New-York tribune., 1910-12-20
ROOM FOR BIG SHIPS.

The flying visit of the Mauretania last
week recalled attention to what Is. on tne
whole. the most notable commercial steam-
shin in the world to-day and renewed ad-
mirstion of her gigantic dimensions and
marvellous performances. let at tne
same time there came to hand Data con-
corning other ships which are to eX-
ceed the MauTetania and -LuSitdnla oy
. greater margin than that by when
rley surpassed their predecessors. Men
still Young remember when the stanch
and Trustworthy Servia was the crack
Atlantic liner. aud the Servia was 500
feet long and of 1892 tons. y dozen
wears later came the tirst big Cuhafd-
cr'' the Campania. measuring OOO IeeI
and 1882 tons. The Oceanic. OF the
White Star Line. soon increased tllat
length by 100 feet, ana then the huSe
Baltic appeared, 725 feet long and meas
urinq o3OOO tons But the Mauretania,
one Of the second pair OF big Cunard-
erS,, surpasses the Baltic more than the
Baltic surpassed the Oceanic ami about
as much as the Oceanic surpassed the
Campania or the Campanla the SefVia.
with the stupendous measurements OF
100 feet and 81 .93S tons.
Now the White Star company Is build
ing two ships Of $4,000 tons each, =
greater advance upon their predeces-
sors than ever was made before Inc
Hamburg American Line is going beyond
that with Il vessel Of 10000 tons, ana
now fhe Cunard company responds 70
the German challenge with IN order Tor
= ship of at least equal tonnage ana
greater speed. Of this last menJoheu
vessel details are disclosed. WITH Il ton
mage of 10000 she is TO have a length OF
SO, feet over all. beam of SJla feet
which is 21s less than the Mauretania $
a draft of 81 feet and Il speed or 20
knots in average sailing. She VIII carry
GO first class. T40 second class ana
:. 4eHa third class paSsengerS-a total oI
. 7nO against only 200 on the Naure-
t;nia. Her cost will be nearly $40
.p,ooon of course she will belong 10
+Ia Naval Reserve and will he capable
al Transforming 5000 troops at once, III
case OF need Incidentally. it is observed
that she will be fitted with theatre.
housekeeping apartments. Il swimming
pool and daily newspaper.
OF chief practical interest, however,
are the size of the ship and the sugges-
tion of possible further increase OF size
i1, relation to the capacity of the Port II
New York. People said that the Cam
pania and Lucania were TOO big ana that
no more so large would ever be built.
Tndeterred by the failure OF that
prophecy they again declared that the
Mauretalia and Lusitania were GER
tainlv the worlds last word Ill Dig
ships. We shall probably hear the
same concerning this new monster
But is it impossible. or, indeed. high
II improbable, that we shall see
within the next ten years still larger
vessels? And if a length OF LOCO feet
is attained, will it be safe TO say that
the unsrrpassable maximum has been
reachedf In 1871 the maximum length
was 400 feet: in 1881, 500: IN lS9', 600;
i'm 1899. 700: i'll 1907, 100; In 1911 it
will be $50. and in the sa , forty years
the tonnage will have increased from
3.S07 To $1,000.
The North River is less than Il mile
wide, and here are vessels more than
sixth of q mile long. Already there Is
complaint that the piers are 100 short
for the accommodation Of existing ships.
and yet there is grave objection to any
further frightening of them. on account OF
the encroachment upon the width or the
river. With vessels 100 feet longer than