Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-29
FABRICATED SHIP
READY TOLAUNCH
Agawam to Glide Into New.
ark Bay as Memorial Day
Gift to the Nation
FIRST OF HUGE FLEET

As Memorial Day gift TO the nation.
the first launching at one OF the new
sh!pyards in the East constructed at the
instance Of the Emergency Fleet Corpo-
ration will be held tomorrow.
When the vessel--the Agawar,. 1900
ton freiehter-slides down the ways at
the Submarine Boat Corporation into
Newark Bay, IL will mark the beginning
Of systematic production OF vessels
At that shipyard.
Another vessel, a wooden ship. the AL
vada, will be launched Saturday at a
second new yard. that Of the Traylor
Company at Cornwells, Pa.
Work Is SO far advanced at the
submarine boat yards that from
the twenty-eight construction ways on
which there are now being assembled
greater number Of ocean-going steam-
world, 1t will be possible to launch hulls
on an average of at least two and per-
haps three each week thereafter.
a great patriotic ard dedicatory cele-
Hbratton has been planned for tomorrow.
shipyard heads from sections nearby and
many officials Of the Emergency Fleet
CORPORATION are expected to be present.
One Of Fabricated ships
The aeawam is one Of the new fabri-
Gated type, with a displacement OF 1900
tons. She is S43 feet long. 46 feet beam
and has a speed of ten and half knots,
The name Agawam was selected by
President Wilson's wife. 1t is an Indian
name and means great salt meadows.
The Submarine Bpat Corporation has
q contract for $50 vessels of the type OF
the Agawam. The time required for
construction will therefore be much less
than formerly required for such work.
As soon as the first few vessels are
launched delivery of completed ocean,
going steamships, ready for sea. can be
assured from the fitting-out dock at the
same rate of speed.
Twenty.seven steel mills. flfty-siS
fabricating plants and 200 foundries
pipe, machine. joinery and equipment
shops are engaged in the manufacture
of parts for each finished steamship
Ths vessel was built from structura
steel shapes such as were used in the
past only for construction Of bridge:
and office buildings. The various stee
parts Of the hull and superstructure were
fabricated as completely as practicable
in structural steel shops throughout thu
country and then assembled at the ship
yard into a complete vessel
The main machinery consists Of &
Westinghouse steam turbine operating a
$500 revolutions minute. driving thu
single propeller at ninety revolu
t!ons minute through Westinghouse
balanced floating type reduction gear
Steam supply to the turbine will be fur
nished by two Babcock and Wilco,
marine-type watertube boilers. which
have been Installed IN the ship befor,
launching.
r Mechanical Equipment
The auxiliary machinery Of the vesse
will be most complete including dupl!
cate electric plants refrigerating plant
pumping machinery for numerous sys
TENS, forced-draft blower, evaporator
heaters. cargo-handling machinery. wind
lass. capstan. steering engine. auxiliar.
condenser. etc. Fuel oil will be used II
the boilers for generation Of steam. Thi
fuel oil will be carried in compartment
Of the double bottom Of the ship In sum
Client quantity to more than cover tn
round trip Of Europe.
The Newark Bay shipyard Is one o
the newest in the country, having hee,
constructed only last winter. 1t has beel
particularly designed for efficient ant
rapid assembling, fitting out and equip
Ynent OF these standardized steamship
from structural steel parts.
The Alvada Is the first of ten to bt
constructed at the Traylor yard. Includ
ing the Alvada, there are Ave wooder
ships under construction there. Afte1
the Alvada is launched a wooden shiI
will! be turned out every fifty days.
The Alvada is a 3500-ton vessel Sh.
has a length Of 2s3 feet and a beam o.
forty-six feet