News from 1907 Lusitania's Maiden Voyage

M

Mark Baber

RIP
The New York Times, 7 September 1907

LUSITANIA STARTS FIRST TRIP TO-DAY
---
Will Race the Lucania Across in an Effort for a New Record
---
BOTH BOATS ARE FULL
---
Colossal Ferries Groomed for the Event---Lusitania Will Burn 1,000 Tons
of Coal Daily
---
Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES
---
LONDON, Sept. 6---I am able to state that among the passengers sailing
to-morrow on the Lusitana [sic] are Mrs. Potter Palmer, Robert R.
Potter, George Peabody, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goelet, Richard Croker, Jr.,
Mrs. Croker, Miss Croker, W. P. Thompson, and Robert Balfour.

Extraordinary efforts have been made by the Cunard Company to shroud in
complete secrecy the names of passengers on the maiden voyage of the new
liner, and the kind of staterooms they occupy. The company states that
this is necessary to shield passengers from inconvenience.

The company has issued an official statement to the effect that it
feared such a swarm of curious inquirers and others on the pier at New
York when the great vessel arrives as to make it imperative to conceal
the identity of those who have the privilege of going on the Lusitana
[sic] on her first trip.

Neither of the two regal suites, the price of which for a single voyage
is $4,000, has been let complete. Each has been divided into four rooms
and let separately.

The voyage promises plenty of excitement, in view of the race with the
Lucania, which for so long has held the record not only as the Cunard's
fastest boat, but as the fastes [sic] of all British ships. The
Lusitania and the Lucania lie about two miles from each other in the
Mersey at Liverpool to-night. Extraordinary efforts have been put forth
on both ships the last few days, and since the middle of the week work
has been going on night and day. The excitement to-night runs high, not
only among the crews, but also among the passengers, who are arriving
hourly.

The two great ships are commanded by two of the finest Captains in the
service, Capt. Watt of the Lusitana [sic] and Capt. Barr of the Lucania.
Each will know how to get every ounce out of his vessel. They are
quiet-mannered, reticent men, with closed lips and steady eyes, men who
will make the great race notable. Incidentally they deny it is a race,
and the engine room staffs are not talking.

At 4:30 o'clock to-morrow afternoon the Lucania will leave Prince's
landing stage for New York, and at 7 o'clock the Lusitania will leave
and the race will have started, but there will be no grip in the contest
till after both boats have called at Queenstown and started in earnest
across the Atlantic. The Lusitania will wait for the Lucania to clear
away from Queenstown before she leaves. Then the army of the engine room
staff of each ship will go to work in grim earnest.

One point in favor of the Lucania is that her stokehold and engine room
crews know what their ship can do and how to make her do it. They number
221 man, and the Lusitania's rival battalion numbers 396. They will have
to handle about 1,000 tons of coal daily.

Local pride is running high, as it is confidently expected that the
Lusitania will break the transatlantic record now held by the Germans.
The whole accommodation in all classes, both in the Lucania and the
Lusitania, has been booked. The former has on board 380 first and 360
second saloon passengers, and the latter 480 first and 495 second saloon
passengers. Special police arrangements have been made to cope with the
record crowd expected to assemble to witness the start.

-30-
 
Interesting article, Mark. I have an original article and photo published by one of the local newspapers here, describing the voyage as the Lusitania was at sea.

I'll post it here as soon as I can.
 
The New York Times, 8 September 1907

100,000 CHEER AS LUSITANIA SAILS
---
Giant Cunarder Leaves Liverpool on Her Maiden Voyage to New York
---
AN HOUR LATE IN STARTING
---
It Is Believed the New Liner Will Beat the Lucania to This Port by at
Least Twenty Hours
---
Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES
---
LIVERPOOL, Sept. 7---To the singing of "Rule Britannia" and amid
hurricanes of cheers from the assembled thousands, the Cunard liner
Lusitania was sped to-night upon her maiden voyage.

The great vessel's departure dominated everything else here to-day, the
crowds and enthusiasm being fully commensurate with the enormous
interest in the event. The send-off was a magnificent one. No vessel in
the British mercantile service ever inaugurated her career more
splendily. [sic]

Throughout the day the Lusitania, and also the Lucania, were the centre
of attraction for sightseers, busy either in speculating on the probable
result of the great ocean race---for no statements of the Cunard
officials can convince the public that no race is intended---or given up
to admiration of the splendid spectacle created by the two liners,
supposed to be in friendly rivalry.

The Lucania, which was announced to leave three hours before the
Lusitania, left her berth at Prince's Stage at 5 P. M., and was
succeeded there about an hour later by the Lusitania. The embarkation
of the first-class passengers then commenced. The arrangements were the
same as for other liners, with the exception of a special revolving
elevator for the luggage. The arrangements worked excellently except for
congestion at the gangways at times.

As the first-class accommodations, with the influx of passengers,
assumed a habitable character, the appointments were fully revealed in
their luxuriousness and splendor.

There was not a vacant berth either in the first or second class.

Dusk fell before the preparations for the Lusitania's departure were
well advanced and then the waiting crowds had a reward for their
patience, for when she was lighted up the vessel presented a truly
magnificent spectacle.

