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The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1930. GERMANY’S CHALLENGE.

Reputed to be several knots faster than the Bremen which succeeded on her first ocean journey in lowering the Mauretania’s twentytwo year old trans-Atlantic record, the 46,000-ton North German Lloyd liner Europa, a sister to the new queen of the seas, is reported to be undergoing speed trials in the North Sea. The active beginning of a “speed war” among the North Atlantic Steamship Companies was seen in the recordbreaking voyage of the mighty Bremen. This wonderful product of German shipbuilding yards, reduced the existing record by eight hours and iifty-two minutes, and it is very generally conceded that the Bremen has not yet revealed her full speed capacity. It is only eleven years ago that Germany was beaten in the greatest war of all time. As the result of that war, the North German Lloyd lost its entire fleet, but to-day the world-famous German shipping line is the proud possessor of the longest,' fastest, and finest passenger liner in the world, and is still building better ships. Two of the largest liners in the transAtlantic services are German built: the Majestic, formerly the North German Lloyd liner Bismarck, and now owned by the White Star, of 56,621 tons; and the Leviathan, formerly the German Vaterland, nowwned by the United States Lines Inc., of 54,282. Obviously, German frightfulness at sea during the war placed her heavily in debt to the Allies when she was called upon to pay for her folly. Immediately following the war, German’s entire merchant-marine, with the exception of vessels under 1601) tons, and even some of these, were taken from her. What this meant may be judged by the size of that fleet in 11)14. It was the second largest fleet in the world, totalling more than 5,000,000 tons. In 1920, that magnificent fleet of ocean-going ships had shrunk to 419,000 tons. Dismayed, but not beaten, Germany turned to building ships of the latest design, Lloyd’s report for 1928 showed that she was in fourth position. Since the Armistice, France had been passed, and now it is probable that Germany has overtaken Japan, and is in third place, with more than 4,000,000 tons to carry her trade across the Seven seas of the world. And she enjoys the incalculable advantage that all these are new ships. But the *Bre:mau has done far more than lower the Mauretania’s record by nearly nine hours. Important as that voyage is as a maritime performance, it is much more significant as a sign of the progress which Germany has made since the war. Undismayed by the conflagration which almost destroyed one of her mighty liners in the course of construction, Germany faced the ordeal with characteristic thoroughness, and to-day the 46,000-ton Europa is being prepared to attack the trans-Atlantic record of four days 14-J hours held by the. Bremen. These ships may be regarded as the symbol that Germany is rapidly becoming the old Germany—thrifty, aspiring, substantial, industrial. The coming of the Breman, followed by the Europa, is the strongest reminder to date of the “comeback” of Germany. The years following the war were a critical period of political strife, food shortage, general unemployment, cessation of industry, and depreciation of currency. But to-day, the Germans, with new leaders and new government, have girded themselves for their colossal task. If, as we have been repeatedly reminded, “peace hath her victories no less renowned than war,” it is obvious that Germany has set out to win the great victories of peace. For five years the Republic has grown in strength. Her scientists have lost none of their industrial ingenuity, nor have her people lost any of their willingness to work. The great liners now challenging world supremacy on the seas, remind us that Germany is in harness again, and she means to plough a wide furrow. But the speed record of .the Bremen has already served as a challenge, not only to Britain, but to France, Italy and other nations who are planning great ships with which they hope to outstrip the German achievement, for the speed record of the Bremen, and the building of still faster ships is more than the victory of an individual vessel; it is the triumph of national determination, vision and industry.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19300220.2.50

Bibliographic details

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18498, 20 February 1930, Page 8

Word Count
714

The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1930. GERMANY’S CHALLENGE. Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18498, 20 February 1930, Page 8

The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1930. GERMANY’S CHALLENGE. Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18498, 20 February 1930, Page 8