The Romance of a Modern Liner

Front Cover, The Romance of a Modern Liner by Captain E. G. Diggle, R.D., R.N.R.of the RMS Aquitania, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2028ede08f

Acknowledgment

Captain Diggle acknowledges the valuable assistance of Kenneth J. Redwood, George E. Champion, Allen Whitmore, and T. E. Hughes of the Cunard Steam Ship Company, Limited, in compiling this book. This acknowledgment will be a sufficient explanation of the appearance of Captain Diggle's name in the text.

Foreword

by Admiral of the Fleet Earl Jellicoe of Scapa O.M., G.C.B., G.C.V.O.

If we are to have in future only a comparatively small Navy, it is all the more critical that the nation should realize the essential contribution which the Merchant Navy makes to their sea prestige, and the strength of the British peoples, The two services are complementary the one to the other.

There was a time when there was no division between ships of war and ships of commerce. In the days of the Armada, and even in later wars, down to the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Royal Navy had to be very strongly reinforced in times of war by ships belonging to private traders or trading corporations.

In subsequent years, the breach widened, but in 1914, again, we saw the British Mercantile Marine acting in the closest touch with the Royal Navy; indeed, the Royal Navy could not have fulfilled its mission if it had not had the support of the Merchant Navy, of which the Prince of Wales is now the Master.

No ship was too humble or ancient not to be required. Trawlers, drifters, small traders, tramp steamers, private yachts, and palatial liners were all called into service. The public was thrilled at the scanty rumors of the courageous exploits of armed merchant cruisers, mine-sweepers, and patrol vessels.

The interest aroused in the Merchant Service during the Great War continues, and of all classes of ships, the one that has perhaps the most universal appeal is the great liner. With its four massive funnels and gigantic hull, which carries some 4,000 persons in one trip across the Atlantic, a ship like the Aquitania, the largest liner built in Great Britain, or the world-famous Mauretania, is undoubtedly not only a triumph of the shipbuilders' craft but also the embodiment of efficient organization and service.

It is sometimes said that the modern liner sailor is no longer a sailor. Modern machinery and inventions have, of course, developed to an enormous extent, with the object of rendering travel at sea as safe as on land.

But consider the responsibilities of the captain of a massive Atlantic liner. He has the safety of thousands of lives and a ship worth between three and four million. Modern progress has not abolished storms, fogs, icebergs, uncharted rocks, or unsuspected dangers.

And remember that this responsibility continues for voyage after voyage, fair weather or foul, with little respite year after year. It is a responsibility that could only be borne with changed and improved modern conditions. And the infrequency of accidents, a striking characteristic of the line to which the Aquitania belongs, is undoubtedly a tribute to the efficiency and devotion of the mercantile marine branch of the British sea service.

It is only because its discipline is of the highest and its sense of responsibility particularly strong that it has attained and maintained the foremost position amongst the fleets of the world's maritime nations for so long.

The RMS Aquitania in a Familiar Setting at Southampton. A Colored Reproduction from the Original by Frank H. Mason. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2028ee5fa6

Contents

• Acknowledgment
• Foreword
• List of Illustrations
• I. Planning and Construction
• II. Launch and Steaming Trials
• III. Machinery and Engineers
• IV. Navigation
• V. Wireless
• VI. The Floating City
• VII. The Purser
• VIII. Catering and Stewards
• IX. Cargo, Mails, and Motor Cars
• X. Organisation Behind the Ship

