The largest single funnel ever built for a passenger liner is located atop Cunard White Star's
new 34,183-ton Caronia, largest luxury ship built anywhere since the end of the war.
Caronia Funnel
The total weight of the gigantic funnel and the machinery it contains is 125 tons. The structure
has a fore and aft length of 53 feet (nine feet longer than either funnel of the Queen Elizabeth,
world's largest liner), a breadth of 26½ feet and a height of 46 feet.
Inside the funnel are smoke uptakes from the boilers and wet dust collectors which trap the soot from the
smoke by washing it into hoppers for discharge over the ship's side below the waterline.
In addition, the funnel contains exhaust vents and the internal stiffening necessary to avoid the use of
supporting guys. A series of ladders and platforms give access to the different levels inside the funnel.
George Peterson adds…
The funnel also housed 6 very large “induced draught” fans, to feed air to the boilers. These
were inspected by the engine room electrician and boiler room engineer during their watch. This also gave
them a moment to get a “cooler” and a breath of fresh air from the extreme heat below.
Innovation in Illumination
More than 2,500 fluorescent tubes and 10,000 incandescent lights have been installed aboard the
new Caronia, world's largest postwar liner, which arrived in New York on her maiden voyage 11 January.
Brass cased deckhead lamp
The entire ship's electrical requirements are supplied by a power station producing 4,400 kilowatts
and consisting of four 1,100-kilowatt 220-volt direct current dynamos, driven by a steam turbine
through single reduction gearing. The turbines rotate at a speed of 4,500 revolutions per minute
reduced to 600 revolutions at the dynamo. A main switch board 55 feet long distributes power
throughout the ship for hotel services and machinery requirements.
All deck machinery, steering gear, windlass, capstans, baggage, mail and boat winches are electrically
operated, and electricity is also used exclusively in the kitchens. More than 500 electric motors ranging
from one-quarter horsepower to 236 horsepower and totalling in all about 6,500 horsepower are in use.
[Photos: Above & Below Courtesy of John Maudsley]
Monel cased deckhead lamp
Lamp Cover Photographs
These two photographs, provided by John Maudsley, show inverted close-ups of two types of lamps
fitted to the Caronia. The one with the brass bezel above was used as deckhead lighting along the miles
and miles of alleyways. The larger lamp with a Monel alloy case was one of several used to illuminate
the 1st class foyers.
The illumination of the Caronia's rooms is an innovation in ship lighting, with fluorescent tubes
providing general and diffused lighting and incandescent lamps highlighting special features of
the decoration. As one example, low tension fluorescent tubing concealed in gold troughs in the
raised central domes of the dining saloons provides general illumination, while edge lighting
and spot lighting emphasise artistic decorations and table arrangement.
The power plant for the fluorescent lighting tubes consists of two 175-KVA three-phase 220-volt
motor alternators. In addition a pair of two-kilowatt 25-volt motor generators provide low pressure
electric current to staterooms for the operation of call indicators, telephones, electric clocks
and other service equipment.
An emergency power plant is set to come into action automatically should the main generators be shut down.
The emergency plant consists of a 75-kilowatt diesel dynamo with electric and compressed air quick starters.
As a further precautionary measure, each section of the Caronia has an individual switchboard.
