Show MOST EXPENSIVE STEAMER STEAMER I London It I will surprise not a few tew to learn lern perhaps that the new Cunard turbine steamer stEamer which can claim the distinction of being the largest and fastest liner in the world represents represent an outlay of She is the most expensive steamer st mer merever ever built bui Indeed were wore It I not for the financial assistance of the British gov gay government government and the engineering and scientific sd entitle skill ski which was wa placed at the disposal of both owners and builders the Lusitania which will wi bring back to the British naton nation the blue of the Atlantic would never have been an accomplished fact It was so far back as 1903 that the I government entered Into negotiations with wih the Cunard company and agreed to supply a sum of with wih which they were w re to build two large ves yes vessels vessels sels ads capable of maintaining a speed spee of ot 24 knots In September of that year yeara a committee composed of ot experienced and prominent engineers was formed to consider the kind of machinery that should be employed and they voted for tor turbines In September 1904 the keel was laid In John Brown Cos yards yards on the Clyde The launching took place on June 7 1906 and on Septem September ber 7 the he great gr t liner made her maiden trip to New York The estimated cost of has been exceeded by it is believed about The fact is the erection of the boat represents more or less an experiment experiment ment mont and and in the earlier erler part of ot the un undertaking Undertaking numerous and costly costy experiments experiments experiments ments had to be made with models to ascertain the correct and best post positions for placing the huge machinery propellers etc The expense of or run running running running ning the new liner will wi be enormous The cost of or making a round trip from Liverpool to New York and back in including eluding the ship wages of or orthe the crew cress cre Insurance and depreciation cannot be less than han But the will 1 bring Liverpool a day nearer to New York By B agreement with the government of at the crew must be Brit British Bri BritIsh ish subjects Indeed the t th Cunard com corn company company pany has now become a definite Brit British BritIsh British ish institution On no account must It allow alow a foreigner to hold the post of director on the company or o any auy important Important Important tant office or any one not being a British subject to own owr ow any apy alY of at Its Is shares The T Cunard company had to alter aler its Is articles of or association to meet these conditions But from The govern government government ment it receives a fat Cat plum in the th shape of at a year for tor carrying caring the mails mans between Liverpool and New York In time of war of course the govern goern government government ment mert would at once convert the Lust Lusi Lusitania tania into nto a a warship |