THE AWATEA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20514, 4 September 1936, Page 13

THE AWATEA

MAIDEN VOYAGE COMPLETED FAST TIME MADE FROM GREENOCK Bv Felecr. pn - t*ress Association WELLINGTON. September 3. The Union Company's 14.000 ton luxury liner Awatea arrived from Greenock to-day, making a fin - spectacle in the brilliant sunshine while lying in the harbour for medical ‘nspection. She was saluted by the air-liner Karoro, which was bound from Palmerston North to Dunedin, and by the Koromako, bound north. Both were diverted for the purpose. Hundreds of people gathered at the Queen’s Wharf to see the vessel berth. The chief engineer, Mr Lockhart, said the engines gave no trouble. When they are run in the vessel will have no difficulty in doing 234 knots. The speed from Greenock to Curacao was 16.6 knots. Curacao to Colon 17, and across the Pacific 17.85. These speeds were accomplished with only three of the six boilers in operation. The Awatea encountered fairly heavy weather last week. The Awatea left Greenock on the morning of August 5, and it is believed that in arriving here to-day she established a new record. The previous best time recorded was for the voyage of the Australia Star which completed the trip between Port Chalmers and London in 28 days 121 hours. It is understood that the elapsed time of the Awatea from Greencck to Wellington was 28 days 10 hours 28 minutes. The actual steaming time has been estimated unofficially as 27 days 17 hours 27 minutes. Structural Strength. The arrival of the Awatea marks an important event in the history of the Union Steam Ship Company’s new 14000-ton luxury liner “Awatea” marks an important event in the history of inter-colonial shipping. Of handsome external appearance, with graceful lines, raked stem and cruiser type stern, and having two masts and two funnels, the liner is a masterpiece of British workmanship, and was built to obtain the highest Lloyds class certificate. and to comply with the regulations of the British Board of Trade and New Zealand Shipping Act. Everything conducive to safety >f life at sea and comfort for the passengers has been given special prominence in this ship. The Awatea is a twin-scr.w turbine-driven vessel. The latest rules formed under the International Convention have been fully complied with, and the hull is sub-divided into a series of watertight compartments up to B deck by nine transverse watertight bulkheads. A continuous double bottom is arranged from the collision bulkhead to the shaft tunnel, and is divided transversely and longitudinally into a large number of tanks for fresh water, boiler feed water, water ballast, and oil fuel.

The ship is propelled by two sets of Parsons turbines. Each set comprises one high pressure, one intermediate pressure, and one low pressure turbine, working in series and driving separate pinions engaging with the main gear wheel. The high pressure and intermediate turbines are designed to run at 2363 r.p.m. and the low pressure turbine at 1690 r.p.m., while the gear ratio is such, that with these speeds, the propellers turn at about 125 revolutions n service when developing 20,000 shaft h.p. The total shaft horse-power developed by the two sets of turbines is 22,500 at 130 r.p.m The immense amount of machinery and equipment used on the Awakes may be regarded as a marine engineering triumph. It can confidently be expected in view of this that the coming months will show that there never was a more reliable or seaworthy ship than the Awatea on the Tasman service.

Restful Public Rooms. Elegance and architectual lightness are essential points of the design of th-" Awatea. The liner sets up a new era not only in ship decoration, but also in the comfort and facilities provided for her passengers. The rooms are perfectly satisfying to the most cosmopolitan conceptions of culture and good taste, and convey an Atmosphere of restfulness and comfort. ' Accommodation is provided for 377 first-class passengers in a total of 164 single, two and three-berth rooms on boat, A, B, and C decks. One hundred and sixty tourist class, and a limited number of steerage passengers can also be carried. The theme which is introduced throughout the decoration of the public rooms is modern without being ultra-modern. This decoration is rich without pretension, and in every way suitable to the amenities of a highpowered liner. The panelling of all the rooms is carried out in plywood laced with figured veneers, many of which are of Empire origin, several indigenous to the southern hemisphere. The walls of the first-class dining saloon are panelled in Nigerian cherrywood. Sapeli mahogany and rosewood. The new liner will enter the Sydney service, leaving Wellington on September 15 and Auckland on September 18 for Sydney. Two Tasman crossings will be made by the Awatea ea„a week, the vessel’s timetable allowing her 21 days to make tire crossing at an average speed of over 20 knots. Normally, during the summer running, she will leave Sydney every Friday for Wellington and Auckland alternately. She will arrive at the New Zealand port on the following Monday, leaving again on the Tuesday, arriving back at Sydney the following Friday morning, and leaving there again the same afternoon for New Zealand.