel, says there will bo 35ft of water at low tide in the channel by next .summer. The completed channel will afford 40ft. These depths are increased to 39£ft'and 44£ ft at high water. At present in the old channel there is 30ft of water at low tide and 34£ ft at high tide. When the Lusitania and Mauretania. were first proposed it, was the intention of the United States Government-:,to have a channel 40ft deep at low tide by the latter part of next year, when- it was hoped that the vessels would be completed. v It will be absolutely impossible, the engineers say, to complete the channel in the time originally set. The channel is a.'stupendous task,-.'and has cost, and will cost, huge sums of .money. It is to-be 40ft deep (low tide), 2000 ft wide, and seven miles long.-;-;: It will be provided with a system of lights, and.beacons which alone will cost £60,000. To complete the work of dredging will cost £400,000.-,-,; New Zealand had better try to secure the two colossals for the San Francisco- mail service 1;-^- : v' : -y ; ":-'' "■'..'.'>■ ";':' ■.'■''■'■ ■:'■■■'" "'•' -'". ;V - V: v