MORE NEW STEAMERS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 21, 22 October 1901, Page 4

MORE NEW STEAMERS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

On August the I.7th. there was launched from the yards of Messrs Hkrland and Wolff the first of three large twinscrew steamers which are being built to the order of Ismay, Imrie and Co., proprietors of the White Star line, for the service between London anol New Zealand, which, as heretofore, is to be conducted in connection with the Shaw, Savill, anol Albion Company. This steamer is to be called the Athenie, and is to be followed by the Corinthic and the lonic. Her length is 500, breadth 63, and depth 41 feet, and the registered capacity 12,500 tons. Accommodation is to be provided for 94 saloon, 84 second and 186 third-class passengers, and there is also ample accommodation for cargo. Conversing recently with a press representative, an official of one of the largest steamship companies declared that the olay cf tmall vessels was passed, simply because it was found much more economic to run huge ships like the Cymric or Saxcnia. " Since 1896 when the North German Lloyd Company brought out the Frederieh Der Grosse and her three sister tliips, the various steamship companies have add en at least foity vessels of over 10,000 tons each, and lines which formerly were barely known now compete successfully with their more powerful rivals by reason of the popularity of their new vessels." At the same time there is no disposition on the part of the British owners to compete with the German " record breakers," which have to keep up their speed owing to mail subsidies.