Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13


The Kentucky Derby at Louisville, the Penn
relays at Philadelphia, the yachting regattas at
CoweS the auto races at Indianapolis and all
other events where men and motors meet for
supremacy will become comparatively small
time stuff" when gigantic liners now being
planned or in process Of construction steam
across the Atlantic against time.
This will be an international race of great
magnitude, with millions to be won lost
The hackers will gamble their all, not tiny
ponies but on fleets of stupendous ships.
The feat which started the world talking
about the coming race was the marvellous run
during the Summer of the Bremen, which on
her maiden voyage created sensation by rum
ming from Cherbourg to New York in the rec
ord time of days II hours AZ minutes-inci-
dentally marking the come back of Germany as
q maritime power.
On later trip the Bremen bettered her own
record making the crossing. from New York to
Cherbourg in days Is hours AZ minutes. This
jolt of the Germans affected the United States,
France Italy and England, especially the lat
ter, whose Cunard entry, the Mauretania had
held the transatlantic speed supremacy for
many years The Leviathan, flagship of the
United States Lines, and the Majestic her sis
ter ship, now owned by the White Star, had at
times bettered the Mauretania's record only to
see the Britisher break it again with ease.
PUT the Germans have spoken, and it is the
fast ships they already own and others they
viii build to keep the Teutons from procuring
more than their share Of the desirable trans
atlantic trade In this impending race the
United States will be represented by the United
States Lines, Great Britain by the Cunard and
White Star, France by the French Lines and
Italy by the Cosulich, Navigazione Generate
Italiana and the Lloyd Sabaudo Lines, all striv-
ing to attain supremacy for speed safety and
efficiency.
EoSd tho Tsoruo has
entry in her sister ship, the Europa, which is
expected to make her maiden voyage next
Spring, shortly before the rush of American
travellers to England and the continent
In Belfast the White Star Line laid down
the keel for the oceanic some time ago. When
the news of the Bremens record run was
flashed around the world construction work on
the new vessel ceased temporarily, while en-
voys of the line took time of to inspect the
new wonder and devise ways and means of
altering their plans If necessary. Orders then
came through to the shipbuiding yard of Har-
land Wolff to scrap the 1000 foot-long keel
which Princess Mary laid with great ceremony
last october as the foundation for the worlds
largest steamship and prepare the slips to build
something even larger. Work on the demolition
of the Oceanic's keel was begun and prepara-
lions for laying a new keel were pressed for
ward
The original plans for the oceanic now be-
ing strapped we're for vessel 600 feet long
and of $4,000 tons gross tonnage, estimated to
cost 900. The Bremens length is 900
feet and her tonnage $4,000. The decision to
increase the length of the new ship is deemed
sound by the engineers and naval architects
who declare that length is essential when speed
is desired
It was originally intended that the Oceanic
should be Diesel-engned ship, but when the
Bremen broke the record the Oceanic, it was
said. redesgned.
Premier Mussolini is determined his country
shall not be left behind in the maritime world
and has had frequent conferences with mari
time leaders as to their future plans.
So far, the Leviathan is the lone entry of the
United States in this race of giant ships. She
is known to nearly every inhabitant of the
U. S. A. as the Vaterland, which was seized
during the war and rechristened
Until this year the United States Lines were
owned and operated by the United States Ship
ping Board. This year, however, the organi-
zation was acquired by Paul w. Chapman
banker and Joseph E. Sheedy. shipping man.
Acquisition of the Leyiathan the George Wash
ington and other ships of the line was followed
by an announcement that the United States
Lines, as part of the contract with the Govern
ment, would build two more huge ships of the
Leviathan class: 1t is expected that their keels
will be laid next Spring and that they will be
completed by the Spring of 1882.
SHIPPING men in America hope the United
States Lines will be assisted by the Jones'
White act, enacted little more than a year
ago, in building these additional ships and
meeting the strenuous competition Of the other
four nations mentioned The Republican and
Democratic parties united on this act which
features such aids as long-term contracts at
increased compensation and q liberal construc-
ton loan fund. enabling ship owner to bor-
row at low interest up to IS per cent Of the
cost of building vessel In this country
When it comes to discussion of the tonnage
Of these proposed ships. it appears that some
all