THE LUSITANIA

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6315, 16 September 1907, Page 7

THE LUSITANIA

A RECOR'D RUN QUEENSTOWN TO SANDY HOOKTREMENDOUS RECEPTION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright NEW YORK, September 14. The Lusitania arrived at Sandy Hook, and crossed the bar at three minutes past 9. On the fourth day’s run she put up 593 knots, despite a fog. The Lusitania boat tho land-to-land record by ohrs 44min. Her average speed was 23.01 knots an hour, as compared With the Deutschland's record in 1900 of 23.15 miles from New York to Plymouth. The passage from • Queenstown to Sandy Hook occupied 4 days 20 hours. Tho Lusitania’s engines worked perfectly. She never slowed down during intermittent fogs, lasting 21 days. Tho Lusitania mot with a tremendous reception. She is the first big liner to enter New York through the new Ambrose Channel,, which saves five miles’ steaming. The coal consumption during the trip was under 1000 tons. THE BIGGEST SHIP AFLOAT. (Prom Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, August 2. All the papers are singing the praises of the new Cunard liner Lusitania, and, indeed, there is good reason to be proud of such a triumph of the shipbuilder’s art. The Lusitania is the “last word” in marine architecture. Not only is she the biggest vessel that has ever pub to sea; and the fastest that has ever been built, but she is the embodiment of all the luxury and solid comfort that money can provide and brains. suggest for travellers afloat. Last week-end tho Lusitania went for a trial cruise round Ireland, and meandered over the nine hundred-mile course at a modest twentytwo knots per hour—a leisurely pace for a flier that can cover a measured mile at the rate of 25.6 knots per hour. DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION. It is just about four years since tho Canard Company entered into an agreement with the Government to build two steamers which should win back for Great Britain the honour of possessing the fastest vessels plying on .the Atlantic. Of thesb. the Lusitania, .built on tho Clyde, is tho first to be ready, but hoi sister, the Mauretania, which is building at Tyne-side, is only a few weeks behind her. The Lusitania is, with'the exception of her sister ship, by far the largest and most powerful vessel afloat, for her gross tonnage of 32,500 is more than 7000 tons in advance of -her nearest rival in sire, and the horse-power of 68,000, which was recorded on her trial, is no less than 26,000 horse-power ahead of her nearest competitor. Her length is 785 ft, her extreme breadth 88ft, and her depth from the boat deck nearly 78ft. Her boilers and machinery are relatively on -an even more ’ gigantic scale, because of the enormous power required for propulsion at the speed which she attains. Twenty-five boilers, having in all 192 funrnaoes attended W by the same number Of firemen, are provided to generate steam, and the smoke passes' away through four elliptical funnele, which are 24ft across-on the longer axis, and which tower 155 ft above the keoL The engine-room contains four turbines, each driving its own propeller-shaft and screw—or, rather, the number of turbines should be stated as six, since tho two central propeller shafts are each worked by two turbines, one for going ahead and the other for going astern. The rotating portions of the low-pres-sure turbines attain a diameter of nearly left, and at full/speed have, a peripheral velocity in - the neighbourhood of 150 ft a second; yet the clearance bo-' tween the tips of their blades and the castings in which they run is only from l-30th to l-25th of an inch—a fact which shows the precision of the workmanship required in their construction/ LUXURIES OF TRAVEL. Passengers on the Lusitania will find themselves in a live-etoriec! floating hotel of the most luxurious description. The illusion of entering 1 some first-class modern hotel is complete when' the passengers board the v&sol on the street level, so to speak. They find themselves in a spacious reception hall, on the lowest of five decks, which are sat vide for first-class passengers. - These decks are all connected by a double staircase opening on each deck into a large i»«n and giving access to the series of superb apartments on tho particular tier. A" couple of lifts, electrically worked, art* situated in the .centre of the staixeasse, and afford means of rapid transit from deck to deck, and, : with the stairway, give the impression that one is in an hotel of the most modem type. Thai impression is even more pronounced when the voyager roaches the level ot the boat-deck. Here, on either side of the ship, he gets glimpses of some of the finest public ■ apartments of the vessel. lounge, music-room, - and sxnok&. room stretch away aft to such a diafamwp that it seems impossible to suppose tl*t they can form anything but portions of some palace ashore. -The illusion is confirmed as one walks through et**— magnificent rooms, whoso dimeTn/erc and loftiness must be unparalleled on shipboard. The voyager only realises ffi-t he is at sea on reaching the verandah cafe beyond the smokeroom, where, shattered on three, sides and overhead, he may in the worst of weather enjoy his cigar practically out of doors. Tideverandah cafe, with its f view of the sea, is likely to prove one of the most pepw lar features of the ship. THE SALOONS. The first-class dining-saloon the whqle width of the ship—some bßft. It is arranged with a central opening in the ceiling, which. brings to view an upper dining-saloon, itself crowned by a dome, which sheds a soft light upon the scene below. The principle of separate tables is adopted. Voyagers may dine in large or small parties, as they prefer. More than that, they can din« a la carte if they wish. They can, in advance, construct their own menu, and dine at their own time. The sleeping cabins are wonderfully spacious, and the special suites attain their zenith in a couple which are to be found on the promenade deck. Nothing so elaboratehas probably ever been attempted on shipboard. Each suite consists of din-ing-room, drawing-room, two bedrooms, both and toilCt-rcoms, and, adjoining, a room for maid or valet. Each suite has its own private entrances, and its own pantry arrangements. The dining-rooms have open fireplaces, and one can dine, here in a room which is suggestive of life ashore, even to the elegantly-cur-tained windows. Such suites will cost from 200 to 400 guineas per voyage, according to the season of tne year. Other self-contained apartments are provided for those by whom less luxurious surrounding are desired. Altogether, the Lusitania carries 2200 passengers, and her crew bring the total up to just over 3000. And the Lusitania is something more than a floating palace. She may alsoprove a valuable asset in time of war, when, according to the contract of the Canard Company with the Government, tho Admiralty will be able to avail itself of her services. She is fitted to carry two 6in guns on each side of the forecastle, and four on each side of the promenade deck, or twelve, in ail. These have central pivot mountings, with rollei tracks on the decks, which are specially strengthened for the purpose.