WORLD'S GREATEST SHIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23060, 10 June 1938, Page 11

WORLD'S GREATEST SHIP

LAUNCHING ARRANGEMENTS WIDENING OF RIVER CLYDE (Received June 9, 6.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY. June 8 The River Clyde Trustees have decided to widen the river at the Beardmore Bank to assist the passage down to the sea of the great liner Queen Elizabeth, which is to be named and launched by the Queen at Clydebank on September 27. The Beardmore Bank is the point at which the liner Queen Mary touched the bank during her progress downstream after launching.

The largest and heaviest vessel ever built, the new Cunard-White Star liner Queen Elizabeth, now in process of construction at the works of John Brown and Company on the Clyde, is being built on the same general principles as those which governed the design of the Queen Mary; but there will be certain modifications, based mainly upon the experience gained with the Queen Mary. A new form of hull has been developed, and the Queen Elizabeth will have only two funnels, as against the Queen Mary's three. There will also bo other changes, both internally and e-vternally, but of a minor character. The length of the new vessel will be 1031 ft. overall —13 feet longer than the Queen Mary: and her eventual gross tonnage will be about 85,000, as against the Queen Mary's 81,235. The total passenger accommodation of the Queen Elizabeth will be 2410, some 300 more than that of her sister ship. Allowing for the calls at Cherbourg, the moderate speeds necessary in the Solent and on approaching and leaving New York, and the time taken in replenishing the ship with fuel, boiler water, provisions, stores, linen, etc?., a weekly service between Southampton and New York will require of the two vessels a minimum ocean speed of slightly more than 28 knots.