ATLANTIC SPEED RIVALRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18496, 5 September 1923, Page 7

ATLANTIC SPEED RIVALRY.

BRITISH LINER'S RECORD. LEVIATHAN A CHALLENGER. Since .1907, when the Lnsitania made her advent, the speed record of the North Atlantic has been held by British vessels, says a London paper. Prior to that date the fastest ocean-going steamers were under the German flag. These . were the Kaiser ■ Wilhelm, 11., Deutschland, Kronprinz ' Wilhelm acid Kaiser • Wilhelm : der Grosse. The speed •of these ships ranged between 23 and_2v>i knots', the Germans having held tho Blue Riband" of the Atlantic for. the ten years i preceding the "coming of the Lnsitania and Mauritania. ij . The two Cunarders were a very bold experiment, as they were propelled by Parsons turbines instead of quadruple expansion engines, which was the type of machinery with which the previous i re-cord-breakers were equipped. When- it was decided, after agreement with tho Government, to build the Lusitania and Ma'iretania, the Cunard Line laid down two 18.000-ton vessels, the Caronia and Car mania, the former of which had reciprocating engines, while the latter was turbine-driven. The practical experience thus obtained was of the greatest value in the construction of the hull and machinery of the new 30,000-ton liners. There was little difference in the speed of these magnificent ships, and .what, they were capable of in the way of high speeds is seen by the performances of the Mauretania. . She has .crossed the Atlantic at an •' average speed of 26.06 knots, and has made 27 consecutive trips at an average speed : of 254 knots, while when she has been aided by an abnormal tide she lias on more than one occasion exceeded 30 knots. _ . . Whether the Leviathan has sufficient power to beat 'these wonderful ' acnievaments remains to be seen. So far she has only made one Atlantic crossing, on which she averaged 23.65 knots. Naturally she would not be forced on a first voyage, and it is a safe presumption that she can do considerably better _ than this. In this connection it is interesting to note that the Majestic, of the White Star Line, steamed at about the same rate when she went into commission last year. Her best passage, however, up to date was at the rate of 24.5 knots. There can be no question that the speed record of the Atlantic lies between these three. There are others engaged in the express- service between Southampton and New York, but . they were 'not built with any idea of "challenging the performances of the Mauretania. The Aquitania. for example, has crossed at 234 knots, and so has the Berengaria, which is to all -intents and purposes a sister of the Leviathan, though she sails under the Cunard flag. The Olympic has made a best passage of 22.6 knots, so that she, too, is out of the running so far as the Blue Riband is concerned. The present season may be expected to produce some notable quick passages between continent and continent when the vessels revert to the northern, or. shorter, route, which they abandon until such time as the North Atlantic is ice-free. It may be of interest to point out that of the six largest and fastest vessels in the world, all engaged in linking Europe and America, three are British-built, and three are German and all burn oil in their furnaces instead of coal. Of course, since the Majestic, Leviathan, and Berengaria changed their ownership there has been some revision of their engine-room departments, but still the fact remains that the contest on the Atlantic is practically one between German and British naval architects and engineers.