Evening star., 1927-10-02
RECORD j. S. TRADE
SHIP IS LAUNCHED
California, Largest Vessel of
Kind Built in America,
Leaves Ways.
BY a staff Correspondent of The Star.

BY Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va, October
1.-THE California of the Panama-Pa
cific line, largest merchant ship ever
built in the United States, was launch
ed here today. The new vessel, which
will run between New York and San
Francisco via the Panama Canal, is
expected to open up a new area in
CoaStwise shipping, since the $4,000
ton craft, operated almost entirely by
electricity. affords much the same ia
CilitieS as are afforded by the large
transatlantic liners.
The California. built at a total cost
of $7,000,00 will make her first voy-
age early in January. p. A. S. Frank
lin. president of the international
Mercantile Marine Corporation, which
operates the Panama-P Pacific line, said
today that two other ships of the
same proportions and general design
are planned at once.
The launching ceremony was per
formed by Mrs. Roland Palmedo of
New York, daughter of Mr.. Franklin.
Following the launching guests from
New York and Washington were en-
tertained at the Tidewater Club here.
IntercoastaI Trade Innovation.
The California is the first vessel
OF transatlantic proportions to be
built for intercoastal trade She was
designed by Ernest II. Riggs. leading
American naval architect. The ship
is COL feet long so feet broad. has
81 feet depth of hull and will register
about 22,000 tons gross. with a dis
placement of 3o,230 tons when laden.
The ship has eight decks which,
with the floor of the lower hold, have
a superficial area of To acres. The
cubic volume of the hull and super
structure is 2.717.000 feet. equal TO
the living space of 270 eight-room
houses.
The outstanding novelty In the
California is her driving machinery,
which is unlike that in any other
liner. She has no engines. but de-
rives her power from highs speed
turbo-generators which transmit their
electric energy by cable to two giant
motors attached directly to the shafts
which drive the vessels twin pro-
pellers.
Boilers Are Oil.Fired.
Steam for driving the small and
st-turning turbines attached to the
generators is supplied by boilers
that are oil-fired. The fuel tanks are
large enough to permit round
voyage Of 1900 miles on one filing.
The ships speed will be IS knots.
equal to 20.75 land miles an hour.
There are 40 900 cubic feet of space
cooled by brine pipes, devoted to frozen
cargo. and 60, 600 cubic feet for fruits
and similar freight in which air that
has passed over the brine pipes is
circulated by means of fans. The
refrigerating machinery occupies
large compartment, the pumps and
fans being electrically driven.
The California has the unique fea-
ture of a garage between decks for
the automobiles Of passengers to be
shipped as baggage. Approximately
100 cars can be carried in the main
garage, with overflow space for 40
more. They will be loaded without
hosting, through side ports.
Electricity All Over.
Electricity will be put to work in
every department of the new liner.
The only fuel used in the kitchens
will be charcoal for broiling. The
bakery will be equipped with elec-
tric dough mixers, egg beaters and
baking ovens. In the pantries elec-
tricity will slice bread and polish
knives.
The first cabin has a capacity of
3SS passengers and the tourist cabin
263. All staterooms are outside rooms,
and 80 have private baths.
The decorations have been design
ed in the early American spirit, in
spired by the dignif1ed interiors Of
colonial houses in New England, New
York. Maryland and Virginia. Elec-
trio fixtures will be in colonial silver
finish, or Of pewter and brass. The
panelings in the smoking rooms are
modelled after the interior of the
Parson Capon House at Topsheld.
Mass. which was built in 1874.