276 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PASSENGER STEAMERS. 



THE THOUSAND-FOOT LINER. 



Apart from and in extension of the references made to this length of vessel under para- 

 graph headed "Length," some further remarks appear to be in order. As is generally known, 

 a committee was formed under government auspices some while ago to look into this question. 

 The subsequent long spell of idleness at her dock of the Leviathan, after invaluable troop 

 service, is rather a damperon 1,000-foot ardor; nevertheless, it remains a fact that a vessel of 

 this length was well in sight when the war broke out. At least one design has been seri- 

 ously started and pushed to the point of a study of schedules, terminals and rail facilities, of 

 a full set of outline plans, of extensive calculations and of detailed lay-out of proposed pro- 

 pelling machinery. 



This design contemplated going to Panama Canal lock limiting sizes at one step; it is 

 not necessary to say that the two ships would run between New York and London, starting 

 and arriving at deep-water harbors at each end and with rail connections to New York and 

 London. 



It can be safely said that the engineering features, especially when high tensile steel is 

 used, present no difficulties which cannot be met. The problem is one of economics entirely. 

 Is the route able to support such liners without government aid in some form ? If not, what 

 justification can be advanced for claiming such aid? 



We can, as shipbuilders and engineers, say that, as far as our profession is concerned, 

 we stand ready to furnish the ship and her propelling machinery just as soon as other con- 

 siderations justify such a vessel. As a matter of record and interest a few particulars of 

 the design as it stood in its earlier stages may be of interest : 



Length, over all 1,000 feet 



Breadth 105 feet 



Depth 76 feet 



Deep load draught 38 feet 



Speed at sea, knots (depending on weather) 30 to 32 



S. H. P. (maximum) 150,000 



First-class passengers 1 ,100 



Second-class passengers 80O 



Third-class passengers 1,400 



The propelling machinery at first contemplated was electric drive ; with the large battle 

 cruiser Hood at sea, the path has been opened to the full consideration of the claims of a 

 g-eared turbine drive. 



The oil fuel required for a round trip is in the region of 11,000 tons. This would be 

 too much for the ship to leave this side with ; the answer would be to leave here with oil for 

 the trip over and half-way back, taking in oil for the other half of the returning voyage on 

 the other side before leaving. At full load this vessel would have a total deadweight of about 

 12,000 tons. There would be no freight as is generally understood; mail, bullion and express 

 matter, yes; also such small consignments of special freight that could be handled during the 

 time necessary to refuel and reprovision the ship at each end. 



In the early days, when this length was first proposed, the scoffers, technical and other- 

 wise, were legion. Not so now; technical scoffers at once merely proclaim their ignorance. 

 On the financial side there is ample room for hesitation and there the matter must rest for 

 a while, to be taken up again as the world recovers from the effects of the war. 



tj 



