Furnishing a Luxury Liner

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 502, 3 November 1928, Page 26

Furnishing a Luxury Liner

HE artistic ability of the Hon. Elsie Mackay, who lost her life in an attempt to fly the Atlantic with Captain

Hinchcliffe last March, is traceable in the luxury of the allelectric P. and O. liner which was launched on the Clyde a few weeks ago, says “The Daily Mail.” Miss Mackay took a keen interest in all her father’s ships, and she closely co-operated with the designers and builders in the scheme of decoration and lay-out of the public rooms and saloons in this new ship, which was named the Viceroy of India by Lady Irwin, wife of the Viceroy.

The Viceroy of India is the first vessel of this type and size to be propelled by steam turbines operating through electric transmission gear. The propelling machinery will consist of twin sets of turbo-electric generators driving slow speed syn-

ehronous motors coupled direct to the two-propeller shaft, and using highpressure steam obtained from watertube boilers burning oil fuel. One of the advantages of the electric- drive is that it will eliminate a great deal of noise as compared with geared turbines, and there will be an absence of vibration due to the fact that the whole of the machinery is of a rotary type. The Viceroy of India is expected to make her maiden voyage to Bombay on March 29 next.

The launching of the ship realised an ambition of her father, Lord Inchcape, the chairman of the P. and O. Line—a private cabin for each saloon passenger. The Viceroy of India has 415 separate cabins, which are each furnished with a polished oak bedstead, wardrobe, dressing-table with drawers, wash basin with running water, a small cupboard, shelves and hoot rack. Twelve of the state rooms have private baths, while 20 cabins de luxe have also baths with smaller rooms suitable for a servant.

In the first-class dining-saloon an artistic French note has been struck in the scheme of decoration The music-room is 60ft long with large casement windows opening on to enclosed galleries protected by sliding windows. The reading-room is designed in the Adam style. The smoke-room is an example of 16th century work, the design being based on material now in the South Kem. sington Museum, and formerly taken from the old palace of Bromlev-in-Bow. There is also a swimming bath 24ft long.