The Lusitania left the stage a little over four hours after the Lucania.
Cheering followed the vessel till her lights faded in the darkness.
----------
LIVERPOOL, Sept. 7.-There is no one in England to-night but is convinced
that by next Friday the greatest turbine steamer ever constructed will
have won back for the Cunard Line the laurels wrested from it ten years
ago by the North German Lloyd.

Probably never before has so much interest been displayed in the maiden
voyage of a new vessel as was displayed today in the sailing of the
Lusitania. This can be attributed partly to the intense rivalry between
England and Germany in the transatlantic passenger traffic, partly to
national pride in ownership---the Lusitania is believed to be the
greatest triumph of the shipbuilder's art afloat---and to no small
extent to the sporting element given to the event by the prospect of a
race between the youngest Atlantic flier and the Lucania, at one time
the holder of the record.

The Lusitania was over one hour late in starting. The scene as she
sailed was a memorable one. Fully 100,000 spectators lined the landing
stage and the river banks in the immediate vicinity and yelled
themselves hoarse as the liner gathered headway down the river, and
every steamer and riverside factory for miles along the Mersey joined in
the chorus of goodbys. [sic] The din was deafening.

Lit up from stern to stern with lights glinting from the rows of
portholes that marked her numerous tiers of decks, the mammoth
proportions of the Lusitania were emphasized by the illuminations, and
the vessel presented a magnificent spectacle as she began to move away.
The demonstration reached its climax when the vast multitude broke out
with " Rule Britannia." This song was taken up by the crowds on the
Cheshire side of the river and sung until the ship, with her 3,000
passengers, had passed slowly beyond the sight of the four-mile-long
riverside promenade.

The Lusitania will be allowed to go easily as far as Queenstown, but
from there it is expected that she will be driven at her full speed of
25 1/2 knots an hour. Of course the officials of the Cunard Line say
that no race is contemplated, but the engine room crews of the two
vessels have been busy for a week past getting everything in readiness
with the expectation that the engines will be called upon to do their
best on this occasion. Twenty hours is about the lowest estimate by
which the Lusitania is expected to beat the Lucania into New York.

On the Lucania are 370 first-class and 3400 second-class passengers, and
on the Lusitania 480 first-class and 495 second-class. The lists include
many notable persons. Among the passengers on the Lusitania are Robert
Balfour, M. P., E. C. Barber, H. G. Dolan, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hay, the
Countess of Dunmore, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus H. McCormick, Lady Victoria
Murray, and S. C. Perkins. The Lucania carries the team of the
Marylebone Cricket Club, which will play a series of games in America,
and Bishop P. J. O'Reilly.

-30-
 
and on this day 100 years ago.
This calls for a special reading from J. Kent Layton's new book.

[those who have read the book will understand. to those who haven't it is a treasure trove of information. Good art subject material.]

cheers

Martin
 
Interesting article, Mark

Thanks, Jason. It'll be interesting to see how the coverage in the two papers compared.

Mark thanks for posting.

Thanks, Martin. This is a spin-off from a series I post to several mailing lists, focusing on 1907 NYT articles about White Star. This other line's ship just happened to hog most of the attention during the second week of September, for some reason.

;-)
 
[MAB Note: This is for those of you who were wondering what E.J. Smith was doing while Lusitania was making her maiden voyage.]

The New York Times, 9 September 1907

MORGAN'S WILD AUTO DASH
---
The Financier Catches an Express Train in the Berkshires
---
Special to The New York Times
---
PITTSFIELD, Mass., Sept. 8---J. Pierpont Morgan to-day pursued an
express train in an automobile and caught it

It was the fastest run that has been seen in this vicinity up to date,
and some folk in the Central Berkshires are still speculating as to the
nature of the red streak that flashed down their beautiful roads.

Mr. Morgan has been here as the guest of Charles Lander, and this
afternoon started back to New York to keep an important engagement in
the morning. Mr. Morgan, Mr. Lander, Capt. E. J. Smith of the steamship
Adriatic, and Col. Oswald Latrobe left Mr. Lander's country home in the
auto together to come to the station here. Through a miscalculation they
arrived just in time to see the tail end of the New York Express whirl
round a curve in the distance.

Mr. Morgan's host ran into the station, explained his unfortunate slip
to the agent, John Gleason, and induced him to wire to Lee, twelve miles
away, asking that the train be held up for a couple of minutes at that
point.

On the chance that the request would be acceded to, Mr. Lander rushed
out of the station without waiting for an answer, jumped into the auto,
and told the chauffeur to push it to the last limit of speed for Lee.

Through Pittsfield's ordinarily sedate streets the car rushed at a
forty-mile clip. That was only a preliminary. Fine roads are the rule
thereabout, and the main road to Lenox, along which the flying auto took
its course, is particularly adapted to spectacular automobile
performances. There the $15,000 car was let out to the last notch, and
at sixty miles an hour or more it headed a trail of dust that stretched
away two miles to the rear.

Everybody sat tight, and with horn-blowing and machinery rumbling the
car dashed into Lee, whirled around to the station, and there found the
delayed express train.

It had been waiting for about five minutes. Mr. Morgan, who seemed not
at all disturbed by his perilous dash, climbed from the auto, got on the
train as it pulled out, and waved a goodby to his friends.

