NO RECORD

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19902, 3 June 1936, Page 7

NO RECORD

THE QUEgN MARY. ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK. BEHIND THE NORMANDIE’S TIME. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 1. The Queen IVtary, whloh peached New York this morning, covered the distance of Just under 3000 miles between Bishop’s Rock and Ambrose Light In 4 days 6 hours 48 minutes. The present record for the Atlantic crossing, measured over this course, was set up by the French liner Normandie in May, 1935, and was 4 days 3 hours 24 minutes, east to west. On the voyage west to east the Normandie’s record was 4 days 3 hours 5 minutes. The time which the .Queen Mary lost in the fog into which she ran on Saturday night is officially computed at 10 hours. The Queen Mary’s official average speed for the entire voyage was given as 29.13 knots. The Normandie’s average speed on her maiden trip was 29.69 knots. The Normandie, which arrived at Le Havre shortly after midday from New York, reached 32 knots on the last lap of her voyage. This constitutes a new record for the vessel, the previous fastest speed of which was 31.55 knots. Care For Safety. The determination of the CunardWhite Star Line and Commodore Sir Edgar Britten to make no attempt upon the record during the maiden voyage which would not be consistent with due care, and respect for the liner’s new machinery during the running-in period was well known, nevertheless as the news came through of the great ship’s magnificent progress for Hie first three days of the voyage the possibility that she would beat the record without a special effort began to be canvassed. This idea was finally abandoned when it was learned that the Queen Mary had reduced speed for several hours on Sunday owing to fog. Satisfaction is expressed at the liner’s performance on her first Atlantic crossing, which is held to have justified the high hopes which her designers, builders and owners—indeed, the whole nation —had set upon her. The Queen Mary twice broke the record for a day’s run. Between noon on Thursday and noon on Friday she covered 7i7 miles at an average speed of 29.88 knots, and on the next 25 hours run she did 7GG miles at an average of 30.64 knots. For the whole next day’s run her mileage dropped, owing to fog, to G7B miles, at 27.12 knots. On the last stage of the voyage. until she reached Ambrose Lighthouse, she covered Gil miles at 29.07 knots. When still some miles from Ambrose Light she slowed down to halfspeed, disappointing the passengers, who expected a last spurt. Messages from New York describe the welcome which hundreds of thousands of people gave to the new liner on her arrival. Many thousands, standing on the roofs of motor cars in hills overlooking the entrance to the Narrows, watched the last stage of the historic maiden trip, and aeroplanes hovered overhead. Crowds massed by Battery Point cheered lustily as the Queen Mary passed into the Hudson River for docking at the Fiftieth Street berth.