The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-18
FAST OCEAN STEAMERS.
Engiish Ensinsors 20 Try 20 Outstrip the
Lucania.

ESPECIAL iurfcsponucncc,l
LONDON, Fob. 5.--The announcement that
two new English passenger steamers, sim
liar 70 but speedier than the Campania and
the lucanin, are 20 be shortly laid down Is
pretty good evidence that even IL Great
Britain Is IN some danger. By reaasn OF the
looked Tor combination OF the French aud
Russian navlos, 81 suffering loss of prestige
O. fighting mistress Of the seas, it Is not
proposed 70 allow any but English boats 20
win the record for fast steamine ON the At
lnutic without u struggle
10 was supposed that no further efforts 10
decrease the time between New York and
Liverpool would Doe made on this side Of
the water until it had been seen what the
ships % be built by the Cramps for the
American line would do. but the Cunard
people have evidently determined not to
risk any such experiences in the way Of loss
OF customera ms they had during the years
after the White Star boats aud the City OF
Paris. the City Of New York and one or
two German steamers showed their heels TO
theoraok greyhounds of the Cunard feet
Ikohistory Of the struggle for speed on
the transatlantic ferry would be an inter
estine one The first vessel 20 cross the
ocean was American built and made her
voyage as long ago.as 1919, but there was
no really successful steam navigation until
1888, and regular trips were not begun un-
I'll two years later, when, in $40, the Bri-
tanuia began 70 ply between Liverpool and
Boston, making an average time of - or %
days. That was more than half a century
ago, and the effort FOR greater speed has
been kept mp without intermission ever
since. result has been something to De
proud OF, for the best boats now regularly
attain speeds thai were thought possible
only 90 railroad trains not so many years
ago.
Duringthe 30 odd years that ocean steam
ing has been improving. American built bot
toms hHyB held supremacy for but one brief
period, although the American clipperships
were the fastest sailing craft ahoat. and
through them Uncle Sam was for many
years accorded the supreme place among
swift navigaiurs. The Collins line of steam
ers was an American institution, chartered
and subsidized ia 1919, and it's boats low
cred tie average reoord Of the best Cunarl
boats ofahe periOd-i9 days 10 hours anu %
minntes-to II days 10 hours.
BY tsal the time bad been cut down TO 3
days 2 hours and p minutes, the pennant
thenbeinE held by the Arizona Of the Guion
line. This line, whioh was English. main
tained its supremacy til 1885. at which
time che record madein 1884 was held by
the Oregon at 0days 10 hours 10 minute.
IL was the Ctunarcer Etruria that lowered
that second To 6 DAYS 5 hours 81 minutes.
and Cunard boais kept the nscord then tin
1880. when she beautiful hull Of the City of
Paris was pushed across the Atlantic in
days - hours and $ minutes. The suprem-
acy was still in English hands, for the line
now known as the American was then the
Inman, and the contest that followed was
fOr three years more between English boa.,
only, the White Star and Inman lines being
the only copnpetitors.
When the Cunard company came 70 the I
front with her present fast boats, the Paris F
then under the American flag. held the
honors at 8 days Il hours and "a minutes
though the White Star boats Teutouic and
Majestic had each won the pennant and
kept il for a short time. The record is now
held by the Lucania At days IL hours A.
minutes, aud it viii take a good boat
whether Of Yankee or English build. 10
best her. G. =. HOAIEsTAN. /