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Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1925, Page 2

Since the completion at the end of last year of the l niion Steam Ship Company's motor liner Aorangi, which was then the largest motor passenger ship alloat. rapid progress lias been made in the tonnage ot motor shipping ordered and placed in commission, and big strides have been made in tlie design and size of Diesel engines for mercantile shipping. When the order was placed for the Aorangi she represented .a distinct advance m the motor ship but recent orders have exceeded in importance that of tile Aorangi, both in size and power. The Aorangi is of 15,.10.) tons gross regislei, Gt. Oft. in length, by 72ft. beam,

and is propelled by four screws, each coupled to a Diesel engine of 337 b b.h.p. giving a total of 13,bi11) b.h.p. The next .step in the development of the motor ship was the 17,000 ton Nwedish-Aiiiei'icnii liner Gripsholm, which was driven by equal power to Ila Aorangi. but two engines of (>7ol) b.h.p., each coupled to a screw shaft. I Inis the size of a single Diesel sethad been doubled. This lias been exceeded considerably in the most recent orders, the latest being for a 23,<HiO-ton liner of 3b,((JO indicated horse-power, driven hv four screws. There are at present under construction six motor liners of more than 20.000 tons gross register, and more than 20.000 horse-power. The Royal Mail Steam Packet Coy., which, with its asoeiated companies, owns ononinth of the entire mercantile marine of Croat Britain, has two vessels of 21.700 tons nearing completion in Ifarhmd and Wolff's yards at Belfast. The I'nion Castle line, one of the I’oyal .Mail Packet group, has under order at the same yards a 22.000-ton liner tor the South African trade, to lie driven by similar engines to the Asturias. Three other large motor liners are being i onstnicted for Italian shipowners, l.ord KyNant recently expressed the opinion that. provided the relative prices of coal and oil were reasonable constant, and subject In

there being in undue disparity bctween the first cost of steamship mill motor ship, the steamship would he unable to compete ill economy of working with ;i motor ship lilted with tfullest type of motor engines. In the A ustralimi trade mlditiomd motor ships me being i lit reduced by British mid Foreign line- (says the Sydney “Morning Herald"). The C'oniinonwenlth mid Dominion Line litis fro motor shins on their maiden voyages to Australia. The tTiion Steam Ship Company has a new motor cargo ship which is to sail from Liverpool for Australian ports on her maiden voyage. The ftermmi-Anst ralia Line has a new motor ship, the Duisburg, engaged on her first voyage to Australia, and another motor ship is nearing

completion. Tin l cargo services i Australia of the Xorwegian-Australi end Sw'edish-Ausfralia lines are mail taineil almost, entirely b\ motor ship?