-30-
 
The New York Times, 9 September 1907

LUSITANIA SOON PASSES LUCANIA
---
Is Delayed for a Time by Fog, but Later Makes 25 Knots an Hour
---
NO MOTION FELT ON BOARD
---
Passengers Cannot Believe They Are at Sea---The Start from Queenstown
Made at 12:10 P. M.
---
By Wireless-Telegraph and Cable
---
Special to The New York Times
---
ON BOARD THE LUSITANIA, Sept. 8, by Wireless Telegraph to
Crookhaven---We passed the Daunt Rock Lightship, the official starting
point for westward transatlantic records, at 12:10 P. M., fifteen
minutes after the Lucania.

For a time this afternoon fog prevented the Lusitania from doing her
best, to the intense disappointment of the eager passengers. The Captain
paced the bridge continually and the passengers peered into the mist in
a vain effort to catch a glimpse of the Lucania. There were a couple of
intervals of half an hour each when the fog lifted and the Lusitania
went at twenty-five knots.

Then, at 6 P. M., the fog disappeared altogether, and we are now, at 9
P. M., going steadily at twenty-five knots an hour. The vessel is
gliding smoothly and most of the passengers, in evening dress, are
lining the sides of the ship, braving the cold wind, in order to catch a
glimpse of the Lucania, which we passed in the afternoon. She is in the
neighborhood, making a splendid fight, as we know by the marconigrams,
but is still unsighted.

It is learned that, unless conditions are very adverse, a most
determined effort is to be made to break the Atlantic record.
----------
From Liverpool to Queenstown
---
ON BOARD THE LUSITANIA, QUEENSTOWN, Sept. 8---We reached here at 10 A.
M. We were delayed by the fog, but passed the Lucania at 3 A. M. in the
Irish Sea.

While the Lusitania was here, the Lucania steamed up to within gunshot
and there were genial greetings between the passengers.

The delay last night disappointed the passengers, who are eager for a
record, but the officers and engine room staff are undismayed and
cheerful. "Wait till we get to sea," remarked one of them. "We are out
to do things," said one of the officials of the Cunard Company.

The Lusitania slipped out of the Mersey last evening with a smooth glide
that made it hard for the passengers inside the apartments to realize
that they were at sea. The 3,000 persons on board congratulated
themselves in the belief that there would be no seasickness, however
rough the weather might be.

The ship is so vast that many passengers were lost in the corridors and
had to be rescued by stewards.

Cunard Directors, famous naval architects, and experts are on the ship
to see her break the German record.

Two hundred persons who are at Queenstown, hoping to take passage on the
Lusitania, must be left behind, as there is no room for them.
----------
A Message From the Lucania
---
ON BOARD THE LUCANIA, Sept. 8, 9 P. M.---We are now 180 miles from
Queenstown
----------
The Lusitania, coming over the northern route, will travel 2,784 miles
from Queenstown to Sandy Hook. At a speed of 25 knots an hour, she
should cover the distance in 111 1/2 hours, and, allowing for the
differences in time, should arrive at Sandy Hook at 10:40 P. M.
Thursday.

-30-
 
The New York Times, 10 September 1907

NO NEWS FROM LUSITANIA
---
Cunard Officials Expect to Hear To-day---To Use New Channel
---
No news was received up till a late hour from the Lusitania yesterday.
The Cunard Company said that they did not expect to have another
wireless message until this afternoon, as the liner was just in the
position where it would be most difficult to get through to New York by
Marconi wireless.

The latest message said that the Lusitania was steaming 20 knots during
the fog and 25 knots when it lifted. The officials of the Cunard Company
in this city did not believe that the fog would prevent the liner from
arriving at the Quarantine Station, Staten Island, at daylight on Friday
morning. They added that the pilotage fees would be $156.16, based on a
draught of 32 feet.

The Lusitania will be docked at the foot of Thirteenth Street, North
River, at the new Cunard pier, No. 54, where she will easily be seen
from West Street.

Not since the day in 1881 when the Guion liner Oregon came over on her
maiden trip and reduced the record to six days eleven hours has so much
interest been shown in an Atlantic race. The inhabitants of Staten
Island have made great preparations to give the new record-breaker a
welcome as she passes Tompkinsville by going off in rowboats and tugs
with flags and bands.

Pilots who live there are having a hard time answering all the queries
that are being put to them. The Cunard Company has erected a temporary
shed on Pier 54, just to keep out the rain, it is said, but it will not
commence to acommodate [sic] the hundreds who are making the Surveyor's
staff in the Custom House work overtime in issuing permits.

It was decided yesterday that the Lusitania would enter the harbor by
the new Ambrose Channel, which will be temporarily buoyed for the
purpose, as it was for the Cunarder Caronia when she left on her last
outward voyage.

-30-
 
Mark B. - I find in interesting in your post regarding..."100,000 cheer as Lusitania sails", the name of a Cyrus H. McCormick & wife are among those passengers listed. Amongst my postcards of Lusitania is one which bears a postmark Dublin & Queenstown Sept. 27 '07 PAQUEBOT. The message entailed is also of particular interest..."Frank I would like to have you with me, three times around this ship is one mile." McCormick.

Do you suppose the same McCormick's also sailed on the return-half of Lusitania's maiden voyage, as the postmark implies?

