The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-04-09
THE LEv|ATHAN
IS A MIGHTY SHIP
GERMANY'S GREATEST MER-
CHANT SHIP NOW CARRYING
AMERICAN SOLDIERS HOME

Congressman Burton L. French
who recently made a trip to Europe
on the Leviathan, the greatest Ger
man merchant ship which was taken
from that country when America en-
| tered the war, and is now engaged
in bringing home American soldiers
| from France and carrying great car
| goes of food for our soldiers and al
| lies in Europe. While enroute to
Europe Congressman French made a
thorough inspection of this great ship
and has written a series of letters to
his home paper The STAR Mirror, de-
scribing the ship. His second letter
follows:
On Board the Leviathan,
On way to War Zone,
March 19, 1919.
The Editor The STAR Mirror:
In my last letter | made mention
of the magnitude of the Leviathan,
but did not tell where and by whom
she was built.
The Leviathan was completed just
before the great war broke out in
Europe in 1914. She was built in
Germany in Brennan by the Hamburg
Amerika Line, and was the pride of
the German people. We can not know
the precise cost of the ship, but she
probably cost from $12,000,000 to
$16,000,00O. 1t must also be remem-
bered that in Germany the cost of
materials and labor were far less
than in the United States. I believe
it would cost at least twenty million
dollars to duplicate the ship in an
American shipyard. All over the
ship are evidences of the care that
was used in construction. In the en-
lgine rooms the machinery is heavier
than is necessary for even so mighty
a giantess. The number of life boats
is in excess of the passenger capacity.
Only about three-fourths of the boil
ers are used in her operation and
throughout the material and work
manship are of the highest quality
The original name of the Leviathan
was not the name that now floats
from her flag staff. The original
name was "The Vaterland," and even
now the name appears on the more
obscure pieces of the ships property.
Also German words appear where alb
solute necessity has not demanded
change. For instance "Aof" and "Zu"
appear upon the faucet levers, and
"Arzt" upon the Physicians door. In
the hold of the ship are four water
tight compartments, and it is said
that it would probably require four
torpedoes rightly placed to sink her.
Admiral Griffin, however, told me
that probably two torpedoes rightly
placed, would accomplish the work.
At any rate, and in spite of the fact
that this is the 18th trip the ship has
made from New York, I prefer the
unlucky number to meeting so much
as a shot from a single submarine.
Completed in 1914.
The Leviathan, or rather, the Vat
erland, was completed in 1914 and
made one trip to New York and re-
turned to Hamburg. She then had
gotten as far as New York on her
next trip when Germany declared war
on France and Great Britain, Belgium
and Russia, and the Vaterland, over
staying her time allowed in interna-
tional law, was compelled to intern
and so was held until we became in
volved in the world conflict. Shortly
after we were forced into the war the
government of the United States took
over the ship for the use of the navy
and after some three or four months
required for overhauling, placed her
in service, and changed her name to
Leviathan. At first she piled between
Hoboken and Liverpool, but as the
draft of the ship is greater than the
depth of the water on the bar outside
of Liverpool except during new moon
or the full of the moon when the tide
is in, it developed that great care
must be taken or an entire trip would
be missed and a half month would be
lost by overstaying till the tide had
fallen. This is precisely what occur
red after the first trip to Liverpool
and the change was made to Brest,
France, where accommodations can be
had.
A Prophetic Banquet Speech
When banquet was held on board
the Vaterland just a she was COM
pleted, German officer proudly pro-
claimed that the Vaterland as tran
sport ship would carry 10000 soldiers.
CONTINUED on page A.
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