Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-11-28
A TREASURE snip
The Maureiania Carried the Largest
Cargo Of Gold That Ever Crossed
the Atlantic.
BIGGEST STEAMER AFL0AT
Head Winds and Heavy Seas Prevent
cd Making the Trip In Record.
Breaking TIms-sIzs
Of Giant Liner.

NEW IOTk, NOV. I6.--fOkluH mel
nose through a dense curtain Of foe
that hid the coast, her topmasts LOST
from deck view In the enveloping
shroud, the biggest, the most luxurious
ship ever launched on any sea, fin.
ished in safety her bridal voyage
when at 1903 o'clock q. m. Friday
the Cunard line steamship Mauretania
came to anchor off the Sandy Hook
Lightship, five days, five hours and
ten minutes from Queenstown.
Bearing a fortune of $12,500,O00 in
gold for the money markets of the
West, she fought her way through
5000 miles Of storm swept ocean, bat
Ting every mile Of the course to meet
and defeat the worlds transatlantic
speed record Of four days, IS hours
and 40 minutes, created and held by
her sister ship, the Lusitania. Head
winds and tumultuous cross seas baf-
fed the attempt, yet the Mauritania
won the coveted right to fly one blue
ribbon at her peak. On Thursday
November 81, Captain Prltchard drove
the huge ship 624 knots (671 miles)
by the favor Of shift In the wind to
north-northeast--six knots better
than the best days run of the Lusi-
tania and smashing all records Of
marine.
The average speed for the passage |
was 22.21 knots. or 1889 miles an
hour. Her average speed on her rec
ord day run of 624 knots was 1888 |
miles an heur. Her poorest days I
average was 2O.S1 miles an hour from
noon of November is to noon Of the 10.
Captain Pritchard believes that in
a fair weather passage he can beat
the Lusltanla from coast to coast.
The Mauretania is 792 feet in
length over alI-two feet longer than
the Lusitania; has beam Of SO feet;
a depth Of hold Of 8 feet; is 155 feet
high from keel to funnel tops and ZIG
leet from keel to masthead; draws
~ feet 6 inches Of water (mean esti-
mattel; has tonnage displacement of
$4,000; an indicated horse power of
10000; was launched on the Tyne,
England, September 30, 1906; car
les crew Of 800 odd officers and
men; has accommodation for $50 pas
engers in the first class cabins; 800
n the second class, and 1900 in the
teerage and cost approximately
Z 100000.
The $12,500, 900 gold brought by the
fauretania is said to be the largest
assignment of specie ever carried by
ship. It was conveyed to the yes
81 at Queenstown in six specially
uarded cars. =
The fact at even a vessel of the
operative size and build and power =
the Mauritania is to a certain ex- I
mt at the mercy of the elements .
as borne In upon the liners passen- :,
'rs, when on the forenoon of Mon. =
", her second day out, she labored =
in head seas and the face of an /"
Verse gale that dishes were thrown :
Dm dining room taUles and seasick. !,
'ss made prisoners by the score in =
bins and steerage. At three in the -
ternoon Captain Pritchard ordered
e engines stopped and let go two Of y
anchors. Thus steadied the e
auretania rode out the storm-but y
I without mishap. The battering ~
rec of the seas stove forward star. y
ard part and before the damage n
ND be repaired the floor Of store g
I'm in the hold was under two feet ~
salt water. &c