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA
 
The New York Times, 11 September 1907

LUSITANIA AT PIER AT 7 A. M. ON FRIDAY
---
If Steamship Keeps Up 25-Knot Gait She Will Reach Sandy Hook at 1 A. M.
---
HAS BIG LEAD ON LUCANIA
---
New Cunarder Ran 561 Knots for the 24 Hours Ending at Noon on Monday
Despite the Fog
---
By Wireless Telegraph and Cable
Special to The New York Times
---
ON BOARD THE LUSITANIA, Sept. 9, by Wireless Telegraph to
Crookhaven---We overtook the steamship Lucania in the course of Sunday
night, and at mid-day to-day the Lusitania had obtained a lead of fifty
miles.

The ship is plowing along at nearly 26 knots with scarcely a tremor.
She is steadily increasing her lead.

Despite the fog the day's run at noon was recorded as 561 knots. The
weather is now fine.
----------
By Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES

LONDON, Sept. 10---A Wireless message from the Lusitania dispatched on
Monday at noon recorded the vessel's position to be in latitude 51
degrees 7 minutes north, longitude 23 degrees 3 minutes west of
Greenwich. The calculations being made here are that the Lusitania will
arrive in New York on Friday morning at 7 o'clock. This would lower the
Deutschland's record by about three and a half hours.

These calculations are based on the assumption that she will maintain a
rate of 25 knots an hour, which she made between 9 P. M. on Sunday and
noon on Monday, when it was reported that she had covered 376 miles in
fifteen hours.
----------
QUEENSTOWN, Sept. 10---The steamer Haverford, which arrived here this
evening from Philadelphia, reports that she passed the Lusitania at 7:30
o'clock on Monday morning and the Lucania three and one-half hours
later. It is calculated that if the Lusitania continues the same ratio
of gain she will reach New York between twenty-two and twenty-four hours
ahead of the Lucania.
----------
LONDON, Sept. 10---The Cunard Company has received a wireless message
from the Lusitania stating that the vessel ran 561 knots from Daunt Rock
Lightship to noon of Monday. As the Lusitania passed Daunt Rock at 12:10
P. M., this position shows that she has traveled only at an average rate
of 23 1/2 knots an hour, doubtless due to fog.
-----
The wireless message dispatched from the Lusitania on Monday at noon
stated that the liner had only made 561 miles from Queenstown in the
twenty-four hours, which was owing to her having to slow down in the
fog. As soon as it lifted she made an average speed of 25 knots, which
was being kept up, according to the latest messages received.

Basing the calculation on a distance of 2,784 miles from Queenstown to
Sandy Hook and the Lusitania doing twenty-five knots average speed per
hour after the fog lifted on Sunday, she would reach Sandy Hook at 1 A.
M. on Friday and her pier at 7 A. M.

The Cunard people here said they had not received any further wireless
messages from the Lusitania yesterday and did not expect any until
to-day, as there was no means of passing on the messages.

If the Lusitania reaches her pier at 7 A. M. Friday she will have wiped
out all records. She must reach Sandy Hook Bar by 2 P. M. Friday to beat
the Lucania's record. That she will do this is a foregone conclusion.
But the breaking of the Cunard record is not the sole ambition of the
Lusitania.

The record of the Deutschland of the Hamburg-American line is what the
Lusitania is really after, and to beat this by one hour she must make
the trip in five days; that is, reach Sandy Hook at 7:10 o'clock (New
York time) Friday morning. The Deutschland's record from Cherbourg to
New York is five days, eleven hours and fifty-four minutes.

Without allowing for the disadvantage of the more southerly route, the
trip from Cherbourg westward is about 236 miles longer than the
Lusitania's voyage from Queenstown to New York. To offset this the
Lusitania must allow the Deutschland approximately 11 hours.

Accordingly, the British vessel must do her transatlantic record
smashing before 8 o'clock Friday morning, and this her owners
confidently expect her to do.

-30-
 
The New York Times, 12 September 1907

LUSITANIA'S TIME 5 DAYS OR MORE
---
Had Run 1,706 Miles Up to Noon Yesterday, an Average of 22.8 Miles an
Hour
---
DUE AT 9 A. M. TO-MORROW
---
800 Mlles from New York at 11:20 Last Night-$1,000 Pools on the Day's
Runs
---
..............................Knots
First day's run .............. 561
Second day's run .......... 575
Third day's run ............. 570
Total covered up to noon yes-
terday. ..................... 1,706
Total still to be covered ... 1,078

Average speed up to noon yes-
terday, (1,706 knots in 74
hours and 50 minutes)...... 22.8

Probable time of arrival at Sandy Hook, 9 A. M.
Friday.

Probable time of arrival at pier in New York, 11 A. M. Friday.

Probable time from Queenstown to Sandy Hook, 5 days 1 hour and 50
minutes.

Best previous record from Queenstown to Sandy Hook, Lucania, 5 days 7
hours and 23 minutes.

Best record from Southampton to New York, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, 5
days 20 hours.

Best record from Cherbourg to New York, (and best Atlantic record,)
Deutschland, 5 days 11 hours and 54 minutes.
-----
MARCONI STATION, Sable Island, Sept. 11---When this station came into
communication with the Cunard liner Lusitania at 11:20 P. M., Eastern
standard time, the steamer was 150 miles east of the station, or 800
miles from New York.

