Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-28
FOUR COUNTRIES PREPARE
TO LOWER BREMEN'S MARK
Cermany's Superiority on North Atlantic
Challenged by United States, Italy,
France and Great Britain
THE greatest shipbuilding race in
history is on. Four powerful
maritime nationS-the United
4 States Great Britain France

L States, Great Britain, France
and 1taly-are in hot pursuit
of Germany, whose recovery as a major
maritime power was heralded last week
with the arrival of the Bremen at these
shores on an epoch-making maiden
voyage of 4 days II hours AZ minutes
the fastest transatlantic crossing ever
made by liner
Not only did the Bremen lower the
22-year-old record of the Cunarder
Mauritania, but the ease in which she
accomplished the feat left the shipping
world gasping. AS wireless reported
her record breaking run Gay after day
the world thrilled to this magnificent
liner which closed her maiden voyage
in burst of Speed-7l3 miles for an
average of 296 knots on the last "a
hours at sea-
$4,000 Inspect Liner.
No vessel in recent years has aroused
as much interest Her owners, the
North German Lloyd, were forced to
quit issuing passes to the public, who
clamored all last week for permission
to inspect the vessel. The tremendous
enthusiasm which the ship aroused
found the management unprepared for
by late Tuesday they had exhausted
their supply of $4,000 passes. 1t is es-
timated that $4,000 persons passed over
IlSI GdIlSpidnh during the Ilte Gays STe
was tied up at Bay Ridge. Brooklyn.
That Germany will not be permitted
to retain her laurels. possession of the
mythical Atlantic blue ribbon, without
struggle goes without saying, for now
that the Bremen has exceeded all re-
ports that preceded her maiden voyage,
the other great maritime nations,
through the medium of their respective
shipping companies, will endeavor to
fo Nd Inv,
rious vessels. All of these proposed
building programs are expected to be
completed between 1882 and 1888.
Pace Grows Faster.
Seven companies. the United States
Lines. representing the United States;
the Cunard and White Star Lines, rep
resenting Great Britain; the French
Line. representing France and the
Cosulich, NavigaIione Generate Italiana
and the lloyd Sabaudo, representing
Italy. are the contestants in the race
to overtake Germany, which got to
flying start with the Bremen last week
and has still another entry in the
Europa, sister ship of the Bremen,
which will make her maiden voyage
next March.
All of the above-named companies
plan new tonnage. which. it is reported
will be faster larger and more luyuri-
Gus than anything now afloat. Officials
OF two of these companies, the United
States and French Lines have declared
that this is their program, and they
are perfectly confident that their re-
spective countries have resources and
brains with which to carry out their
aims
Four Days Crossing Near.
This race for seapower and horse
power means that these two lines must
build ships capable of a speed of at
least 80 knots in order to defeat the
Bremen. for several marine experts
who inspected the latter are convinced
that she can attain this astonishing
figure any time she is called upon to
do so. They point to her last days run,
in which she averaged 296 knots, as
proof that she still had several more
knots in reserve.
No vessel is pushed to the maximum
on a maiden voyage, hence the belief
that when she is broken in" she will
be able to do 80 knots. Such speed is
an earnest of the crossing between New
York and the English Channel ports of
Cherbourg and Southampton in four
days
Cunard Plans Super Mauritania.
Great Britain is not expected to per- !
NIT the Atlantic blue ribbon to remain
long in the hands of the Germans, as
she was more than proud of the dis
tinction of the Cunarder Mauritania,
representing. as it did. for % years the
fastest liner afloat. The Cunard has
plans on paper to build a per-Maure- !
tania, in which speed and luxury will
be the keynote.
Great Britain's other entry in the |
race for supremacy is the White Star
Line. which recently laid down the keel
of the 60.000-ton liner Oceanic in the
Belfast yards of Harland & Wolff. Con- !
struction on this vessel has been halted
temporarily for the reported purpose
of making some slight alterations in !
her design. so that she can make bid
for the Atlantic blue ribbon.
While the sphere of operations of the
above companies is confined to the
North Atlantic trades exclusively, Pre-
mier Mussolini. who has done much to
lift Italy from comparative obscurity
to position of importance among the
maritime powers. is expected to discuss
soon with the heads Of the three great
italian lines. the Cosulich. Lloyd Sa-
baudo and Navigazione Generate Ital-
lana, plans to match the ambitions of
the other nations.
Italian Lines Project New Ships.
In fact. both the Lloyd Sabaudo and
N. G. I. have tentative plans to begin
early construction on one big liner with
a tonnage of $4,000 gross and speed
of % knots. In view of the Bremen's
advent and the plans of other nations
this speed NAV be increased to 80 knots
The other big italian company, the
Cosulich Line, also is said to have plans
for the construction of one or two fast
liners.
A building program of this magni-
tude means fleet the like OF which the
world has never seen, and 1t follows
that passengers must be found TO NIL
these ships. Hence reports in shipping
circles that 1888 will witness one OF the
most bitterly contested shipping fights
in history Governments must neces-
sarily stand behind their companies IN
the pending struggle, for 1t Is DOUBT
full whether the various lines would be
able in the face of such fierce COM
petition to operate profitably without
some form of direct or indirect govern
ment aid.
Powers Look to Second Line.
This aid NAV take the form of mail
subvention, or big ship building loans
bearing a low rate of interest over
long period of years, or both; for as a
result of increasing agitation Tor naval
limitation the big maritime nations
will be protected by their second line
of defense, the merchant liners, in the
event of emergency Thus the tendency
for great and greater speed and in
creased tonnage on the western ocean.
In addition to providing big liners,
which could easily be converted into
fast auxiliary cruisers. the nations have
another interest in building these big
liners-that is, to provide shipyard
workers with employment, In addition