GIANT STEAMERS

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 13675, 8 May 1912, Page 7

GIANT STEAMERS

SOME SIDELIGHTS. According to ono of tho moro or less authentic cable messages that reached us after the Titanic disaster, the head of the AA hito Star Line has committed himself to the opinion that it will he found advisable to reduce the dimensions of the largest steamers that are now in course of construction in England and on the Continent. If this change is seriously contemplated it will , make a great deal of differanco to the lending shipping companies throughout the world. At tho present time Harland and Wolf aro Ivihiing (or tho White Star Company n steamer as long as the 'titanic and Ift broader but of 2.000 tons greater measurement, to bo delivered next year, Tito same firm also building for the MollandAir.crican Line a boat of 32,,.100 tons, to ho readv for sea early in 1914. The Helgir.n Hod Star Lino has ordered a 30,000ton boat, to be carrv 3.000 pasengers on the Antwerp-New York sendee. Hut these vessels are far supassed in size by several other ship now building in England and Germany. The (huiard Lino has a b(),000-ton boat, the Aquitania, building on the Clyde, She is to be 030 ft long, and is to attain a speed of 23 knots. The Hamburgh-American' Line has already started building the Impcrator, of ot bO.OOO tons, to be readv early in 1913; and the same Company has proposed to order two more bO.OOO-tonners. Hut even these monsters do not mark the absolute limit of size yet contemplated, for Lord Hirrie. the head of Harland and Viollf. who built the Titanic and the Olympic, has often said publicly that tho day ot the 1 .(lOOft liner is not far distant. The only obstacle at present is that speed harbor and dock accommodation would b > required for such a huge vessel . which would probably run up the standard of measurement to 60,000 or oven 70.000 tons ; hut there is more than one shipbuilding firm that could construct it If required. Tt therefore appears that the size of the largest steamers is likely to increase steadily for some time to come, unless prudential considerations intervene. Among these may be included the risk involved in investing two or three millions sterling in ono vo«d whHi no amount of ingenuity can mak ■ absolutely unsinkablo, and tho impossibility of providing adequately for the saftv of the three or four thousand passengers and sailors that these leviathans will carv. It will be extremely interesting to learn if the investigations that arc being conducted in England and America into the wreck of tlie Titanic elicit anv important evidence bearing on these points.