The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-12-28
Gigantic Ships to Join the At
IaDiiC Fleet.
EACH CARRYING 5000 PEOPLE

Near the end of the year 1911 there
will cross the Atlantic ocean the great
est steamship that ever drove past
Sandy Hook on its way to New York
IL vessel that exceeds by seventy feet
the length of the giant Cunarders, the
Lusitanfa and Mauretania. When these
great vessels came out many of those
who looked at the majestic sisters felt
sure that in these two the last word In
marine construction had been reached.
But the Olympic, now under con-
struction at Belfast, Ireland. for the
White Star line, exceeds these two In
size by almost as great margin as
the Lusitania and Mauretania exceed
the older Lucania and Campania. The
newer Cunarders are 100 feet In length.
The length Of the White Star giantess
is $50 feet. The Cunarders have
beam Of SO feet; that of the Olympic
is 90 feet. In displacement the new
vessel exceeds the older ones by 5000
TONS She will not be endowed with
the high speed of the ocean grey
hounds.
Titanic, a sister vessel to the Olym-
pic, is also under construction at Bel
fast, but the work upon this other
vessel is not as far advanced as it
is ON the Olympic. Each ship will
have accommodations for 5000 pas
sengers and for crew of 600.
Each vessel will have nine steel decks,
and on the upper of these there will
be a spacious entrance hail. dining
saloons, smoking rooms, Libraries, wo-
mems parlors or drawing rooms, grill,
lounge rooms and restaurants as well
as a main saloon about ninety feet
wide.
Skating Rink on Upper Deck.
One of the upper decks is to be COM
pletely inclosed to serve as ballroom
or skating rink. Instead Of canvas
partitions or awnings to keep out the
wind and rain the whole will be in
closed with glass windows similar to
those in railway carriages. By day
this spacious apartment may be used
as a sun parlor or promenade, and 1t
will be large enough to enable several
hundred passengers to move about
with ease and comfort
In addition to extended suits of
rooms complete fats will be available.
thus making 1t possible to cross the
Atlantic in the enjoyment of all the
privacy of ones own home. Ocean
going fats will comprise bedrooms.
sitting rooms. private bathrooms and
even a private library. all en- suite.
Cabins with private shower baths at
tached, great salt water swimming
bath large enough to permit Of diving
and well equipped gymnasium are to
be among the features which will be
introduced.
veranda Cafe on Board.
The main dining saloon win be fur
nished to seat 600 persons at once,
and should guest tire of this grand
chamber he can wander from one cafe
TO another-each day have his meals
in a different apartment The yeranda
cafe viii also be leading feature Of
these ships. 1t will be placed on one
of the upper decks far astern. fully
fifty feet above the sea level, and as it
will be constructed with exposed raft
ers intwined with vines and creeping
plants and have Iatticed sides, 1t viii
make the Illusion of cafe at the sea
side almost perfect.
Precautions Against Danger.
Each steamer will be divided into
upward of thirty steel compartments
separated by heavy buikheads. An
automatic device on the bridge will
control all these heavy steel doors,
making it possible for a single hand to
close them all Id almost an instant in
case of danger. Each of these doors
will be electrically connected with a
chart on the bridge, where each door
will be represented by small electric
light, and when one Of these doors
closes the light will burn red. but
while it remains open the disk will be
quite dark. The officer on the bridge
will thus be able to see at a glance
whether or not all the compartments
have been closed.
Yet another set of safety devices will
guard against fire in any portion of
the vessel A series of thermostats
win be scattered throughout the great
framework, so arranged as to indicate
a rise In the temperature above a GER
tain point Should the temperature
reach the danger point. the fact will
be Immediately communicated to the
officer on the bridge by the ringing
OF an electric bell while an electric
light on great chart on the wall will
burn red.
The vessels will he Of the triple
screw type ana are designed for a
speed Of 81 knots an hour Each ship
with have three propeliers. and like the
big Cunarders. VIII carry four tunnels
ana two steel pole ventilator masts.
They will also be fitted with wireless
installations and searchlights. as well
as the now inevitable daily bulletin
The Olympic wili be launched next