The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

When Miss Rose Smith breaks the bottle of whatever is now the pre- vailing substitute for the pre- Volsteadian champagne over the bow of million dollar steamship to be launched at Newport News, Va, about August 20. the second City of Birmingham" to fly the flag of the Ocean Steamship company of Savannah will slide down the ways. Miss Smith Is the daughter of MT. and Mrs. Ross c. Smith of Birming be begun about October 1 and will be from New York to Savannah.
 Announcement of the new City of Birmingham" which will ply be- tween Savannah and New York. was made Saturday by E. R. Richardson, vice president and general manager of the company, with headquarters in New York; T. N. Cook, general freight agent; G. R. Angevine, gen. eral passenger agent; R. W. Riser mack, commercial agent at Atlanta. These men came to Birmingham to discuss the new steamship with E. F. Stovall. general agent. and George R. Wright, commercial agent. repre- Senting the line.
 was launched and put into service In the Savannah-New York line In 1888. The launching took place June 3. 1888, with Miss Pauline Caldwell, now Mrs. Charles o. Locke. acting as sponsor. This ship was continu- ously operated in the Savannah New York and Savannah Boston trade for 19 years, being lost in Boston harbor in November. 1907, by collision with a sunken wreck. She was carrying neither passengers nor cargo at the time. -
 Chattanooga shares honors with Birmingham, for the "City of Chat tanooga" will be launched about July 20 at Newport News. with Miss Dorothy Patten, daughter of Mir. and Mrs. E. c. Patten, acting as sponsor: This is sister ship to the "Clty or Birmingham management desired to name one or the new ships for Birmingham in recoenition of the constantly ln- creaslng large volume of freight and passenger traffic which the company enjoys to and from this territory. This is the first opportunity, since the release of it's property from fed eral control. that 1t has had to sat irfy this wish. Contract for the two ships was let to the Newport News Sbinhuilding and Dry Dock company in the summer of 1922.
 New And Old ships Compared.
 A comparison of measurements and other particulars of the old and new City of Birmingham, as lndlcateu oc- low, Is interesttng'
 Length of old ship, Sol feet; ne" ship. 400 feet. 7. z.
 Gross tonnage, old ship, 3,0oo' new Freight capacity. GU. ft.. old ship. 179.s59; new, 34a,300.
 Here is q description of the two new ships:
 ade decks are to be given over.to pas senger accommodations. Provision will be made for 1894 first class and 10 second class passengers. The smoking room and officers quarters will be on the boat deck, the after portion of which has been set aside as a sunparlor for those who enjoy basking in She sun. Spacious awning covered decks elsewhere will proVlde for those who prefer the shade:
 Large steamer chairs will be ln- cluded in the ships equipments and can be placed on any deck at the VIII of the passengers.
 Comfortable social halls will be on both the hurricane and promenade decks. A combined writing and read ing room will also be on the prom enade deck.
 O o O
 Color Com mbinatiOn.
 Natural mahogany, combined with white and gold will be the prevailing trim combination throughout The windows in the music and dining rooms. social halls and suites. will be .t&l, atr,r. ,t-ts to material in various harmonious col ors. The music rooms will be richly carpeted, but the floors throughout the remainder of these ships, both In staterooms and rublic spaces. will be tiled. Ordinary staterooms and suites will aso contain rugs.
 The placing of the smoke room on the boat deck on these ships Is an in- novation, designed to meet the wishes of those who use 1t as well as those