The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-09-18
FIRST C-2S ship
IS CHRISTENED
Wife OF Vice-President
Sponsors New Type
Cargo Carrier

company launched the S. S. Storm
King, first of 81 CO type freight
ers it intends to build, Friday at
ternoon at Las o'clock and took
advantage of the colorful occasion
to advertise the sale of War Bonds.
Christened by Mrs. P. F. Halsey,
wife of the vice president and
general manager of the yard, the
new vessel slid down the ways
with Buy Extra Bonds painted
on both its sides in large letters.
The letters are IA feet high and
extend for 148 feet along the hull
Two large streamers were also
placed on each side of the ways,
extending from the staging to the
ground, and bearing the same mes
sage. The signs on the ship are
expected to remain there until 1t
is delivered to the Maritime COM
mission.
Mrs. Halsey's attendants at the
launching, attended by an unusual
ly large crowd, were Mrs. Fred
erck F. Hill, of Newport News,
Va. and Mrs. Storer P. Ware, OF
Wilmington.
The vessel, named after an early
American Clipper, went down the
wavs and to the Quitting dock Sd
DAYS after keel laying, one OF the
fastest times on record for this
type freighter. The next to be
launched here will be the S. S.
Cvclor., and others in various
stages of completion in the ways
are the Eclipse, Fleet Wing, Fly
ing Eagle, Kathay, Monsoon,
Morning Star and Northern Light.
The original Storm KING was
built by John Taylor, at Chelsea.
Mass, in 1853 for Snow and
Rich, of Boston, and was their
first venture in clipper ships. of
1.148 tons, British measurement,
she had long, sharp ends and
beautiful formed clear run. She
had as a head, the King Of
Storms pointing with his right
hand to the sea while his left held
the trident of the deep.
She made several voyages, often
encountering severe storms, from
Boston and other eastern ports to
St. Rogue, Callae, Monterey and
San Francisco. A large part Of
her life also included extensive
service in the Far Pacific and her
old log records calls at Shanghai,
Hong Kong, Manila and Honolulu.
Speedy, her history shows that on
her maiden voyage, she made 316
miles in one day. On July 6, 1862,
the Storm King left San Francisco
for the last time and sailed to
Hong Kong, arriving Sept. 6, via
Honolulu. She then made two
voyages to Bankok, returning to
Hong Kong with rice. In April,
1853, she was reported idle IN
Hong Kong, probably because of
the Civil war, and was sold to go
under British colors. She later
went to Liverpool and was sold
there for $3.50 pounds and in 1875
she was recorded as owned in
North Shields by George D. Dale.
The ships first master was Cap
tain James Collier. In 1856, Cap
tain Callaghan was in command
and continued until she was trans
ferred to the British flag, when
CAPTAIN Harding succeeded.
The CPS overall length is 459
feet and the moulded depth is 40.5
feet. Its rakish lines are much
smarter than the slower Liberty's
silhouette and all shipbuilding men
agree that it is by far more
handsome ship. Powered with
single screw, double reduction
geared compound turbine with 5000
SHIP at go RPM, its speed is in
excess of Is knots, an important
factor in safety from the threat of
submarine attack which the Lib
erty does no have.
The North Carolina yard is one
of four in the country now ell
gagged on CO contracts. 1t recent
~ completed contracts for 1875
Liberty ships and its fast, produc-
ton of this type won for it the
Maritime IN" pennant, plus the
Eagle Merit award.