Page:EB1911 - Volume 24.djvu/924

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The Hamburg-American Company followed a similar course to the White Star Line and added two large vessels of 17 knots speed—the “Amerika” of 22,622 tons gross, built by Messrs Harland & Wolff, and the “Kaiserin Auguste Victoria” (fig. 32, Plate VII.), of 24,581 tons gross, built at Stettin. The largest German vessel afloat in 1910 was the “George Washington,” built in 1908 at Stettin for the North German Lloyd.

The Hamburg-American Company ordered in 1910 two vessels, not only much larger than the “George Washington,” but exceeding even the “Olympic” in dimensions. They were said to be over 900 ft. long over all, 94 to 95 ft. beam, 20,000 tons gross greater tonnage than the “George Washington,” 13,000 tons more than “Mauretania” and 2000 tons more than “Titanic” and “Olympic”; turbines of 60,000 to 70,000 H.P. being provided to maintain a speed of 22 knots across the Atlantic. The Cunard Company ordered in Dec. 1910 a 50,000-ton turbine-driven ship from John Brown & Co., to steam at 23 knots on service.

The “Minnewaska” of the Atlantic Transport Company is typical of vessels on the Atlantic route carrying a large cargo together with a limited number of passengers of one class. Three hundred and twenty-six first-class passengers are carried and provided with excellent accommodation. When fully loaded the displacement is over 26,000 tons and the speed 16 knots; the horse-power required being only a sixth that of the fast Cunarders. To large numbers of passengers the additional period on the voyage is no disadvantage, while the transport of a large cargo at the relatively high speed of 16 knots is a great advantage.

Canadian Liners.—With the increasing trade between Europe and Canada the direct Canadian liners increased in numbers and importance, and now bear favourable comparison with the great liners running between Europe and the United States. The “Victorian” and “Virginian” of the Allan line, built in 1904 and 1905 and plying between Liverpool and Montreal, were the first ocean liners to be fitted with Parsons turbines; they are 520 ft. long, 60 ft. 5 in. beam, 38 ft. moulded depth and 10,629 tons gross; and they can carry 1500 passengers and a large cargo at a speed of 17 knots. They were followed in 1906 by the “Empress of Britain” and “Empress of Ireland,” built by the Fairfield Company for the Canadian Pacific Railway Company; they are 570 ft. long over all, 549 ft. between perpendiculars, 65 ft. 6 in. beam, 36 ft. 8 in. depth moulded, tonnage 14,189 gross tons, displacement 20,000 tons at 28 ft. draught; quadruple-expansion engines of 18,000 I.H.P. are fitted and a speed of over 20 knots was obtained on trial. Excellent accommodation is provided for 1580 passengers; and a considerable quantity of meat can be carried in insulated holds provided with refrigerating arrangements, besides a large general cargo, a total of 6500 tons