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Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1593, 27 June 1903, Page 4

. ..■ -«- ~j .-■■-■■ ~.: ■ —, .ii, .-uve set themselves of placing in the Atlantic service two 750 ft twenty five knot ships is proving of formidable proportions at the very outset (says the Scientific American), for it seems that the announcement that these contracts had been let .was premature, and tha t the builders are hesitating to put their names to a contract carrying such onerous conditions as are imposed in the case of the two vessels. According to the latest reports that have reached this side of the water, the vessels are reqr.'ed to show an average speed of twenty-five knots over several thousand miles of continuous steaming, the average speed to be maintained irrespectiveof the conditions of wind and weather. Now, while wo believe that such conditions of trial speed as this are the only satisfactory onw, since tbey are conditions that exist in service, it wiJl be realised at once that they are enormously more burdensome than the requirement that a vessel should show a similar speed over the measured mile. T£ tho new.Cuuarders are to be capable of maintaining au average speed of twenty-five knots on a westward passage, they must be prepared to do so in spite of a succession of westerly gales such as Incoming vessels have recently reported. To accomplish this they must not only be built of exceptionally strong scantling, with special construction forward, to enable then to withstand the heavy seas that are certain to come aboard, but to maintain 25 knots in heavy weather they must be capable of at least 26i or 27 knots' speed in smooth water. We have seen the 23jknot Deutschland being pushed into a whole gala from the S.W., when her engines were indicating some 35,000 horse power; but the best speed that sho could make under these conditions was twenty-one knots per hour, although she averaged 23f knots per hour on the run to the eastward in fine weather. Of course, the greater weight and power of the new Cunardets would be in their favour; but, in any case, they must have a large margin of ; ; >wer to enable them to maintain a iivcaty-five knot average in bad weather, construction of tho bridges, houses, boat fastenings, deck rails, etc., will call for special consideration on the part of the designer. -. ■ , i ~