The times., 1899-12-25
NEW PACIFIC MAIL srEAsdERs.
The Largest Vessels Ever Built In
This Country


NEWPORT NEWS. Va. Dec 24-In iha
two new Pacific Mail steamships. for which
the keels have Just been laid at the ship
yard, the Newport News Shipbuildi1S and
Drydock Company is building the largest
steamships ever contracted Tor in the
United States. Untn the company secured
these contracts from the Pacific Nail
Steamship Company. the American Line
ships st. Louis and St. Paul which were
built az Cramps Shipyard Philadelphia.
were the largest vessels ever undertaken
by an American shipbuilding plant. They
are now the largest vessels flying the flag
Of the United States
When the Pacific Mail liners are COM
pleied and turned over 20 their owners fer
service between San Francisco and Hong
kong. this distinction viii be transferred.
and II may be some years before larger
vessels are constructed on American soil
The first of the new vessels will be com
pletSd by December. 1900. and the second
Will be ready for service in March 1881
The cost OF each Of these vessels viii be
about $4,000 600. which is almost as much
as the contract price OF any CT the big
battleaaips building at the shipyard here
The general dimensions AMI main fea-
lures OF each OF the Pacific Mail ships are
as follows: Length over ALL $50 feet.
beam So feet. depth 40 feet. displacement
at q feet draft. 1S.400 tons. gross ton
mage u 600; indicated horse power. tS,00o.
speed, is knots; bunker capacity. 2500 tons
OF coal; first cabin passengers. $50; steer
age passengers. 1.200.
Each Of these ships wiz be driven BY
two quadruple expansion engines. Steam
viii be furnished BY six double and two
single ended boilers all Of the cylindrical
Scotch type. 16 feet mean diameter and
built for working steam pressure OF zoo
mounds to the square inch. In addition,
there viii be a donkey boiler II feet 6
inches in diameter. and built Tor POO
pounds steam pressure. All of the main
boilers Eill be fitted with not forced
draft supplied by thirteen Sturrevant
steam fans
These big liners viii carry mail for the
United States Government. and they are
designed 10 lower the time between San
Francisco and HongkOng. The speed Of
eighteen knots required in the contract
does not mean that they viii not be faster
than that it means that they viii always
be able to make eighteen knots under
favorable conditions and the guarantee
Of the Newport News ShipbuildDg and
DTydock Company that they VIII be fully
as fast as required settles the question as
to what speed they viii actually develop.
The ships viii be without doubt the speed
lest craft crossing the Pacific. Being built
for both passenger and freight service.
their ability to greatly reduce the time OF
passage between this country and ports in
China and Japan will be a big advantage
TO the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.
The main saloons and the statsToOns
for hrst-class passengers viii be OF costly
finish, and viii be especially arranged for
The tropical climate in which the vessels
viii ply. All Of the statero0ms will De
unusually well ventilated and no expense
will be spared 10 minister 20 the comfort
OF passengers There viii be cargo ca
pacity for about ten thousand tons. and
both ships viii have all Of the latest facui-
ties for handling cargo