New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-19
THE TRANSATLANTIC RECORD.

The Campanas recor'l'breakirx run oi DAYS
q hours and - minutes from Qu"'nstowh I'D
Sandy Hook does not represent he MAXIMUM
speed which either she or her sister snip. me
Lucania, Is capable Of making under The most
favorable conditions. While the westward rec
ord has been lowered nearly - hours by this
performance. the average speed Tor the whole
run has been twice exceeded by the Lucana
over longer courses. With the I.icanias best
rate OF II 80 knots instead Of 2l.49 Knots over
the same course the Campania would nave
passed Sandy Hook 2l2 hours before she sue
cce1led in doing so and this average may be
SURPASSED either this season or the next lhc
Lucana may cut down the record to oA days
on her next run, II the conditions are favorable
and she takes the shortest possible course
When that IL done. the limit will be reached SO
far ia the new Cunarders are concerned; ana
no other transatlantic liners now nfoat can
compete with them In speed.
The extent to which this record may be rc-
duced during the next decade cannot be forecast
by experts with any degree OF confidence. Mr..
Biles the designer VI the Paris, has v0nturcd To
antIcipate the construction Of ships capable OF
r,,npIng from New-Y York TO Southampton In four
DAYS. This will render necessary 30knot ships
I'm place Of the Campania with her record OF
q. 40 knots, or Of the Lucana with her average
speed Of 21.S9 knots How this gain OF S1a
knots Is to be made Mr.. Bilcs has attempted TO
explaIn. Nlckel-steel IL to be substituted for
ordinary steel; new patterns Of marine boilers
and engines much lighter In weight are to be
invented; petroleum is to be bur0cd In place OF
coal: and the ship Is TO be heightened from the
CaSlpauia's COO to 1000 feet, wIdencd to 100
feet and dpppened TO admit Of 30 feet lraught
Other experts predict n great gain IN speed
from the use OF aluminium in place Of steel, by
which a saving Of Onethird In the weight OF
material will be effected Other dreamers as
sumo that electric power will inevitably be ap-
piled In the course OF time either by the invcn-
ton OF new storage appliances. or by the dis
covery Of some practical method OF converting
the combustible energy OF coal directly into cleo
tricity without the enormous loss Of power at
present sustained.
These forecasts are surmlscs more or less in
geniOus without any substantial basis In SUI
perior economy over existing appliances and
methods. The Campania and the Lucania repre-
sent as large an investment Of capital the bold
est boards Craftsmanship directors now consider 1t
safe to make In pair OF fast liners; and nearly
all the expcllents suggested would largely In
crease the original cost Of construction and the
operating expenses Nickel-stecl Is more costly
than ordinary ship steel. and aluminium Is vastly
more expensive The use OF petroleum In place
Of coal would materially increase the operating
expenses, aside from multiplying the risks from
hre. A floating hotel 1000 feet long would far
exceed Brunels Great Eastern in dimensions.
and there Is not a steamship director in Eng
land or America 70 visionary as to assume that