All are well on board, and the turbiner is rushing at high speed on her
voyage to New York.
----------
By Wireless Telegraph from THE TIMES'S Correspondent on board the
Lusitania
---
ON BOARD THE LUSITANIA, Sept. 11, 12:30 P. M.---At noon to-day, the
third of the Lusitania's first transatlantic voyage, the run for the
last twenty-four hours was announced to be 570 nautical miles. The run
on the first day was 561, on the second 575. We are now in latitude 45
degrees 35 minutes, longitude 50 degrees 42 minutes, having traversed a
distance of 1,706 miles.

The sea is smooth and the weather is fine. It is hoped that to-morrow
the Lusitania will show what she is really able to do. Her machinery,
which has been well "shaken down" in the voyage so far, will, it is
expected, be in perfect running order by that time. The engines are
working splendidly, but the staff is not yet quite part of the machine.
This afternoon we are going at a great pace.

One of the most remarkable features of the voyage is the extraordinary
immunity from seasickness enjoyed by the passengers. The sea was quite
rough yesterday, but the doctor says there were only twenty mild cases
of seasickness among the 3,000 persons on the great vessel. The
marvelous smoothness of the sailing astonishes every one. It would
almost be possible to play billiards on board.

A big liner, believed to be the Amerika of the Hamburg-American Line,
which left Hamburg on Sept. 5, and Southampton and Cherbourg the
following day, was sighted last night ahead. She was steaming westward,
and at breakfast time to-day she was overhauled. By luncheon time she
passed out of sight astern.

Thousand-dollar pools on the days' runs are got up in the smoke-room,
end there is the greatest excitement on board, every one hoping that the
Lusitania will beat the record of the Deutschland of 601 miles in one
day.
----------
ON BOARD THE LUCANIA, Sept. 11, 1:47 P.M.---The run for the twenty-four
hours ending at noon to-day was 518 miles. We are in latitude 46
degrees 48 minutes, longitude 47 degrees 48 minutes.

The weather is clear and the sea is smooth.
----------
CAPE RACE, N. F., Sept. 11---The Lusitania came into touch through the
wireless telegraph with the American continent early to-day.

At 5:20 A. M. a message was received from the steamer, saying that she
was 225 miles southeast of Cape Race at that hour.
-----
According to THE TIMES's wireless advices from the Lusitania, the high
average speed of 25 or 26 knots an hour attributed to her in estimates
published yesterday afternoon, has not been realized.

There was one obvious end important error in almost all these
calculations. namely, the ignoring of difference of time. Between
Queenstown and New York this difference is five hours, and every night
at midnight as the Lusitania sails westward her clock is set back one
hour, so that ship time may approximate solar time as nearly as
possible. The day's run of the ship from noon to noon is therefore a run
of twenty-five hours, not twenty-four.

As THE TIMES dispatches show, the Lusitania between 12:10 P. M. Sunday,
when she passed Daunt's Rock, and noon yesterday, 74 hours and 50
minutes elapsed time, making the allowance just noted, traveled 1,706
nautical miles, an average of 22.8 miles an hour. There remained of her
journey to Sandy Hook a distance of 1,078 miles, which, at the average
already achieved, would require forty-seven hours.

This brings the time of her arrival at Sandy Hook, always bearing in
mind the allowance of an extra hour to each day, down to 9 A. M. Friday,
New York time. This would make the time of the entire voyage 5 days 1
hour and 50 minutes. It is, of course, possible that this record may be
reduced by an hour or more should the Lusitania during the remainder of
her voyage be able to achieve her expected speed of 25 knots an hour.

The Lusitania will have the distinction of being the first steamship to
go through the new Ambrose channel after its official opening. Lieut.
Col. William L. Marshall, engineer in charge of the work, has announced
that the new channel will be officially opened to-morrow morning for
vessels of not less than 29 feet in draught and vessels not less than
600 feet in length. By to-morrow the buoys will all be in place and the
Lusitania will find all in readiness for her to use the "cut off" route.

Everything is in readiness also on the new Cunard pier for the reception
of the big liner. The Cunard Company will have a tug waiting, and as
soon as the Lusitania is reported passing Nantucket the tug will put off
with Vernon H. Brown, Mr. Babcock, civilian engineer of the Ambrose
channel, and other officials, to meet the big liner outside the bar.
Special permission has been given by the customs officials to the party
to board the Lusitania, and they will come up the bay on her.

Ready to Greet the Liner

New York is ready to welcome the Lusitania. When she makes her initial
appearance in the harbor it is likely that she will have a magnificent
reception. Many of the small boats of Staten Island have already been
engaged by those who want to go out and get a near view of the vessel.
The Ocean Society has chartered the biggest of the Iron Steamboat
Company's fleet, the Sirius, and she will go out on Friday morning,
taking those who have friends on board or who desire to see the liner
come up the bay. The prospects are that the Sirius will be crowded, for
not only have many persons been referred to the Ocean Society by the
Cunard Line, but it is understood that many of the members of the St.
George Society will go down on the Sirius. The Sirius will leave West
129th Street at 8 o'clock Friday morning, Twenty-third Street at 8:30,
and Pier 1 North River at 9 o'clock. This it is expected will allow her
to get down near the Hook and convoy the Lusitania through the new
channel.

