Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-08
fine PRODUCT OF RACE
!. FOR SPEED ACROSS OCEAN
AithouE surpassed I'm Size by Sew
eraiI ther Liners, L,isitania
Continued Great Fayoritc.
I ..ouGHT ALMOST uNsINKABLE
Her Voyages Since Outbreak OF War
Followed With Great Concern.
Flying Of American Flag on Trip
In February Created Sensation.

-'t$N ioIhh. MAY Il ne LuSlranla
was one of the largest of transatlantic
liners. as we'll one or the speediest.
she was built in Glasgow In 1906. She
was 7s5 feet long. Her gross tonnage
was $4,000. ana her net tonnage 3lt5
ship Company. Ltd OF Liverpool. Her
captain was W. T. Turner
The Lusitania was n product Of the
race for speed, which was carried on
Tor years among transatlantic steam
ship companies. particularly OF Eng =
land and Germany. When the Lust
tania was launched she was tho won
der OF the maritime world. Her mas.
terry OF the sea from the standpoint of
speed was undisputcd
The Lusitania had accommodations
Tor $50 frst-class passengers 500 sec
ond-class and 1900 ,hrd-class
The launching of the I.usi,ania on
June Z. 1906. at Clydebank was at
tended with elaborate ceremonies She
lett on her maiden trip on September
. 1907. This voyage was heraldcd as
race Tor the worlds record. German
steamship companies said her time OF
iiTe days forty-fivc minutes was not
in reality record Later she made an
undisputed record Of four days eleven
hours and forty-two minutes. but that
subsequently, was beaten by the Maure-
taria.
In January OF last gear the Lusitania
rescued the crew of the little Canadian
priSanune. Maylowcr. which was drift i.
ing. wrecked and helpless abou, 1000
miles rom the Canadian shore
ONLi VESSEL OF TYPE
Sfo STAY IN REGULAR SERVICE:
otter the outbreak Of the war most
OF the fastest vessels of tho R,itisb
BY the navy. The Lusitania. in fact
was the only vessel OF this tvpe 10 con.
Nnuc IN rcgu service Az she vas
inc greatest prize which could fall 10
herman warships or submarines he-
VOYAGES were followed with particular
49,. |" bfl''sh shipping men main
,h'hed. however. that she was in no
danger. especially after tho Atlantic
hhh been cleared OF German warsbirs
NJ 'ei' 'hht her superior speed would
-"'e her 70 eva6e any submarine
Ihree DAYS after war was declared.
'he Lusitania left New York on one
o, her regular trips TO Liverpool sh.
shpPcd out OF the harbor shro,idod in
,i"fkness. except for her por; and star
BOARD lights. Their. we're olo nassor
gers on board. who we're willing IN
acctP' me chances Of war. Durir. the
1880 ~ was reported that She had
hecn captured by German warships
ana suose0r ,ntly that she was n.cin,
'"r some y erican port. She com
pteH ner Vo:aHc tn safety. however.
"',hout sighting an" hostile craft.
49,. was me Lnsitania whose flying of
INC american Nag last February on = q >
way from Queenstown to LIvernno, -,
P'o.e?' her against possible attack nv.
''fhah submarine caused consider
ah!e astonishment on both sides ~ -.
can, ana resulted in a statement bv
tn" British Foreign Ofice r,s,jfvinr
the use OF a neutral nag und.r ,a,
circumstances
Although the Last mia was sur
hn "SNeu s, IN size by SEA al other liners
never lost the repu,aN n acn,ir.d
the outset of her carS Her speed
ana luxurious Accommodations mads
her favorite. and her Passenger us,s
oorc me names Of many OF the mos,
prominen: Atlantic wavfarors So
had nine decks. connected wi,h o,s IN"
tors Her cabins were designed ~ Ioor
more like an elaborate hotel than
ship. -" "
As NEARLY uNSINKxRLE
As ANY SHIP COULD NE
Inc vessel was pronounced by her
builders to he as nearly unsinkahle az
any snip could no. The lower deck was
watertight. The double bottom was so
constructed that should the biIge kcels
he torn away and the hull pierced the
entering water would he confined with
IN the inner and outer bottoms The
lower portion OF the hull was divided
into lI5 watertight commandments win
communicating doors so constructed
that they could be closed from the
navigating bridge in few seconds
Everything about the Lusitania was
or colossal dimension Her rudder
weighed s'xty-five tons. She carried
three anchors of ten tons each. The
main frames and beams, placed end TO
end, would extend thirty miles
CHARLES p. Sumner. general agent OF
the Cunard Line in New York. issued a
statement just before the Lusitania left
New York the last time. saying her
voyage would not be attended by anv
risk whatever. as tho liner had a speed
of % 1-2 knots and was provided with
Unusual watertight bulkheads Marine
men said that in their opinion the Lusi :
tania could not be sunk by single
torpedo.
Before the Lusitania sailed, some
nervousness had been caused because
Of the publication in the morning IA :
pers of Saturday of an advertisement
warning travellers that state OF war
existed between Germany and Great
Britain and her allies: that the war
zone includes the waters adjacent to
the British Isles: that, In accordance
with the notice given by the German
government. vessels flying the flag of
Great Britain are liable to destruction
in those waters, and that travellers
sailing in the war zone on ships of
Great Britain. or her allies do so at
their own risk. The advertisement was
signed Imperial German Embassy"
Marine engineers, were Particularly
interested In the great engines by
which the Lusitania was propelled,
which were regarded a distinct de-
parture Instead of the usual type of
reciprocating engines, her builders in :
stalled turbines These engines devcl-
oped an indicated horsepower of 10000.
driving four shafts, each of which car