MOTOR LINER IN THE THAMES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8, 7 May 1912, Page 7

MOTOR LINER IN THE THAMES.

STEAM COAL SUPERSEDED BY OIL. NEW EPOCH IN OCEAN TRAVEL. London was visited on the morning of February 27th by the first large ocean-going vessel driven by oil 'engines. Except that she is without funnels there is nothing in her outward appearance to distinguish her from steam-driven liners. As she sailed gracefully up the Thames on her way to the West Ir.dia Dock the only remark offered by rivermen was: "There goes some poor captain who has had had weather in the Channel and has lest his funnel." Yet the advent of the first motor liner, but a recently materialised dream of the marine inventor, marks a new epoch in the history of ocean travel. The Selandia, the name of the new comer, is as notable a pioneer as was the first paddle-wheeled steamer that left the Clyde or the first Cunarder that crossed the Atlantic. A vessel of 7400 tons deadweight, she was built for the Danish East Asiatic Company, and she is making her maiden voyage from Copenhagen to Bangkok. ■She is the first of the big motor liners that are building, or are. about to be built in England and in Germany. Her estimated speed with full cargo is 12 knots, but during her trials she, attained a speed of 13 knots through loose ice. .She is driven by two main Diesel motorp, each of 1250 h.p. and two auxiliary motors each of 250 h.p. ifi ; Many famous engineers' visited the Selandia as she, Jay berthed the dock. No coal,| strike can! prevent her from putting'to: S,]|o!ennrics no coal, she has no boilers and no coal bunkers, and her (dean, smooth decks and white hull are free from soot and ashes. Thousands of-tons of ' petroleum, her fuel, are stored in tanks at the bottom of the ship,, ahd she has sufficient on board to caflny her to Bangkok and back. The 'exhaust fumes escape through pipe® fitted to the mast at a height of nearly 50ft from the deck. * "She can be managed as easily as a penny steamer," was a remark heard j'n the engine room, and her engineers explained that by means of compressed air her intricate machinery may be reversed from full speed ahead to full speed astern in 20 seconds. Those who undertook the voyage from Copenhagen said that from the passengers' point of view the vessel's most, noticeable feature was an entire absence of vibration. Another enormous advantage of the motor liner is that she-can be put to sea almost immediately, without having to spend, as is the case with steam driven vessels, a whole day ifi getting up steam. Passenger accommodation, which is amidship, resembles that of a millionaire's yacht. Electrical devices add to the comfort of the dining and smoking saloons. Each cabin is fitted with. a mechanical settee which may be converted into a bed, a washstand, a writing table and a chair. With the remarkable success of the ' Selandia a new shipbuilding contest j may be said to have begun. The Jutlandia, a sister vessel, is nearing completion on the Clyde, and a motor liner which will be the largest afloat, with 8000 tonnage, is being constructed in Germany. But the Danish East Asiatic Company has now ordered two motor liners, each of 10,000 tons, and other companies are beginning to realise that the motor-driven liner may soon become a serious rival to the steam propelled vessel.