That the other big transatlantic liners are losing no time this trip in
crossing is shown by the wireless reports received yesterday. The
Lucania of the Cunard Line, which sailed on the same date as the
Lusitana, [sic] was In communication with the Cape Race Station when she
was 1,133 miles east of Sandy Hook, at 3 P. M. yesterday, and she is due
at the Hook at midnight Friday and should reach her pier about 7:30
Saturday morning.

La Provence, the crack vessel of the French line, which left Havre on
Sept. 7, was reported passing Cape Race at 9 A. M. yesterday, and she
is due at her pier about 9:30 A. M. to-morrow.

Record Number of Marconigrams

The intense interest being taken by the public in the record-breaking
trip of the Lusitania has caused an unprecedented number of wireless
messages to be sent to and from the ship through the different stations
along the coast. Never before have so many messages been received from
one steamer on a single voyage. The wireless stations at Cape Race and
Sable Island, on the coast of Nova Scotia, have been flooded with
messages sent from passengers to their friends in this country. Hundreds
of these messages have been received and sent over the telegraph wires
to this city and nearly every other large city in the United States.
Many of the persons who have received messages from the liner have sent
replies. Then there have been the messages from the officers of the ship
to the Cunard management, in this city, keeping it constantly informed
of the speed of the ship and the progress of the voyage, in addition to
the messages sent every day by the newspaper reporters who are on the
ship.

At the offices of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company at 27 William
Street it was said yesterday that it was impossible to tell the exact
number of messages sent out through the main office and the Cape Race
and Sable Island stations, but it was certain that the amount of
business has surpassed all previous records. It is impossible to obtain
the exact figures because wireless messages to a ship at sea are
accepted by any telegraph office and transferred from the wires to the
wireless. There is only one Marconi apparatus on the steamer, and it is
probable that the two operators have beep working day and night to take
care of the messages.

The number of Marconigrams sent to and from the Lusitania has furnished
the strongest proof of the success of the wireless telegraph in
communicating with ships far at sea. There has been hardly an hour,
except on Tuesday, when the land stations have not been able to "pick
up" the ship with the greatest ease. The messages have been sent with
hardly any delay and with almost as great dispatch and satisfaction as
if the big steamer were connected with the land by wires.

The Marconi Company expects that by 3 o'clock this afternoon the
Nantucket Station will be able to "pick up" the ship and after that all
messages to and from the boat will pass through that station. Up to the
present time all communication has been through the Canadian stations.

-30-
 
The New York Times, 13 September 1907

LUSITANIA HERE AT 9 A. M. TO-DAY
---
Will Come Through the New Channel, and Reach Her Pier About Noon
---
RAN 593 MILES YESTERDAY
---
Could Have Done Better but for Fog---293 Miles Away at 9 Last Night
---
Knots
First day's run ............... 561
Second day's run........... 575
Third day's run ............... 570
Fourth day's run............. 593
Total up to noon yesterday....2,299
Total still to be covered......... 481

Average speed yesterday ..... 23.80
Average speed for four days ... 23.11

Probable arrival at Sandy Hook. .
9 A. M. to-day
Probable arrival at Pier ....... Noon

Probable time from Queenstown to
Sandy Hook, 5 days 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Beat previous record from Queens-
town to Sandy Hook, Lucania, 5
days 7 hours and 23 minutes.

Best record from Southampton to
New York, Kaiser Wilhelm der
Grosse, 5 days 20 hours

Best record from Cherbourg to
New York, (and. best Atlantic rec-
ord,) Deutschland, 5 days 11 hours
and 54 minutes.
---
By Wireless Telegraph from THE TIMES'S Correspondent on Board the
Lusitania
---
ON BOARD THE LUSITANIA, Sept. 12, Noon, via Halifax---At noon to-day,
the fourth of the Lusitania's first transatlantic voyage, the run for
the day was announced to be 593 nautical miles, an average for the day
of 23.86. The run on the first day was 561, on the second 575, and on
the third 570.

We are now in latitude 42 degrees nine minutes, and longitude 63 degrees
32 minutes, having traversed 2,299 miles from Queenstown, and having 481
miles to go before reaching Sandy Hook.

On account of veering in toward the Nova Scotia shore, because of the
fog, the distance to be covered to New York was cut four miles, from 485
to 481.

The morning has been sunny and the sea smooth, except for half an hour
about 11 o'clock, when the big liner slipped through a dense fog bank.
Later the fog rose, however, and again the sun shone brightly.

The announcement of the day's run was received with great cheering. Much
regret was expressed at the necessity of slowing down for the fog. Had
this not occurred, the day's run would doubtless have been 600 miles or
over.
-----
NEWPORT, R. I., Sept 12---The steamer Lusitania reported herself 185
miles east of Nantucket Lightship.
-----
NEWPORT, R. I., Sept 12---A wireless message states that the Lusitania
was 100 miles from the Nantucket Lightshio at 9 o'clock to-night. She
was expected to pass the lightship about 1 A. M. The weather is clear.
-----
CAPE SABLE, N. S., Sept. 12---A message from the Lucania indicated that
the steamer was 250 miles astern of the Lusitania at 6 P. M.
----------
The Lusitania will arrive at the Bar this morning, as THE TIMES stated
yesterday, probably about 9 o'clock and will be docked at the foot of
West Thirteenth Street about noon.

