The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-06
new BERMUDA LINE
UNDER FLAG OF US.
$4,000 Ton Steamship Occana
TO Be Operated by Charles
W: Morse.
FIRST SAILING ON DEC. 90

RN NAIBl NJ wy DEN . ~
Charles W. Morse is about to in
augurate steamship line to Bermuda
under the American flag Negotiations
were closed yesterday for the purchase
Of the cruising steamship oceana by the
Bermuda American steamship Company,
composed Of Bermuda ho'el and business
men and interests identified with M.
Morse. who is head of the Hudson Nav!-
CATION Company. At the same time a
contract was entered into by which Mr.
Morse will operate the vessel. the first
steamship Tying the American flag ever
to have sailed from an American port for
Bermuda and the first ever to have
entered the port OF Hamilton except IN
DIST ess She will star. on her frs,
voyage Saturday. December IS.
AS II result OF the Inauguration OF the
new line Bermuda is looking forward 10
Its best winter season. For "A time II
looked as though the island would nave
few II any visitors this winter for the
fire chips generally used In this service
were otherwise employed. l; was be-
cause OF this condition that Bermudiaas
dubbed together and raised enough
money 20 purchase the Oceana, the
largest and finest ship available
She ie Of $4,000 tons dlsp c. nent has
accommodations for 500 first class pas
sensers and all the facilities that 20
toward making an ideal ship for the
Bermuda service. Built originally as a
Union Castle liner 20 ply between Eng
land and South Africa. she was designed
for comfort in tropical and mi-tropical
waters. She has PRONE made deck taxi
Of har
feet in length. a deck as wide as that on
most of the largest ships that enter this
port All of her staterooms were placed
with a view OF making them .ivable under
the tropics. which means that on a
voyage to semi-tropical Bermuda there
will be no doubt of their comfort.
Luxurious Equipment.
Six OF her cabins are equipped like
hotel apartments, with two beds TO each
cabin. tables, desk. couch and chairs.
and a private bath and toilet Some Of
her other unusual equipment includes
seven y-one bathrooms. a gymnasium, a
smoking room on the top deck of unusual
size and charm dining saloon on the
main deci always open to ventila zion.
and private dining room Cor children
and nurses. She is twin screw ship OF
about II knots an hour
The oce1nl IS built on lines Of a yacht,
WIN IONS pNtrntnEinE DOW and in ship
ping circles she IL considered az pretty a
chip as enters this port She q equipped
with wireless. hilgc keels and submarine
signal apparatus.
That the ship will SAL under the stars
and stripes is considered quite as favor
able as her line accommodations and
enlcndid appeal vance. Though there has
never been any NOR, danger to tourists TO
Bermuda than to travellers to- any Ameri-
can port. there are many persons who
have hes'tated about making the voy,ige
because they could not have the prutec-
ton OF the American flag Many fire ves-
sells were offered to M Morse and his
associates some OF them Mt very low rates.
hut all We're under foreign registry cxcept
the Ootana, which was Tn" first shin to
raise he American standard after war
started IN Europe. .She has been owned
outright by Americans for two years and
was ono of the ssels chartered to bring
Americans nome from Europe during An.
gust
The oceana WAS purchased from the
Morse Dry Dock and Repair COMPANY of
Brooklyn. which spent more than $500 600
In ov.rhaulirs and rehtting her Her
machine has been LARGELY replacrd and
a. 'nns"duenc, she has Lloyd's reg
istry OF Al.
he ski'pe~ VIII he J Pend, hurry. who
has had command Of her for th-oe vsors
and VIII" has made moe than 400 voyages
10 btEnud' Tn' oc'dnn will make the
run tween NV York and bermuda in
i"rtH-e'"n' hours, and ara nremcn;s have
betn made for such service aboard as IN
max them the most comfortable and en-
JoyaD!e tortE-"ight hours a tourist cou'd
nav speed md sea trials held duiIr
the last few urNs have resulted 70 the on.
tife satisfaction II G. V. A. Firth presi.
cent ~ the Bermuda american Steamshir
'1mnanN. and j. y. Hand one OF IN. al.
i'ctors' who have been here for some
time neg tatiug the deal