List of Illustrations

• Colour Plate of the RMS Aquitania in a Familiar Setting. A Colored Reproduction from the Original by Frank H. Mason
• Mersey Flag Signals on Bidston Hill. This Contemporary Colored Sketch Shows the Method Adopted for Conveying News of Vessels Approaching the Mersey Some Fifty Years before the First Cunarder Sailed from the Port. " Each Merchant of Importance Had His Signal, and the Moment the Lookout Man at Bidston Could Identify a Ship Approaching the River, He Would Run Up Tub Flag of the Trader Concerned. In This Way, the News of an Incoming Vessel Preceded Its Arrival by Several Hours."
• The RMS Aquitania Leading Transports
• A Striking Bow View of the RMS Aquitania on the Stocks
• Dressing the Wax Model
• The Experimental Tank
• Preparing the Site: Electric Cranes and Piling in Position before Laying the Keel
• The Massive Vertebrae of the Hull Viewed from Amidships
• View of the Stern Frame, Showing One of the Apertures for a Propeller Shaft.
• Hydraulic Riveters at Work Building Up the Skin of the Ship
• The Stern, Complete with Rudder and Propellers, Together with Name and Port of Registry
• A Close-up View of Propellers Taken When the RMS Aquitania Was in Dry Dock
• On the Stocks Ready for Launching. A Remarkable Picture Showing How this Great Ship Dominated the Landscape.
• Some of the Vast Crowd Who Witnessed the Launch of the Ship. Cunard Liner Aquitania Leaving Ways -- Entering Water.
• The Gigantic Hull at Last Rides Safely upon the Waters of the Clyde
• A Low-Pressure Turbine Rotor
• The Complicated System of Dials and Gauges in the RMS Aquitania's Engine-Room Starting Platform
• The Stokehold—under Coal-Burning Conditions.
• Stokehold—as an Oil Burner
• Method of Bunkering with Oil Fuel Pipe Connection
• A Study of Funnels and Ventilation
• The RMS Aquitania's Wheel-House
• Gyroscopic Repeater, Magnetic Compass, and Wheel.
• The Late Captain Sir James Charles and Officers Taking the Sun at Noon. Photo by Topical Press.
• The Lookout Man in the Crow's Nest. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.)
• How to Recognise Officers' Ranks
• Captain E. G. Diggle, R.D., R.N.R. -- The RMS Aquitania's Present Commander
• Captain W. T. Turner, R.N.R. Who First Commanded the RMS Aquitania
• The Late Commodore Sir James Charles, K.B.E., R.D., R.N.R. Photo by Russell & Sons.
• An Unusual View of the RMS Aquitania by the Quayside at New York. Photo by Schenhals.
• Lowering the Lifeboats during Boat Drill. Photo by Topical Press.
• Preparing to Lower the Lifeboats
• Aquitania Officer Explaining Boat Drill to Passengers with Lifebelts. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.)
• RMS Aquitania Officer Gives a Talk on Boat Efficiency to Members of the Crew
• Illustrating the Great Height of the RMS Aquitania's Funnels and the Length of the Ship
• One of the Motor Lifeboats
• An Unusual View that Illustrates the Great Breadth of the Liner
• An Aerial View of RMS Aquitania in the Floating Dock at Southampton. Photo by Arthur W. Hobart.
• A Successful Stewards' Tug-Of-War Team
• A New Rudder on the Floor of the Floating Dock at Southampton, While the Old One is Being Dismantled.
• In One of the Wireless Rooms. Photo by Thos. Cope Knight.
• Composing Room of the Daily Mail, Atlantic Edition
• Trying Out One of the Motor Lifeboats Fitted with Wireless. Photo by Topical Press.
• H.R.H. Prince of Wales on the Bridge of the Aquitania During a Visit to Southampton. Graphic Photo.
• Fascimile Letter Received after the H.R.H. Prince of Wales Edward VIII's Visit
• The Fireplace in the Carolean Smoking Room on the RMS Aquitania
• The Elizabethan Grill Room.
• One of the Luxurious Bedrooms
• Color Plate: The RMS Aquitania Painted in Camouflage and Under Escort.
• The Louis XVI Dining Saloon
• The Famous Palladian Lounge
• Swimming Pool and Gymnasium
• The Stately Smoking Room of the RMS Aquitania
• A Transverse Section of the RMS Aquitania
• A Sketch Contrasting the Relative Sizes of the RMS Aquitania and Tower Bridge
• A Round with the Boxing Gloves on the Deck of the Aquitania
• A Game of Ping-Pong, With Afternoon Tea
• Workmen Putting the Familiar Red Paint on Cunard Funnels
• Mr. J. Lawler, the RMS Aquitania's Purser
• A Longitudinal Section of the Aquitania Indicating the Tremendous Amount of Space Occupied by Her Powerful Machinery.
• Comparison of Sizes of RMS Aquitania, RMS Britannia (1840), and the Mayflower of the Pilgrim Fathers
• On with the Dance -- An Atlantic Foxtrot
• A Bolster Bar Contest. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.)
• A Competitor in the Biscuit and Whistle Race
• An Impromptu Concert on Deck by a Touring College Band.
• Some Idea of the Provisions Required for a Single Voyage
• Physical Jerks for the Bell Boys of the Aquitania
• Taking the First Bite of a Sugar Model of the Aquitania Made by the Ship's Confectioner. News Photo.
• Stewards Taking Linen Ashore for the Laundry at the End of the Voyage.
• Some of the Prize Meat, Game, and Poultry Used for a Christmas Voyage
• A Corner of One of the Aquitania's Kitchens
• An Atlantic Gardener with Some of His Flowers and Plants.
• One of the Yachts Entered for the British-America Cup Being Hoisted Aboard the Aquitania. Photo by Topical Press.
• Hounds to Join an American Hunt in an Unfamiliar Setting
• A Large Consignment of Mails Being Landed by Tenders. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.)
• Discharging a Costly Cargo of Silver Bars. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.)
• An Aerial View of the Aquitania by Night.
• A Striking Picture of the Ship at Sea. Photo by The Daily Mirror
• A Very Successful Photograph Emphasizing the RMS Aquitania's Great Height. Photo by The Morning Post.
• Approaching Ocean Dock at Southampton. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.)
• A New York Departure Scene. Photo by Keystone.
• The Cunard Tender Lotharingia Leaving the Aquitania at Cherbourg.
• Aquitania's Passengers Thronging the Railway Station at Southampton. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.)
• RMS Aquitania Backing Out into the Hudson River, New York. Photo by Underwood & Underwood.