Her run yesterday was 593 miles, the greatest run of the voyage. Up to
noon she had traveled 2,299 miles from Queenstown, and up to 9 o'clock
last night had traveled 2,487 miles, being at that time reported 100
miles east of Nantucket Light ship. This left her 293 miles to go out of
the total of 2,780 from Queenstown.

Her voyage was somewhat shortened by the necessity of her veering in
toward the Nova Scotia coast yesterday morning to avoid a dense fog,
which shut down for about half an hour. The course was thus shortened
four miles.

This same fog bank prevented her making probably a world's record for
one day's run. It was thought, as indicated by wireless messages
received from on board last night, that she would have equaled if not
bettered the Deutschland's run of 601 miles, the world's record for one
day.

But the fast run of the fourth day, 593 miles, brought up her average
speed for the trip from 22.8 knots to 23.11 knots.

The average speed for the day's run of 23.86 knots is a trifle better
than the famous run of the Kaiser Wilhelm, which made one day's run of
591 knots, an average speed of 23.64 knots an hour.

The probable time of her run from Queenstown to Sandy Hook is 6 days 1
hour and 15 minutes, the best previous record between the same two
points being 5 days 7 hours and 23 minutes, made by the Lucania.
----------
LONDON MUCH DISAPPOINTED
---
Sorry the Blue Ribbon of the Atlantic Was Not Won
---
Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES
---
LONDON, Sept. 12---It is considered certain here that the Lusitania will
not lower the Deutschland's record on the trip now approaching
completion, and, despite the fact that no transatlantic liner ever has done
her best on her maiden voyage, deep disappointment is felt that the blue
ribbon of the Atlantic still remains with a German ship.

Expert calculations show that the Lusitania's average speed from the
Daunt Lightship to noon Wednesday was 22.58 knots an hour.

To equal the Deutschland's average at 23.51 knots an hour, the
Lusitania, from noon Wednesday till her arrival at Sandy Hook, would
have had to make an average of 26.1 knots an hour. The Nantucket report
of her position indicates that she failed to do this.
----------
KRAMER WILL PILOT HER
---
Picked Because He Took the Caronia Out the New Channel
---
No word by wireless was received at the Cunard offices yesterday from
the Lusitania. The officials believe that this is due to the fact that
she has already made her report to the office, and whatever wireless
work is being carried on as she nears this port is the sending and
receiving of messages for the many passengers on board.

The pilot who will have the honor of bringing the Lusitania through the
Ambrose Channel is Frank Kramer of the Sandy Hook Pilots' Association.
It was Kramer who, two weeks ago, took the Caronia out through the new
channel, and since that time he has been down in a tug, accompanied by
Vernon H. Brown, agent of the line, and made a study of the new fairway.
It was said that the action of the Cunard Company in selecting Kramer to
bring their new turbiner into port has caused some feeling among the
other pilots of the association.

They thought that the pilot for the task should have been selected in
the regular way, picking up the one whose turn it was to "come in " from
the pilot boat.

At the office of the association I\in State Street it was said that the
matter had been adjusted, and there were no hard feelings over the
selection of a pilot. Kramer is an old-time pilot, and one of the most
experienced. He has for years been piloting vessels of great draft in
and out of this port.

It is expected that the Lusitania will reach her pier about noon to-day,
and everything has been made ready for her reception. A gang of men was
yesterday at work, cleaning up and putting the last touches to the
temporary shed on the new pier. For those who wish to get a view of the
big liner as she comes up through the new channel and past Sandy
Hook the Ocean Society has chartered the steamboat Sirius, and the
indications are that she will go down early this morning filled with
nautical experts.

Every small craft skipper is on the lookout for the Lusitania, and she
will be greeted by a salute of steam whistles which will surpass any
reception ever given to a liner.

A party of United States Army engineers arrived in this city last night.
They will go down the bay in a tug to watch the performance of the
newest turbine, and later will inspect the engines.
----------
JOURNALISTS ON LUSITANIA
---
Sixteen Financial Writers to Inspect Mineral Resources of Ontario
---
A party of sixteen prominent British financial journalists will arrive
to-day on the Cunard liner Lusitania as the guests of the Government of
Ontario, Canada, to inspect the mineral and other natural resources of
that province.

W. T. Hedges, representative of the Ontario Government, arrived here a
few days ago to make arrangements for the reception of the visitors and
escort them to Canada. After lunching at the Hotel Belmont to-day, the
party will be taken to see the sights of New York in private
automobiles, and leave in the evening for Niagara Falls en route for
Cobalt, Sudbury nickel mines, Sault Ste. Marie, and Copper Cliff, to
inspect the mines.

