What It Takes

Into New York harbor one day last week steamed a chunky, single-funneled, single-masted liner with a cruiser stern. She was the British Cunard White Star Line's 13,700-ton ship Media, the first new liner to be built for the transatlantic service since the war. The British, although stalled in other industries, were losing no time getting their new merchant ships afloat.

The Media's keel had been laid almost before the echo of London's V-E day celebration had died down. Along with her sister ship, the Parthia, to be launched in November, she had been rushed to completion in less than two years. She represented Britain's shrewdest hunch on what it takes to cop the postwar ocean traffic.

No candidate for the carriage trade, the Media was built for utility and solid comfort rather than flash. Her ample holds can carry 7,000 tons of freight. Her 250 single-class passengers have enough elbowroom in air-conditioned lounges to permit the illusion that they are traveling first class on one of the Queens--for the price of a cabin-class ticket ($260 to $290 each way). Facilities include a library, and separate bars and recreation areas for both passengers and crew.

Unlike the Queens, the Media will never set a speed record. On her maiden voyage, she made the 3,073 nautical miles from Liverpool to New York at a comfortable 185 knots in six days and 23 hours. But her skipper was satisfied. She had done splendidly, said he, "in a bit of every kind of weather."

Meanwhile, there were signs that the Media might yet run into heavy weather of a different sort. On her first trip, she had carried almost a full complement of passengers but only 887 tons of freight --13% of her capacity. And with the peak of the summer tourist season past, there was a noticeable drop in eastbound passengers. For the first time since the war, there were vacant bookings even on the Europe-bound Queens.

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