Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-11
QUEEN OF THE SEAS
Sketch of the Great Cunarder Sunk
by the Germans.

Eight years and eleven months old,
one Of the biggest, best equipped and
fastest Of the ocean liners, the Gu
harder Lusitania held her head high
as queen Of the seas. First Of the
transatlantic palaces to cross and land
passengers in four days from the de-
parted port, 1856 feet over all, making
a speed Of q knots, $4,000 tons dis
placement, affording means Of COM
fort in travel for 2,400 passengers and
500 officers and men, with engines OF
10000 horsepower, this giant Of the
main cost her owners $10,000,000, and
they say she was worth every cent Of
it.
1t was in the yard Of the British
shipbuilding firm, John Brown & Co.,
at Clyde Bank, on June Z, 1906, that
the Lusitania received her name from
the lips Of Dowager Lady Iverclyde,
her sponsor. She was the newest and
greatest maritime wonder. 1t was
said at the time that she would smash
the speed records, and she did-even
her own. For years the New York
papers awaited her arrival In port as
an event equal almost to a champion
ship polo tournament on Long Island
or a bitterly fought middle season
baseball series at Coogan's Bluff. With
5000 passengers she made her maiden
voyage on September Z, 1907, and
reached New York in five days and
81 minutes, a record at that time.
But the captain said, I'll beat this"
and thereafter that record was lower
ed and lowered, until the four-day
trip was reality.
Although German steamship men
said that the vessels out Of Hamburg
made better time to New York than
did the Lusitania from Liverpool, no
one ever disputed her mastery Of the
sea, so far as speed was concerned,
and the reputation she acquired at the
outset of her career has lived on, de-
spite the birth Of liners, such as the
Imperator, Olympic and Vaterland,
far SURPRISING her in size. She was
the favorite Of some Of the most
noted transatlantic wayfarers. the
luXuriousness Of her accommodations
and her unfailing swiftness counting
greatly in her favor as against the
mere bulkiness Of the others She had
nine decks, all connected with ele-
yators. Her cabins were designed to
look more like a hotel than a ship,
there being open fireplaces, windows
shaped and curtained as In a private
house, elaborate suites, tapestried re-
ception rooms, smoking rooms and
cafes.
Her captain, w. T. Turner, one of
the most daring seamen who ever led
a liner across the Atlantic, has braved
mines, torpedoes and submarines on
two occasions since the war began,
and the big ship on one of the trips
hoiSted the Stars and Stripes to de-
ceive the enemy lurking beyond
Queenstown. This gave cause for
great concern in Washington, and 1t
was said that Capt. Turner made use
Of the American flag on his own ini-
tiative. Later, however, 1t was de-
clared that the move had been ordered
by the British admiralty, and that the
captain had nothing more to do than
obey orders.
Everything about the great vessel
was of colossal dimensions. Her rud
der weighed 65 tons. She carried three
anchors of 10 tons each. The main
frames and beams, placed end to end,
would extend 80 miles.
Her builders said she was as nearly
unsuitable as vessel could be. The
lower deck was watertight, and the
double bottom was so constructed
that, should the bilge keels be torn
away, and the hull pierced, the enter
ing water would be confined within
the inner and outer bottoms. The
lower portion of the hull was di-
ments, with communicating doors so
constructed that they could be closed
automatically from the navigating
bridge in a few seconds.
Marine engineers were particularly
interested in the great engines by
which the Lusitania was propelled.
Instead of the usual type of recipro-
eating engines, turbines were installed
They developed an indicated horse
power of 10000, driving four shafts,
each of which carried a three blade
propeller.
Her accommodations distributed in
to classes, were as follows: First,
class $50; second class, 500; third
class, 1900.
The zenith of her speed was reach
ed on a western voyage when she still
was a youngster. 1t was four days,
eleven hours and AZ minutes. Later
however, the record was wrested from
her by her sister ship, Mauretania,
which set the mark at four days, ten
hours and Al minutes, the standing
record.
Her first trip after the war began
was made on August 4, when she
slipped out Of New York shrouded in
darkness, save for her port and star
board lights But PIP passengers were
aboard. and as ii was known that the
Lusitania was the biggest sea going
prize that could fall into the hands or
German war craft, even they express
ed their fears. But the trip was made
in safety.