The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-11

ton In the Belfast shipyard. The Oce-
anic Is over 200 feet in length and will
succeed in lowering the Atlantic record
TO 1--WE days. Her enormous engines
will require not less han 200 tons of
coal a day, and her equipment will be
the finest ever put into a steamship.
IL is doubtful, however. IL the Oceanic
Will continue long to hold the record as
the finest vessel afioat. SO keen is the
desire for supremacy in shipbuilding
and naval architecture that no sooner
Is n marine beauty launched than or
ders are given for the construction OF
one that will surpass her.
The story of nineteenth century ship
building, from the time when the first
ocean-going vessel driven by steam.
the Savannah. made the Atlantic trip
so years ago, in the then remarkable
time Of rs days. is one Of triumphant
progress. In tracing the evolution CT
the modern steamship from the 350-ton
Savannah to the great Oceanic, the era
of progress begins with the establish
ment of the first regular line Of Allan
tic steamships. when a Ounard vessel
made the voyage from Liverpool TO
Boston In 1910.
This pioneer in the vast ocean traffic
of to-day was the Britannia, which was
one Of a fleet of four wooden ships with
side wheels. the other three being
named the Acadia, the Columbia and
tnt SdituOflld. Int appearance OF the
Britannia in Boston made almost as
profound ar impression as the Great
Eastern did later. The ~side-wheeler
made the trip in the unprecedented
time Of IA days eight hours. Her meas
urements were: Length, POI feet; dis
placement, 1,154 tons; capacity OF en-
gines. 140-horse power; coal consump-
ton. 80 tons daily.
What a poor showing the marine
monster of 1910 makes in comparison
with the splendid screw steamers OF
the same line to-day; the Lucania ard
Campania, with their $40 feet Of length.
displacement of $4,000 tons. engines CT
80. O00-horse power, and making the
Atlantic voyage In six days with
ease.
The Cunard line held a prominent
place in the early history of shipbuild-
ing. The queer old paddle-wheel
steamships of this line were doomed
when, in 1862, the first Cunard vessel
TO be propelled by a screw was put on
in the shape of the China, a steamship
of 5000 tons displacement.
Twelve years later there were
launched the Bothnia and Scythia, OF
$500 tons, n passengers who crossed
the ocean in these vessels wondered
how they ever had the courage to make
the trip in the wretched little side
wheel affairs which were thought so
much of once. The $500 tonners were
soon surpassed, however, for in 1881
the Servia. a 1892 tonner, appeared on
the Atlantic. The Servia was consid-
cred a gigantic boat then. being 315
feet in length and possessing engines
of 9 ,900-horse power. She made n rec
ord run Of seven days and eight hours.
and timid people held up their hands in
horror at such tremendous speed on
the ocean.
Then came the City Of Rome to
match the palm for size and speed
from the famous Servia. The City OF
Rome was As feet longer than the Ser
via. 1.061 tons heavier. and. most re-
markable thing of all to some people,
she a three smoke stacks. With the
appearance of the City of Rome began
the rivalry for the ocean record that
has been kept up among Atlantic
steamships ever since.
The record was reduced in 1882 TO six
DAYS. % hours. by the Alaska of the
Guion line. This remained for a good
while the best time made. but all rec
ords were shattered in 1892. when the
Umbria made the trip in five days, %
hours. seven minutes.
The new Oceanic will seek to do the
trip in the extraordinary time OF five
days. thus enabling a traveller to cross
the ocean in less time a he can
cross this continent. The record that
the Oceanic is expected to make will
place her ahead of the Kaiser Wilhelm
der Crosse. a splendid ship of $4,000
tons. $40 feet in length and 66-foot
beam. which is at present the finest
vessel a1oat.