A RECORD CROSSING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 174, 24 July 1929, Page 7

A RECORD CROSSING

BLUE RIBAND OF ATLANTIC MAURETANIA’S time lowered.(Sun Cable.) Received July 23, 10 p.m. NEW YORK, July 22. Arriving at three o’clock this afternoon, the new German liner Bremen crossed the Atlantic faster than any other commercial vessel. The new German * i Queen of the Seas” wrested the record which Britain has held for 22 years in the Mauretania’s wonderful performances. The Bremen’s time was 4 days 18 hours, 15 minutes, beating the Mauretania’s record by 8 hours 17 minutes. The Cunard liner Mauretania on July 19, 1928, completed the tri t from Cher bourg to New York in 4 days 23 hour' 33 minutes. On that voyage in one period of 25 hours she made 663 miles which was 11 miles over the record. The previous record for the CherbourgNew York passage was created by Lie Mauretania in August, 1924. namely 5 davs 1 hour 45 minutes. The vessel also’holds the world’s record for the double journev, Plymouth to New York. On July 6, 19’8. she completed the return trip in 12} days. The time usuallv taken is 17 or 18 days. On several occasions the Mauretania has crossed the Atlantic at an average speed onlv about half a knot lower than her world record. In one reason since the war. on 27 consecutive runs in all kinds of weather, her average speed across the Atlantic was 25* knots, which has never been approached by any other ship. Her best voyage from Queenstown to New York was when she crossed in 4 days 10 hours 41 minutes. The Bremen is the largest vessel built in Germany since 1914. She is ? vessel of 46,000 tons and is expected to have a speed of 261 knots. She has accommodation for over 3000 passengers. The intention of the North German Llovd Company is that the Bremen and her'sister ship, the Europa—now under reconstruction after the fir’ which occurred on her at Hamburg some months ago —together with the Columbus, of 32,000 tons, shall maintain a weekly service between Bremerhaven, the Channel ports and New York. The distance between Bremerhaven and Southampton is about 444 miles, so that on each round voyage the German ships will neejJ to steam about 890 miles more than the British liners based on Southampton. The Bremen is said to be the last word in luxury travelling, the most famous German artists having been a* work on the internal decorations of the ship’s passenger cabins, saloons, restaurants, etc. She has extensive sport, gymnastic and sun decks, magnificent swimming pools and an elaborate plant for medicinal baths. A novel feature is a restaurant in which passengers who pay a reduced rate for the trip Biay choose their own meals.