Semi-weekly herald., 1913-08-04
THE GREATEST SHIP AFLOAT


The Imperator, which is the newest
of the liners built to ply the waters
between the United States and Europe,
is also the greatest She is almost
one-ffth of mile long-to be exact,
919 feet. Her beam is 9S feet, which
compares favorably with that of pre-
tentious city street; and her tonnage
is $4,000. No less remarkable is her
machinery. The Imperator is driven
by quadruple turbine engines develop
ing $4,000 horse power, which drive
the ship at an average speed of 22 l-2
knots. The reversing turbines develop
about $4,000 horse power. There are
four propellers measuring more than
1914 feet in diameter and revolving
at normal speed of 1856 revolutions
minute.
Since mere figures tell but little,
perhaps the real size of the Imperator
may be best judged by her accessories.
For example, no less than five great
anchors are carried, of which the
main anchor, the largest in the world,
weighs 26,455 pounds. The combined
weight Of the five anchors and their
chains is 4S5,000 pounds. The cargo
of many a small steamer is not much
larger.
Some idea of the size of the I'm
perator may also be gained from the
fact that her sides are built upon 1927
steel ribs, on either side, each weigh
ing ton and third. The weight of
the steel plates, angles, profiles, and
the like, totals 260 tons. More than
100000 steel rivets were used, each
weighing eleven pounds. No wonder
that the tonnage of the Imperator is
fifty thousand
Because of her great size her decks
are particularly imposing. Two of
her three broad decks are partially in
closed. The promenades vary in width
from 16 to 90 feet, while the circuit
of the deck is equal to a walk of about
five ordinary city streets. None of the
ventilating tunnels common to many
steamers are to be found on the I'm
perator. Hence her entire upper or
sun deck can be used for games and
for promenading.
That the lmperator is in truth huge
is driven home by the quantity OF
provisions carried. For a seven-day
voyage between New York and Ham
burg the Imperator takes on board %
tons of fresh meat, $4,000 eggs and
go tons of potatoes. The larder be-
sides contains Ia tons of fresh vege-
tables and 5000 tins of canned vege-
| tables. Besides, there are over five
tons of fowl and game, and 1-2 tons
of fish and shellfish, 800 pounds of
mushrooms and 1000 cans of preserv-
ed fruits No less than 12,500 quarts
of milk and cream, 400 pounds of
cheese, 500 pounds of chocolate and
cocoa, and 1000 pounds of coffee are
also taken on board.
A more comfortable or more lux
uriously equipped craft than the I'M
perator it would be difficult to mag
me. The passengers have great
choice of dining rooms, ball rooms,
winter gardens, palm rooms, grill
rooms, smoking rooms, gymnasiums,
roof gardens and lounges. There is a
practical stage for theatrical per-
formances, a running track, an elab-
crate Roman bath and swimming pool,
florists shop, a candy shop, pho
tographic dark room, electric eleva-
tors, and other features not found on
most transatlantic liners.
The furnishings of the Imperator,
too, are remarkable. The leading dec
orators of Europe have been given
carte blanche. Thus, the main lounge,
which may be converted into ball
room, is hung with Gobelin tapestries.
The sumptuous Roman bath repro
duces with great fidelity the famous
Pompeian hall in the Louvre. The
pool, which is surrounded by decora-
tive Pompeian pillars, measures twen-
ty-one by thirty nine feet.
The provisions. for safeguarding
passengers on this largest of ships will
naturally arouse interest. AS we have
already pointed out, the Imperator is
built with an inner skin, and with both
longitudinal and transverse bulkheads.
All told these are> no less than six
teen steel bulksheads, forming in all
thirty-six watertight compartments.
Further subdivision is secured by
steel decks. The bulkheads have been
carried to the level of the second
deck, high above the water line. That