New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-20
GIANT |MPERATOR
IS EASILY DOCKED
Could Get Into Berth Herself,
Says Skipper-Harbor Craft
Greet Big Liner.
NINE TUGS WARP HER IN
Maiden Trip Hampered by Fog
and Gales, Yet She Makes
3,153-Mile Run at Aver
age of 21.13 Knots.

The Hamburg american liner lihpeI-
ator. which ended her maiden trip to THIS
nor. on Wednesday night after passage
Of DAYS hours and Il minutes from
Cberbourg Breakwater, was taken up from
Quarantine Yesterday forenoon by her
master. Captain Hans Ruser, and warped
into her berth in Hoboken with surprising
simplicity ard ease.
Although she is the biggest steamship
afoat she gave the skipper and the pilot
no trouble. and both declared yesterday
that she could dock herself without mis-
hap"
There were many on board the ne"
craft Yesterday with critical eyes-persons
familiar with all the big steamships-and
every one agreed that in beauty OF IN
i,erior. size and general arrangement she
Dexceeded any shpyard creation that mas
come to this port.
Alexander Carlisle, former general man
,ager Of Harland & Wolff, the British snip
building company. Of Belfast, was pas
seneer He built the Olympic the Titanic
the Rotterdam. the Lapland and the
lAmerlka. but the Imperator, he declared,
WAS in many ways the finest ship he had
lever seen.
"Sba surely surpasses anything ahoat
i.sid the Scotch builder, II did not inspect
lher engine room, but know she oiu no'
!vibrate once during the voyage. Iha'
Roman swimming pool is splenuiuN
FASHIONED feature. and there is nothing
{to.dav in shipbuilding like that grand pail
room. Think of it, A ballroom lou oy
60 feet without stanchon. with walls Is
feet high and a roof and dome supported
entirely by three steel Orders
Rear Admiral Winslow, L. 5. y. ire
t,red). was enthusiastic over the steam
tship There IS too much to say aoou'
her" he said. Il haven't time TO express
., Rriefv she is a magnificent SNIP
.r,erdidlv run. and is wholly without VI
bration.'
When the revenue cutter went down 10
Quarantine yesterday she found the I'M
nerator anchored with her bow RACING
the Atlantic. For more than an houF
she Law in this position. waiting for SLACK
water At 900 a. m. she weighed anchor
.,d turning to starboard in great cir
Gle started up the channel for her pier.
The barbor was alive with small craft
many Of them excursion boats laden Win
spectators Every boat saluted the new
conner from Germany, and she Responded
70 the greetings. The grimiest little tug
cot its three blasts as we'll as the three
liners that passed out TO sea as the In
perator came up the bay.
I- q assembled
the Battery wall and on the piers ana
sheds on both sides of the river.
The Amer!ka backed out into the stream
ahead Of the Imperator, and the latter
halted until the outbound vessel had
straIghtened out. Then she edged toward
the Hoboken shore, swinging her stern
over toward Manhattan Then, dropping
down with the tide, which was slightly on
the ebb. with nine tugs at her starboard
Quarter and bow holding her off, she
moved in slowly without even touching
the pier or bumpers II was perfect
docking.
John +. Hopkins, the pilot said: she
Is the easiest ship l ever handled. l
believe she could dock herself She seems
20 know what you want her to do before
you DO. because she does it before you
have time to direct her
Captain Ruser said: This vessel is the
finest I have ever handled. There was
hardly a day when I could drive her at
full speed. believe she can do better
than q knots. which she made in the
tests in the North Sea. On the trials I
put her around az full speed in circle
Of 200 metres in minutes and 10 seconds.
With the helm over only p degrees.
locked her to-day with her propellers, to
which she responds unusually well. Put
ting her into the dock was easy"
According to the official log the I'm
perator made the run from Cherbourg
Breakwater in days hours and "a
minutes, covering a distance Of 81 50
miles at an average speed Of 21.13 knots.
Captain Ruser said that fog and bad
weather had forced him often to run at
half speed. Among those who went down
the Bay 10 meet the vessel were:
Julius =. Meyer and Emil Lederer, OF
the Hamburg-American Line Collector
Mitchell. r. a. c. Smith and Henry c.
Stuart. a special deputy collector
A private dinner Of fifteen covers was
given 10 Commodore Hans Ruser Of tho
Imperator at the Hotel Plaza by DR.. Karl
Buenz, general representative of the
Hamburg American Line and his asso-
ciate directors last night. Among those
present were j. p. Meyer and w. G..
sickel. representing the company. and two
staff officers Of the Imperator, Captains
h. Schetelig and y. Won Maibohn. No
speeches were made.