Mersey Flag Signals on Bidston Hill. This Contemporary Colored Sketch Shows the Method Adopted for Conveying News of Vessels Approaching the Mersey Some Fifty Years before the First Cunarder Sailed from the Port. " Each Merchant of Importance Had His Signal, and the Moment the Lookout Man at Bidston Could Identify a Ship Approaching the River, He Would Run Up Tub Flag of the Trader Concerned. In This Way, the News of an Incoming Vessel Preceded Its Arrival by Several Hours." The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2031588463

The Complicated System of Dials and Gauges in the RMS Aquitania's Engine-Room Starting Platform. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2031dcba90

The Stokehold—under Coal-Burning Conditions. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203225a82f

Stokehold—as an Oil Burner. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20323361af

Method of Bunkering with Oil Fuel Pipe Connection. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20323401dc

A Study of Funnels and Ventilation. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20323fd538

The RMS Aquitania's Wheel-House. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2032c0185d

Gyroscopic Repeater, Magnetic Compass, and Wheel. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2032d7d964

The Late Captain Sir James Charles and Officers Taking the Sun at Noon. Photo by Topical Press. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203319649e

The Lookout Man in the Crow's Nest. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20335f811d

Captain E. G. Diggle, R.D., R.N.R. -- The RMS Aquitania's Present Commander. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2033a8ce36

Captain W. T. Turner, R.N.R. First Commander of the RMS Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2033ea22b0

The Late Commodore Sir James Charles, K.B.E., R.D., R.N.R. Photo by Russell & Sons. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203423b6e3

An unusual view of the RMS Aquitania by the Quayside in New York. Photo by Schenhals. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203424cf1c

Lowering the Lifeboats during Boat Drill. Photo by Topical Press. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20343b2c64

Preparing to Lower Aquitania's Lifeboats. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203474498d

Aquitania Officer Explaining Boat Drill to Passengers with Lifebelts. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2034a8727c

RMS Aquitania Officer Gives a Talk on Boat Efficiency to Crew Members. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2034b90036

Illustrating the Great Height of the RMS Aquitania's Funnels and the Ship's Length. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2034e441f4

One of the Motor Lifeboats on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2034f4bc10

An Unusual View of the Aquitania that Illustrates the Great Breadth of the Liner. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20351052ac

An Aerial View of RMS Aquitania in the Floating Dock at Southampton. Photo by Arthur W. Hobart. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20351b7d97

A Successful Stewards' Tug-Of-War Team on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20351cdaf0

A New Rudder for the Aquitania on the Floor of the Floating Dock at Southampton, While the Old One is Being Dismantled. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203562084e