The British journalists will have another opportunity of seeing this
city on their return from Canada, before they sail for Liverpool by the
Cunard Line.
----------
CAPT. HOGEMANN PRAISES HER
---
North German Lloyd Commander Thinks Lusitania a `Wonderful Ship'
---
"The Lusitania is doing finely, and there is no way of getting around
it," said Capt. D. Hogemann of the North German Lloyd liner
Kronprinzessin Cecilie yesterday morning. Capt. Hogemann, who is also
the Commodore of the North German Lloyd fleet, was in command of the
Kaiser Wilhelm II of the same line when that vessel was smashing
ocean records, and was on the bridge when the Kaiser, in July of 1906,
logged 591 knots in one day, which is going at an average speed of 23.64
knots an hour, one of the fastest performances in the history of
transatlantic navigation.

Like all the other skippers now in New York, Commodore Hogemann is
watching closely the dally reports of the maiden voyage of the
Lusitania, and he does not hesitate to give the great Cunarder full
credit for the splendid performance she is making, particularly as this
is her first trip, and as everybody knows transatlantic skippers and
engineers never push their vessels until they have become thoroughly
familiar with the workings of the ship and the engines, as they say,
"have become perfectly tuned."

"From what I have read in the newspapers," said Capt. Hogemann
yesterday, "it is very apparent that in the Lusitania the Cunard Company
has one of the most wonderful ships ever put overboard. She is doing
wonderfully well when you take everything into consideration. You must
remember that her engineers have not become thoroughly acquainted, so to
speak, with her great turbine engines, and when they do I have no doubt
whatever that the Lusitania will do a great deal better.

"Of course, I am not an engineer, but I naturally know a little about
navigation, and no one had the right to expect the Lusitania to eclipse
ocean records on this her first time out."

"Do you think, Captain, that the Lusitania will eventually smash the
ocean records for fast steaming?"

"I would not be surprised it she did," answered Capt. Hogemann.

"Will the North German Lloyd build a steamer to eclipse her in speed?"

"Now that is a leading question," answered Capt. Hogemann with a smile,
"but really I do not know. We have some very fine ships already, you
know. This one, for instance, [meaning the Kronprinzessin Cecilie] is a
fine vessel, and she will do a lot better before very long."

In shipping circles generally the coming of the Lusitania was the main
topic of conversation. On all sides praise for the new Cunarder was
heard, but there was a dissenting note here and there.

"Don't forget," said the commander of one of the big ocean liners, "that
the Lusitania has engines that develop 70,000 horse power. Build a
reciprocating engine with as great power and it, too, would propel a
ship at a record-breaking clip. And then the coal consumption. Remember
that they say the Lusitania is eating up about 1,100 tons a day. That is
quite a meal, isn't it? "

Not only are the skippers but the deck hands as well excited over the
advent of the Cunard's long-heralded record breaker. A deck hand of the
Kronprinzessin Cecilie was laboriously translating into German the story
in an afternoon newspaper yesterday of the Lusitania's coming.

Officers of higher rank in the employ of the two great German lines also
intimated that bigger and faster boats, flying the German flag, would
probably be forthcoming should the Lusitania snatch away the speed
laurels of the Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Deutschland.
----------
BIG DEMAND FOR PASSES
---
Public Immensely Interested in Biggest Atlantic Liner
---
The amount of publicity given in the daily press throughout the country
to the maiden trip of the Cunard liner Lusitania has so aroused the
interest of the public, especially.the citizens of Greater New York,
that the Surveyor's office, in the Custom House in Wall Street, was
thronged from 9 A. M. yesterday morning till late in the afternoon with
people making applications for passes for Pier 54, North River, foot of
Thirteenth Street, where the great steamer will be made fast about noon
to-day.

The new pier will not be able to afford standing room to all the people
who received permits before the Surveyor decided that they had issued
enough.

The revenue cutter, which will leave the Barge Office at 6:30 A. M. to
go down to meet the Lusitania at the Quarantine Station, has a full
complement of passengers, besides the regular number of Customs
Inspectors who go down to collect the declarations from the ship.

In answer to the numerous inquiries at the Cunard office in State Street
yesterday as to what day the Lusitania would be open for inspection by
the public, the officials of the company stated that the date would not
be fixed until the liner had docked, as the Captain would have to be
consulted in the matter.
----------
AMBROSE CHANNEL RULES
---
Small Craft That Might Hamper Dredgers Are Barred
---
To prevent the overcrowding of the new Ambrose Channel by small craft,
which would hamper the work of the dredgers, official regulations for
governing the navigation of the new waterway from the ocean were issued
yesterday by the United States Engineers' Office, after being approved
by the Secretary of War. The law reads as follows:

"Vessels and other craft having draught of less than 29 feet may not use
or pass through that part of Ambrose Channel (formerly East Channel)
which lies south and east of a line between the West Bank Lighthouse and
the Coney Island Lighthouse, and no vessel or other craft may use the
said part of the channel during the night between the hours of sunset
and sunrise. This regulation does not include vessels belonging to the
various Government departments or the Board of Pilot Commissioners, nor
vessels of the length of 600 feet or more over all, but such last-named
vessels may not pass at night between sunset and sunrise."

-30-
 
Hello Mark & All,

One hundred years ago! An unpublished photo on the morning to accompany all this interesting reading (thanks Mark).
happy.gif
Enjoy!

Best,
Eric

View Image: Lusitania's maiden arrival in New York, September 13th, 1907,
(C) Eric Longo Image Collection
 

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