The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-18
THE NEW CUNARD
LINER AQUITANIA
The Largest Ship Afloat-Prov ded With Every
Safe Guard-A Ship Within Ship.

The Aquitania. which was launched
Monday. April 81, from tho yard of the
builders, Messrs. John Brown & Co,
design and construction. tho cxpe-
rlencc and invaluable Information de-
duced from the construction and per.
Torrance of the Lusitania and Maurc.
tania, and the many other famous
ships that have preceded her under
the Cunard flag. Each succeeding yes
sci built for the company during the
has in one way or another marked ar
advance on It's Immediate predecessor
The principal figures OF the
Aquitania are: Length, eo1 feet
breadth. 81 feet: depth from keel to
boat deck, 90 feet inches. gross ton
mage. $4,000 tons: speed. % knots: ac-
commodation for $3.50 passengers and
crew of nearly 1000.
The unprecedented weight, length
and other abnormal features of the
great ship involved the consideration
OF unusual conditions, and, like every
thing else connected with the con-
struction. demanded arrangements be-
Ing made on a scale OF MAGNITUDE
never before required on the Clyde.
In order TO lay down the lcviathan
the whole face of the yard had to
be changed. The ground on which the
ship was TO be built had to he spe-
cially prepared and strengthened piled
and cross piled. Over the cross piles
were placed layers OF steel plates then
quantities Of cement. 1t being essen
tai that the ground should not yield
an inch at any point.
New cane systems had to be in
stalled for lifting the heavier ma
terials on to the wider, longer slip.
The same berth was used as that
upon which the Lusitania was built,
but owing TO the much greater length
or the Aquitania, the preparation OF
the ground had to be very consider.
ably extended.
The berth being in line with the
river Cart, which flows into the Clyde
almost opposite the yard enabled the
builders In launching the ship to avail
themselves of this natural advantage
The new ground was prepared as
that for the Lusitania. The part on
| which the earlier ship structure had
rested required, OF course, compare
! lively little treatment beneath it's sur
/ face. The blocks were then put down
! the keel laid, and the frames erected
! In addition to the preparations in
| the yard the river had to be decpened
and widened, and the builders fitting
| out basin at Clydebank has also had
| to be dredged In order to accommo-
date the liner during completion.
Ship Within n Ship.
An important feature in tho
Aquitania. as In the Lusitania and
Mauretania, Is that extending through.
out the most vulnerable parts. there
is that great desiratun, n ship within
a ship. In other words. there are two
shells. the inner as we'll as the QUITE
she'll both being watertight. The
space between the outer and innel
skins averages about fifteen feet. ant
at short intervals there are bulkhead:
dividing this Intervening space int
relatively small compartments 1t viii
be understood, therefore, that an,
fracture of the outer she'll due to col
lision will result in tho ingress OF thu
sea being limited to a small area a
the side OF the ship. In addition tt
this important provision. there are six
teen bulkheads extending athwartshil