In One of the Wireless Rooms on the Aquitania. Photo by Thos. Cope Knight. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20358b0785

Composing Room on the Aquitania of the Daily Mail, Atlantic Edition. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2035cd7422

Trying Out One of the Motor Lifeboats Fitted with Wireless. Photo by Topical Press. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2035f08a11

H.R.H. Prince of Wales on the Bridge of the Aquitania During a Visit to Southampton. Graphic Photo. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20361e87d4

Fascimile Letter Received after the H.R.H. Prince of Wales Edward VIII's Visit to the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20362a6d31

The Fireplace in the Carolean Smoking Room on the RMS Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2036501350

The Elizabethan Grill Room on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203669229b

One of the Luxurious Bedrooms on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2036b399ba

Color Plate: The RMS Aquitania Painted in Camouflage and Under Escort. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2036c07143

The Louis XVI Dining Saloon on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20371b3d91

The Famous Palladian Lounge on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20372dc0bd

Swimming Pool and Gymnasium on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203738bff6

The Stately Smoking Room of the RMS Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20378a8b16

A Transverse Section of the RMS Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203855b7dc

A Sketch Contrasting the Relative Sizes of the RMS Aquitania and London Tower Bridge. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2038b669ad

A Round with the Boxing Gloves on the Deck of the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2038d85dab

A Game of Ping-Pong, With Afternoon Tea on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20394c8ce6

Workmen Are Putting the Familiar Red Paint on Cunard Funnels. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203983a7c7

Mr. J. Lawler, the RMS Aquitania's Purser. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 20399cded5

A Longitudinal Section of the Aquitania Indicating the Tremendous Amount of Space Occupied by Her Powerful Machinery. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 2039c5adf7

Comparison of Sizes of RMS Aquitania, RMS Britannia (1840), and the Mayflower (1620). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203a4151b7

On with the Dance -- An Atlantic Foxtrot on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203a4b9f0c

A Bolster Bar Contest on the Aquitania. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203ad48e51

A Competitor in the Biscuit and Whistle Race on the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203add4370

An Impromptu Concert on a Deck of the Aquitania by a Touring College Band. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203afa8e83

Some Idea of the Provisions Required for a Single Voyage of the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203b0fc282

Inspection of the Bell Boys on the Boat Deck of the Aquitania. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203b749c47

Passenger Takes the First Bite of a Sugar Model of the Aquitania Made by the Ship's Confectioner. News Photo. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203b79fc9f

Stewards Are Taking Linen Ashore for the Laundry at the End of the Voyage. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203be217fc

Some of the Prize Meat, Game, and Poultry Used for a Christmas Voyage. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203bf201b5

A Corner of One of the Aquitania's Kitchens. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203c06fdbf

Aquitania's Atlantic Gardener with Some of His Flowers and Plants. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203c60c647

One of the Yachts Entered for the British-America Cup Being Hoisted Aboard the Aquitania. Photo by Topical Press. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203c809097

Hound Dogs on the Deck of the Aquitania to Join an American Hunt in an Unfamiliar Setting. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203d121dd4

A Large Consignment of Mails Being Landed by Tenders from the Aquitania. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203d941342

Aquitania Discharges a Valuable Cargo of Silver Bars. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203d978b71

The RMS Aquitania Leading Transports During World War I. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203f3e3aa1

An Aerial View of the Aquitania by Night. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203daa949d

A Striking Picture of the Aquitania at Sea. Photo by The Daily Mirror. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203dae15fc

A Very Successful Photograph Emphasizing the RMS Aquitania's Great Height. Photo by The Morning Post. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203e0ef6f3

The Aquitania Approaches the Ocean Dock at Southampton. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203e22f9a1

Crowds on the Pier Watching the Aquitania Depart from New York. Photo by Keystone. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203ea5aeee

The Cunard Tender Lotharingia Departs from the Aquitania at Cherbourg. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203eaf24e1

Aquitania's Passengers at the Railway Station at Southampton. Photo by London News Agency (L.N.A.). The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203eb1ed81

RMS Aquitania Backing Out into the Hudson River, New York. Photo by Underwood & Underwood. The Romance of a Modern Liner, 1930. GGA Image ID # 203f37b453