DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PASSENGER STEAMERS. 299 



into fuel capacity, cruising radius, cargo and passengers. Now see what this means from the 

 point of fuel economy. With the steam we would require 6,250 tons of oil for the passage 

 of four days, and with the Diesels we could do with 1,600 tons. That saving alone is 

 worth the entire equipment, and, I repeat, these are things we must not neglect. We are 

 sure to be faced with a large Diesel, direct-connected to the tail shaft or through gears. That 

 is the coming power, and the Diesel is here to do it. Think of running 27,000 miles without 

 grinding a single valve. Oil engines have achieved a wonderful success in the last five years, 

 and we have to face the situation. It is not a theory but an actual condition. 



The Chairman : — If there is no further oral discussion on this paper on the Secretary's 

 desk there are two contributed discussions, one by Mr. Petersen, and one by Mr. Norton. I 

 am afraid we must read these discussions by title, with the assurance, of course, that they 

 will appear in full in the Transactions. I assume that neither of these gentlemen is present. 



Mr. Carl E. Petersen, Associate (Communicated) : — Mr. Rigg's paper is a valuable 

 contribution to the Society's Transactions and is of particularly timely interest in view of the 

 existing world shortage of ocean passenger ships. Altogether too little has been written 

 about this subject, which could be extended to the dimensions of a large book as stated. 



I should like to add, to the listed items influencing a design, a factor that is of the utmost 

 importance commercially, and that is the necessity of offering accommodations and service 

 superior or at least equal to that of competitive vessels. As regards proportion, the author 

 is quite right in stating that the tendency is to increase beam. Several of the ex-German 

 fleet of vessels with narrow beams and relatively small metacentric heights have been particu- 

 larly tender and require extreme care in handling. Reasonable increase in beam is highly 

 desirable. 



The "one-class" liner has not met with the success it deserves for several reasons ; prin- 

 cipally the curtailment of third-class passenger traffic, due to the Immigration Act, and the 

 fact that people prefer to travel third class on vessels having first and second-class accom- 

 modations. In other words, the pride of the passenger must be considered. Under present 

 conditions there are few trades where a "one^class" ship may be operated with success. 



On the subject of length, the pre-war trend of increasing the length has been checked 

 by the economic factors arising from the war. Generally, the length of post-war passenger 

 liners has been considerably less than one would expect. The advent of oil for fuel in the 

 large liners and leviathans, with the consequent operating economy, has had the effect of 

 justification of lengthier vessels. Mr. Rigg, in stating that the problem of the 1,000- foot 

 liner is one of economics, entirely prompts the question : Under present conditions, how 

 long a vessel, other dimensions and particulars being proportionate, could be built and profit- 

 ably operated in the North Atlantic passenger service? My own opinion is that a length of 

 700 feet would be justified, but I should like to hear what Mr. Rigg has to say concerning this. 



With reference to large liners in the North Atlantic service, the arrangement which 

 works out best is that giving over the greater portion of the main superstructure decks for first- 

 class accommodation, the after portion of the vessel to second class and the forward to third 

 class. The various public rooms for the first class are usually located on the upper decks, with 

 the exception of the dining saloon, which is on the lowest passenger deck, immediately for- 

 ward of the main galleys and pantries. The second-class public rooms are usually located aft 

 on the main superstructure decks with the exception of the dining saloon, which is placed on 



