Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01


J North Atlantic, huge ocean liner
races against time to set a new
record in transatlantic travel.
It is the Europa Germany's latest
and finest expression in shipbunding, twin but
more powerful sister of the Bremen which only
a wear before had set world speed record for
the same trip
Sailing long, broad and squatty on the oceans
surface this great Seagoing hotel pushes its
Dubious pug-nosed bow into the crests OF the
waves. Its four powerful propellers, turned by
as many turbines, grip the water beneath the
stern more securely and force the heavy steel
mass faster ahead.
The Europa, like the Bremen before 1t, and
like the famous British liner, Mauritania,
which for well over two decades had held the
crossing record, finally sights Ambrose Light
Ship the first sign of American soil far out OF
New York Harbord, and speeds across the i'm
aginary tape with new mark for later ships
to break.
The ship is 10 minutes ahead of its prede-
cessor the Bremen, and nearly four hours the
master of the Mauritania, on this first cross
ing. The passengers cheer wildly, the crew
relaxes for the first time, while the furrowed
lines of sleeplessness and worry on the face
of the commander depict grinly the task en-
tailed in winning new transatlantic record.
TOR that matter of speed is no fun for the
captain of a large vessel, or its owner
Neither is it any pleasure to those competitors
who anticipate breaking the new record 1t
means nothing to them but considerable trouble
and expense-an to gain the favor of the
American traveller.
All to gain the prestige of leadership on the
North Atlantic and the popularity and pat
ronage that are expected to ensue
At present more so than ever before, this
battle for supremacy on the Atlantic is par
ticularly hot and furious. Not only Germany
but England, France, Italy, Holland, the Scan
dinavian countries and the United States are
building bigger finer and more powerful liners
in order to gain the cream of the passenger
trade between New York and the leading
foreign ports.
Germany has its Bremen and Europa already
on the seas, huge ships of $4,000 and 1000
tons gross capacity nearly 900 feet long and
100 wide, each with a capacity for 1900 pas
sengers in normal travel and a crew of $50.
In England, the Cunard line has begun con-
struction of the first of two liners of $4,000
gross tonnage, to carry at least $500 passen-
gers and 900 men in the crew.
Two liners approaching In size the Bremen
and Europa are being built in Italy, to enter
the competition in 1882 and cut the time be-
tween New York and Italy from to days.
France only three years ago introduced its
own pride in the form Of the lie de France, a
modern liner Of $4,000 gross tons, more than
$50 feet long and able TO accommodate more
than 1850 passengers. Yet today France is
planning to build ship that will compete on
more equal terms with such coming vessels
the Cunard line is planning. It is expected to
be the largest and fastest electrically driven
ship in the world. It's length will be nearly
100 feet and its motors will drive it through
the waters at speed Of over 80 knots. This
ship will be ready for the Atlantic service in
the Spring of 1884
The Swedish-American Observation-Disclosures
and Scandinavian Line zach plan the con-
Struction OF veaaok % be included in the
super-ship cIass The Holland American Line
bought out the 30 000-ton Statendam only two
years ago, while four comparatively new ships,
one Of them only two years old, make up the
modern fleet of the Hamburg American Line
of Germany.
GO, by 1892, international shipping interests
- look forward rather fretfully to the real
beginning Of a competition which was only
suggested last year.
1t will be a competition of size and of speed
OF luxury and diversion such as have never
before been offered the transatlantic tourist
Millions Of dollars are being spent by the
various shipping interests in what is becoming
more and more of gamble for the supremacy
of the Atlantic.
The Bremen and Europa, for instance, cost
5000 900 each The new British liner of
$4,000 tons capacity will cost 100000. The
italian liners, Rex and Conte di Savoia, win