Normandie's Million

Frenchmen, when their Chamber and Senate decided to spend $53,000,000 to build Normandie, thought of her in terms of the 2 1/2 million days of work she would give French unemployed, reckoned her advertising value as greater than that of any French creation since the Eiffel Tower was put up as a world wonder in 1889. Last week, however, Frenchmen, essentially thrifty, wanted to know what Normandie's operating profit is going to be, having long ago resigned themselves to the unlikelihood that she will earn satisfactory interest on the capital France has invested.

Normandie came clipping into Havre from her first voyage to Manhattan hav-ing broken once again last week the galaxy of records she first broke fortnight before (TIME, June 10). She averaged 29.68 knots for the westward transatlantic course, then 30.31 knots for the run home. Best previous average was Rex's 28.92 knots on the longer South Atlantic route. Last week Normandie's time from Ambrose Lightship to Bishop's Rock was 4 days, 3 hours, 28 minutes, thus decisively disposing of Bremen's 4 day-16 hour-15 minute record (Ambrose Lightship to Cherbourg, a 200-mile longer course) for the eastward crossing. As Normandie neared Havre every house seemed to be flying a bit of the Atlantic's speed blue ribbon which the world's largest ship had won for France. Amid tears, cheers and sirens, the world's fourth largest seaplane, also French, Lieutenant de Vaisseau Paris, thundered out from Havre to circle over Normandie, its passengers peering down from twelve cabins, each with private bath, then strolling in for cocktails at the flying French monster's bar.

Off Normandie stepped French Line-managing Director Henri Cangardel and at once newshawks pecked for the cold financial figures. They knew the Line had estimated round trip operating expenses for Normandie at $250,000 but how much was the take?

"Total receipts were approximately seven million francs ($461,720)," said M. Cangardel. Subtracting from this the $250,000 operating cost would leave an operating profit for the maiden voyage of $211,720, but some sort of bow had to be made to payment of fixed charges, depreciation and insurance. Not explaining precisely how he figured these, M. Cangardel said roundly, "Normandie made a profit on her maiden voyage of one million francs ($65,960)."

Throughout Germany last week Nazi newsorgans, striving to belittle Norman-die's records, served up again a rumor millions of Germans have been taught to believe, namely, that their Bremen and Europa possess "speed in reserve" sufficient to win back the Atlantic's blue ribbon. Almost treasonable therefore in Nazi eyes was an unexpected remark in Manhattan by blunt Commodore Leopold Ziegenbein of the Bremen. "I am sure," said he last week, "that neither my ship nor the Europa will attempt to better the records set by the Normandie."

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