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Seven hundred sea miles in 24 hours—for 22 years the Mauretania has been shooting at that goal. Her best shot was a 676, made in 1911 on a record crossing from Cherbourg to Manhattan. Last week the Bremen, on her first day out from Cherbourg sped 687 miles for a new world's one-day record. As she nosed into Manhattan plump Captain Leopold Ziegen-bein snapped his stopwatch and beamingly announced that the Bremen's time from Cherbourg to Ambrose Light had been 4 days, 17 hours, 42 minutes. The Maure-tania's best record for the same course was 5 days, 2 hours, 34 minutes. On her second day out the Bremen jauntily crossed the imaginary goal line of a 700-mile day with a clean four miles to spare. Rueful Britons were compelled to recognize that it was "Bremen über dies!"
Full up as she was last week the Bremen carried 800 first class passengers, 300 second, 500 tourist third, and 600 third. She is the fourth largest, the third longest, the fastest ship in the world.*
How has such superspeed been achieved? German engineers answered last week "chiefly by streamlining the Bremen's hull, by fitting her with a unique bulbous bow." Every layman knows that air friction against a raindrop causes it to assume a bulbous foreshape and to taper off behind—this being the form which offers least resistance to the air. With daring originality, the Bremen's designers gave her below the water line somewhat the shape of a falling raindrop; but above the water line her bow ceases to be bulbous, is keen as a bayonet edge. Luxury features of the Bremen include a street of arcaded shops; an all-night night club called The Astoria; and an optional Ritz Restaurant, where first class passengers may pay extra for a la carte food. First class Bremen tickets cost $315 up—"Highest minimum rate on the Atlantic."
Launched almost simultaneously with the Bremen last year was her sister ship, the Europa (Time, Aug. 27). While still under construction the Europa caught fire and burned for a loss of three million dollars, the most stupendous in the annals of marine fire insurance, (TIME, April 8). At the time incendiarism was suspected, could not be proved. Last week the Europa had been sufficiently salvaged and repaired to be launched a second time. As she slid into the water at Hamburg all seemed well; but suddenly a potent explosion blasted away almost half the launching ways and gear. Fortunately the Europa was two-thirds in the water when the detonation came and she escaped unharmed. Once again, as when the Europa burned, General Director STIMMING, calm, clear mouthed said: "There is no explanation. Deny all insinuations."
* The largest ship (Lloyds' rating): Majestic (56,621 tons, according to U. S. Shipping Board rules 61,206), Leviathan (34,282 tons, or by U. S. Shipping Board measure 59,957 tons), Berengaria (52,226 tons), Bremen (50,000 tons).
The longest: Majestic (915 ft.), Leviathan (907 ft), Bremen (888 ft.), Berengaria (883 ft.).
The fastest: Bremen (28 knots), Mauretania (25% knots), Majestic (25 knots), Leviathan (24 knots).