NEW 20,000-TON TANKERS. 37 
room, so as to be readily examined at alltimes. In the same way all of the stiffening 
is kept inside of the fuel-oil tanks at the ends, which will normally have oil in them. 
The sheer line of the vessel is straight and parallel to the base line for nearly 
the whole extent of the main cargo tanks. This fact, and the fact that the pump- 
room is the same length as the main cargo tanks, permit a rather unique arrange- 
ment of the shell plating amidships. Each midship shell plate from the keel to 
the stringer is the same length between centers of butts; namely, 34 feet 6 inches, 
the length of the main cargo tanks. All the butts are arranged symmetrically 
with reference to the transverse bulkheads and the transverses, so that a number 
of plates amidships on each strake are exactly like each other in every respect. 
An exception to the above is that the plates of the bilge strakes F and G are made 
shorter for convenience in rolling for the turn of the bilge, but even these are sym- 
metrically arranged so as to be like each other in sets of three. 
Another point of interest is that, instead of arranging the clips on the trans- 
verses symmetrical with the midship section of the vessel, as is usually done, they 
are arranged symmetrical with the adjacent transverse bulkheads in each case. 
The straight sheer, and the fact that the pump-room is the same length as a 
main cargo tank, result in a particularly symmetrical arrangement of the center- 
line bulkhead plating and also of the deck plating. Another interesting point 
on the deck plan is the small size of the hatches and the small number of them, on 
account of the omission of the summer tanks. 
The main fuel-oil tank is fitted at the after end of the main cargo oil tanks, 
and a cofferdam worked between it and the boiler-room. ‘There is also a fuel-oil 
tank fitted at the forward end of the main cargo oil tanks. The space between 
the forward fuel-oil tank and the fore-peak bulkhead is arranged as a hold space 
divided into two compartments by a water-tight bulkhead to the upper deck level. 
There is a double bottom fitted under this space, arranged to be used for water 
ballast. A double bottom for feed water is also fitted under the engine and boiler 
spaces. The forward peak tank is arranged for water ballast. The after peak 
tank is arranged for fresh water. 
Accommodations for the captain, deck officers, etc., are provided in a double 
tier of steel deck houses amidship above the bridge deck. A wheel and chart 
house of teak is built on top of the upper house and a navigating bridge fitted at 
this level. Quarters for the engineers and those for the petty officers are located 
on the upper deck abreast the engine casing. The seamen and firemen have ample 
and commodious quarters in the after end of the upper deck, including the rather 
unusual feature of a separate pantry, adjacent to the mess rooms. 
A steel house is provided for the steering gear on the shelter deck aft and the 
top of this house fitted as a docking bridge. Four 26-foot metallic lifeboats are 
provided, all under mechanical davits. The vessels also have ample electric- 
lighting arrangements, cold-storage rooms, steam-heating system, interior-com- 
‘munication system, drainage system, fire-main and deck-service system, steam 
steering gear, steam windlass and winches. The plumbing arrangements are 
unusually complete for this type of vessel. 
