EX-GERMAN LINER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18174, 21 August 1922, Page 7

EX-GERMAN LINER.

EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA. REMARKABLE MACHINERY/ • Records hive been established by . tho > turbine engines in the Canadian Pacific 1 Railway's latest liner, Empress of Au's--1 tralia, daring Jrer ; trials on the Clyde. ' She was formerly known-as the Tirpifcz; &e was built at Hamburg, and. in Get;- *•■ \ many was called " BallinV Pet." • She is one of the German, vessels surrendered to this country. : The, Empress, of Australia i£f the sole survivor of her class. Her sisters, including the Koehig 'Louise, were sunk by the Allies during Sostjlities. An extraordinary feature in her engine- , room is that then; is no metallic contact - between .the turbine and the propeller shaft. Thtt driving ;j>owex j» conr 1 tinuous, and the turbine never ceases to run, and the ye6ult is an entire absence of; jolting. Her British captain, during the trials found it possible to change from full ppeed ahead to full speed astern in, two minutes seconds. This v remarkable achievement is due to the fact that in loss /than a minute 13,030 horse-npTicr ahead is transformed to 10,000 hbrae- . power asterai. • Her machinery was by Herr Ballin, Germany's greatest, shipping inagnafre. who di<?d by bis own hand' when he learned the nature of the armistice terms, and no ether Vessel afloat possesses such a curious transformei,' gear. " \ Hamburg workmen engaged in fitting her jout exhibited .their chagrin at the news that she was to be transferred to British ownership bv removing thc> * inkstands and all the movable souvenir? which were originally destined to enhance the reputation of the German mercantile marine. ; ■ 1 .. - The lighting installation is German, and i directions in that language appear in th* ' ship, with accompanying translation# S English. One experiences a cur£U* mg when walking about a which exhibits instructions m and contains oil paintings«v * aF There is sot an elwtric ship* All aunfck to .the crew are, wards ; coloured lights—■ green for ifffi be on .<!»• C.P.K... th© Panam*. Vancouver and nassenger inaugurate a mw the Far r oat« to China and , >