GIANT LINER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22401, 23 April 1936, Page 8

GIANT LINER

THE QUEEN MARY PASSAGE DOWN THE CLYDE VESSEL TWICE AGROUND A PERILOUS ACHIEVEMENT [from our own correspondent] By Air Mail LONDON, April 4 Never before has the departure of a 6hip called for so much public interest as when the giant Queen Mary left the Give dockyards last week. On the night before the sailing many thousands of sightseers assembled along the fifteen miles of' river banks. Camp fires were to be seen in scores of places between Clydebank and Greenock. People camped out for the night, some in tents, others in their cars or in caravans. Special trains were run from all over England and Scotland, and Glasgow was invaded by crowds outnumbering even the great assembly of people who were at the launching ceremony of the Queen Mary eighteen months ago. " The ship is astonishingly far advanced," wrote the representative of the Daily Telegraph, "even in trivial detail, and almost looked as if she could sail on her maiden voyage to America. In the main saloon, tables and chairs were set out under dust covers. The decorative panelling shone gaily. Scores of women were polishing and dusting. Others were tacking down the luxurious carpets. Men were trying the lifts. Bedding was being carried aboard. Most of the public rooms and many of thtf cabins looked ready for use in all their shining newness. " Everywhere wood and glass panelling looked crisp and clean." Little Vibration During the night the wind had driven so much'' water into the upper reaches of the Clvde that the pilots decided to advance the time of sailing by an hour. With seven tugs in attendance the Queen Mary moved slowly out of the docks without fuss or noise. Half-an-hour later the gref.t liner was set exactly parallel with the dredged channel leading to the sea. On two occasions the Queen Marv touched/the mud. The cause appeared to be the rising tide swinging her bows toward the northern bank at the same time as, a fresh breeze on her quarter pushed the stern ever to the other bank. On the first occasion the ship remained lightly embedded in the mud for twenty minutes, completely blocking the channel. High water was three hours ahead, however, and could be counted on to get the ship clear. The tugs got to work —two ahead, two astern, the other three nuzzling the Queen Mary's side. In a few minutes she was clear and once more on her journey down the rirer. Five minutes later the same misadventure occurred. On both occasions the engines were put at full speed astern, and those on board report that there was little vibrjition. >vas still further excitement at a ,bend further on, but this time the ship did not touch ground, but was slowed while the tugs again set her on a right course. Another awkward moment was anticipated at Bowling, but the Queen Mary rounded the bend in good style. Under Perfect Control From here on, past Dunglass Castle, Dumbarton Rock, Port Glasgow and to Greenock there were no further mishaps. The great ship was under perfect control, and about five hours after starting on the first perilous voyage the anchor was dropped off the Tail of the Bank. The river is so narrow at Clydebank that she could not nearly lie across stream, and her launching and turning to sail away were only made possible by the mouth of the tributary, the Cart, which lies opposite. The banks are low and flat. Spectators could throw a stone on to the passing ship with little efforb. While the Queen Mary was undergoing preliminary trials in the Firth of Clyde the burned-out L'Atlantique was towed from her moorings at the Tail of the Bank to the shipbreakers' yard at Port Glasgow. Experimental runs were made by the Queen Mary over the measured mile off Arran, but these were not intended as official speed trials, which will take place in the Firth after the liner has been docked and overhauled at Southampton. In the evening the ship returned to her anchorage at the Tail of the Bank. Her hull was floodlit, and pleasure steamers from Greenock made trips round to give spectators a close view.