New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-18
ADRIATTC AND OCEANIC.

The breaking up Of the old White Star steam
ship Adrlatic will arouse many interesting
memories and not few sentimental Regrets
and will provoke some instructive and inspiring
comparisons The Adriatc, built in 1871. was
in her day one Of the crack ocean liners ana
well deserved to be so esteemed. She was hand-
some. swift and seaworthy. Transatlantic pas
sengers sought 10 get passage on her whenever
they could. and when they were successful IN
so doing they felt assured Of a speedy and com
Portable passage. There are hundreds OF men
ard women now living who travelled on her
and admired her in her eary years, and VINO
though not yet past the prime of life, have seen
her become antiquated. superannuated, ana
finally doomed to the junkyard Their memory
spans a whole era Of ocean navigation.
II so happens that at this very time the
White Star company is finishing new ship at
the same Belfast yard where the Adriatlc was
built twenty eight years ago. The new oceanic
will be the finest Of their fleet. as the Adrlauc
was in her day. Let US briefly compare. or con-
trast. the two. The Adrlatic. no pyemy when
she was built. measures AS tons the Oceanic
no less than 1900 tons. or nearly seven times
as much as the former The Adratic IS 1872
feet long. 400 broad and 81 deep: the Oceanics
dimensions are 7Oj6. 6S4 and 40 feet respec-
seven The two cylinders Of the Adriatc's
engines propel her. with one screw. with the
power Of GOO horses: while the eight cylinders
Of the Oceanic's compound engines Will throw
into her twin screws tho energy Of no less than
10 900 horses or half as much again as that Of
any vessel now in Use I'm all the world. This
enormous power is not, however. to be used In
record breaking in point Of speed. hut rather If
possible. in point of punctuality. That. 1t VIII
he remembered. was one Of the Adriatlcs strong
points She nourshed In the days when the
Baltic. the City OF Berlin, the Germanic. the
Britannia and the Arizona were the ocean
greyhounds" which were engaged In cutting
down the time between Rock Light and Sandy
Hook from eight days to seven. n task which
was left to the Alaska to perform. The Adriatlc
did not contribute to that rivalry, but she had
a cheerful way Of getting to port at just the
right hour. At present the effort is 10 cut down
the time Of passage as much below six days and
as near five as possible The Oceanic Will be
content TO leave her berth at Liverpool on
Wednesday afternoon and reach her dock I'm
New-York at 6 o'clock the next Wednesday
morning That will be good enough time to suit
most people.
It may be added that the Oceanic is not only
to be n passenger ship. with accommodations
for LILO passengers besides her 39i officers and
crew. but is also to be a member Of the Naval
Reserve. The British Government. besides pay
ing her literally for carrying the mails. will
pay her n special subsidy for her readiness to be
converted at any time into a cruiser in the
navy. That is n system which was not thought
Of when the Adriatic built And perhaps
II It had not been thought Of and put into opera
ton now the Oceanic would not have been
built or would not have been made as great
ship as she is