ATLANTIC RECORD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 11

ATLANTIC RECORD

WEST TO EAST QUEEN MARY AGAIN AVERAGE OF 30.63 KNOTS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August 31, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 30 The Cunard - White Star liner Queen Mary has now won the blue riband for the Atlantic crossing from west to east. The liner passed Bishop Rock, Scilly Isles, at 8.12 p.m. to-day (eastern standard time). The to Bishop Rock had occupied 3 days 23 hours 57 minutes for the 2929 miles and the average speed of the vessel was 30.63 knots. The time is 3 hours 31 minutes under the Norniandie's best. The Queen. Mary made the new record in spite of a fog hanging over the Scilly Islands and the Channel. Thousands of people who had assembled oni the south-west coast were disappointed as visibility was reduced to one or two miles. The daily figures for the trip are: First day, 570 miles at 30.13 knots; second day, 703 miles at 30.57 knots; third day 713 miles at 31 knots; fourth day 712 miles at 30.96 knots. Captain Sir Arthur H. Rostron, formerly commander of the Cunard fleet, says: "I am as proud as anyone that this country has won back the blue riband and I extend my hearty congratulations to Sir Edgar Britten, commander of the Queen Mary, and to the chief engineer. Speaking to a representative of the News Chronicle from the Queen Mary over an ocean telephone, Mr. Manyier, president of International Rotary, said: "Everyone on board is delighted. There have been queues round the notice board and the passengers have toasted Sir Edgar Britten and the crew in the bars. We are having a real gala dinner this evening. The Daily Mail says: "It was a great moment for Britain when the Queen Mary passed Bishop Rock. There is nothing wrong with British seamanship or shipbuilding. The Stirling Castle is speeding to Capetown. "Unfortunately these triumphs cannot be matched in other directions. The wasting disease of the mercantile marine can be seen. It is most deadly in the Pacific. The blue riband of the Pacific must be ours as well as tho trophy of the western ocean."

On her last trip to New York the Queen Mary passed Ambrose Lightship at 11.12 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, New York summer time, competing a record run from Cherbourg breakwater of 4 days, 7 hours, 12 minutes, at an average speed of 30.01 knots, compared with the Normandie's best average speed of 29.64 knots. The Queen Mary improved upon her own previous record, established on July 26, but not officially claimed, by 1 hour 25 minutes. As she passed Nantucket Lightship in the middle of the afternoon she averaged 30.08 knots, but a heavy fog on the Long Island coast somewhat retarded her.