Further Blue Riband Contests 169 



heavier still, weighing 126 tons, whilst its 

 diameter is n ft. 3 ins.; the astern turbine 

 has a diameter slightly in excess of the 

 high-pressure machine. There are over 

 800,000 blades in the six turbines. The 

 huge propellers are of manganese bronze, 

 the blades being built up to the boss. This 

 is considered advantageous, since, if a 

 single blade becomes damaged, it is not 

 necessary to detach the whole of the 

 weighty mass. 



There were originally 23 double-ended 

 and two single-ended boilers, the former 

 having four furnaces at either end. These 

 required 6,000 tons of coal on each trip 

 across the Atlantic. 



What this means really may be better 

 visualised by imagining 22 train loads of 

 coal, each train made up of 30 trucks. No 

 wonder the Cunard were glad to have 

 liquid fuel delivered from oil tankers 

 which can lie right alongside and pump 

 the oil straight into the tanks. Think of 

 the mess saved, apart from the fact that 



