AN OCEAN GIANT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23011, 12 April 1938, Page 13

AN OCEAN GIANT

EMPRESS OF BRITAIN VESSEL, BERTHS TO-DAY LENGTHY STAY IN PORT TRIPS FOR PASSENGERS The largest merchant vessel to visit Auckland, the Canadian-Pacific liner Empress of Britain, of 42,350 tons, arrive this morning. In size she k excelled by only nine liners in the world and by only three British merchant ships. She is also the largest world cruise vessel. Tho Empress of Britain will berth on the eastern side of Prince's Wharf between 7.30 and S a.m. For the jiiany thousands of Aucklanders who " jue expected to watch her come up the Jiarbour, possibly the most impressive "sight will be when she leaves Rangitoto Channel and swings round North Head. She is due at the pilot grounds gt the entrance to the channel at 6.30 and it is thought that she will reach North Head by seven o'clock. Men on the Bridge On the lofty bridge will be three riec sharing tho responsibility of berthing the liner. They are Captain W. G. Busk-Wood, commander of the liner, Captain J. F. Spring-Brown, coastal pilot in-New Zealand and Australian waters, and Captain W. Bes- j wick, senior member of Auckland's regular pilot sjaff. Nosing into the vest's sides as she is brought into her berth will be the Auckland Harbour Board tugs William C. Daldv, under Captain D. Burgess, and Te Awliina, under Captain I). Probert, while on the wharf supervising the berthing will be the harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant. Although consideration for tho uninterrupted comfort of the passengers has resulted in a decision not to open the huge ship to public inspection, her three and a-luilf days' stay in port will provide everybody with an ample opportunity for appreciating her size. She will leave punctually at 5 p.m. on Friday for Suva, Honolulu, the Pacific Coast rtf the United States and New York. The manner in which care is taken to adhere to the ship's schedule is shown by the fact that when she left; New York on January 8 at 11 a.m. she had orders to berth there "again over four months later on May 16 at 9 a.m. . after steaming more than 35,000 miles. Tours by Passengers

The Empress of Britain's passengers will spend most of the time in port making specially arranged tours of the city and province. From 50 to 60 will leave for I'otorua immediately after the vessel berths, and about 100 will spend the day in Auckland and its suburban districts before going to Jlotorua to-morrow. About -10 others left the ship at Wellington to come through the North Island by motorcar and others made a deviation to National Park, Taupo. Rotorua and Waitomo.

Of the 466 passengers on board. 183 joined the ship in Australia. About 50 more will embark in New Zealand, six --or seven leaving her on the Pacific fiast and the remainder going to Southampton.