The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-02-09
TUSCANIA A CRACK ship
She Was S;rikin2ly Handsome Ship
Fifth Cunard Steamer Lost.
tFrom the New York Sun.


tFrom the New York Sum-
The Tuscania was British pas
senger and freight steamship, which
was built for the Anchor Line by
Alexander Stephenson, of Glasgow
She was a Strikingly handsome yes
sci Of 14.348 tons gross. Her dimen-
siOns were: Length, 567 feet
breadth. &c feer inches, and depth
i ) feet
She completed her maiden trip to
this country on February 16, 1915,
an American port on January IT,
1918. No announcement has been
made as to the day she sailed.
For some time the Tuscania had
been under charter by the Cunard
Line, and she is the fifth big vessel
OF the Cunard company lost since
the war began.
Although prior to January l of
the present year there were more
than 200, goo American troops in
France, according to the statement
made by Secretary of War Baker, the
Tuscania was the first transport to
be tOrpedoed on the voyage from an
American transports, however, have
been tOrpedOed On the return jour
ney. after having debarked troops.
On her maiden trip here under the
command of Capt. Peter Mclean the
Tuscania's best speed was 1850
knots and on her record day she
made 406 knots.
The Tuscania had accommoda-
tons for $500 passengers of three
classes-350 first, $50 second, and
about 1000 third.
For a time she was in the service
of the British Admiralty, then she
vas restored 10 her charterer for
regular service. Apparently she was
turned over again for war service.
When the TusCania arrived in
New York on October 81, 1916, she
was equipped for the first time with
a four-inch quick firing gun, mount
ed on her stern. The gunner admit
ted with some pride that, although
he didn't see any submarines on the
way over, he did have some target
practice with a barrel which was
dropped overheard from the stern.
He fired two shots at the barrel at a
three-mile range and missed both
times. A larger cask was then
dropped overheard and he hit it at a
two-mile range.
In her passenger days the Tusca-
MIA was rated as one of the best
equipped of the transatlantic liners.
The ftrst-class public rooms of the
vessel We're fitted on the promenade
or a. deck and consisted of a writ
ing room, lounge, smoke room, gym
naSium and yeranda cafe These
rooms were all fitted up in most at
tractive style, and special attention
was given to the lighting and venti-
latiOn, both natural and artificial.
First and second class staterooms
were situated on the bridge deck
and shelter deck amidships, and
were all of large size and hand
somely furnished, all built of special
fireproof material. The smoking
room and drawing-room for seco1
class passengers were on t
z sze &C K K Z 4 + i the he aAlag esaad of I
On the shelter between
the dining saloons for boy6 - -
second class. These rooms occupied
the full width of the ship. The re-
of the shelter deck was de-
voted to the accommodation of the
ships engineers and crews quar-
ters, while the hospitals, lavatory ac-
commodation and promenade for
third-class passengers were also sit
uated on this deck
Third-class passengers dining sa-
loon, with the galley, pantry and
etc, were fitted in the main
tween decks amidships, the remain
der of the deck being taken up with
for third-class and
crews quarters.
Refrigerating chambers and other
storerooms We're fitted in the orlop
tween decks forward of the ma
chinery space.
The installation for electric light
ing was on a very complete scale, and
an emergency plant, motor driven,
was fitted for use in the event of
the three ordinary dynamos being
put out of action.
Lifesaving appliances had been
provided to meet all the require
ments of the International Confer
ence for the Safety of Life at Sea, the
of lifeboats fitted being so.
The arrangements for handling
these were of the most improved
description, Welin quadrant davits
being fitted, and special steam win
ches arranged for working the falls.
The vessel was propelled by twin
screws, each driven by turbines of
the Parsons type working through
reduction gearing. The gear wheels
were about 10 feet diameter and
feet broad and were driven by two
turbines working in series and run
ming about 1900 revolutions per
minute. An astern turbine of the
impulse reaction type was incorpo-
rated with each L. P. ahead turbin,
the arrangement being such that
either the H. P. turbin or the L. P.
turbin could be used Independently.
The auxiliary machinery included
three Independent electric genera
tors, evaporators with combined
capacity of 100 tons of fresh water
per day, and a large installation of
refrigerating machinery.
The boiler installation consisted
of six large double-ended Scotch
boilers, working under natural
draught at a pressure of 200 pounds
per square inch. They were arran-
uad in two 0roupc of tbroa oaoh in