Maritime Commission Design P6-S4-DS1  (United States Lines)

The UNITED STATES LINES Decides to Build a SUPERLINER

From an idea to a reality in just six years. That is the story of the Steamship United States. On March 26, 1946, the United States Lines proposed to the United States Maritime Commission the building of a super-liner and made funds available for preliminary plans. The United States was delivered by her builders, the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, on June 20, 1952, seven weeks in advance of the contract date. Gibbs and Cox, Inc., naval architects, were commissioned by the United States Lines to draw plans for "an outstanding express liner o\ remarkable safety, speed, and efficiency, and readily convertible to troop-carrier service. " On April 5, 1948, technical experts of the United States Maritime Commission inspected and approved the plans for the proposed liner. The Maritime Commission with Vice Admiral William \V. Smith as chairman included an amount to cover th° cost of building the ship in its budget requests for the fiscal year of 1949. CongTessional approval of the expenditure was granted in midyear of 1948. All of the country's shipyards capable of building a ship of this size were requested by the Maritime Commission, on August 13, 1948, to submit bids for construction of the vessel. Two bids were submitted on Decembei 1, 1948; one of $67,350,000 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company and another of $7?,-649,000 bv Bethlehem Steel Companv's vard at Ouincv Mass. Estimates were made that the costs of plans, specifica tions, design supervision, hotel-type equipment, and in terior decorations when added to the low bid would in crease the cost of the vessel to $70,373,000. A committee which included representatives of the Maritime Commission, the United States Navy, and United States Lines made studies o[ the national defense features of the ship. These features, such as speed, cruising range, special safety hull design, independent engine rooms, strengthening for gun platforms, and certain navigational features increased the basic cost from an estimated $43,000,000 for a similar vessel of commercial design to $70,373,000 for a ship incorporating the national defense features. The Maritime Commission estimated that the cost of a commercial equivalent ship built in a foreign shipyard, including plans, specifications, special furnishings, and other services, would be $26,749,730. Another 5 percent was added as the commercial value of certain defense features of the vessel to bring the United States Lines share of the cost of the ship to $28,087,216. The balance to be paid by the government was $42,285,784.

Commission Votes to Build Ship

On April 7, 1949, the Maritime Commission met to decide whether or not the government should enter into a contract to sell the ship to the United States Lines for $28,087,216. The commission members were Vice Admiral W. W. Smith, Chairman; j. K. Carson, J. G. Mellen, R. S. McKeough, and David J. Coddaire. Approval of a majority of the commission was necessary for the sale. Only four members were present for the meeting, J. K. Carson being on the West Coast on commission business. Smith and Mellen voted in favor o£ the sale ; McKeough voted against the sale, and Coddaire abstained from voting; Carson was eventually reached by phone and cast his vote in favor of the sale. The Maritime Commission accepted the bid o£ the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company on April 7, 1949. The contract was executed on May 3, 1949. The keel for the United States was laid on February 8, 1950. She was christened on June 23, 1951 ; delivered on June 20, 1952; and sailed on her maiden voyage on lulv 3. 1952. Great shipbuilding or other construction projects which involve the interests of the government and private firms and contemplate a marked advance in the art inevitably require a long period of consideration, research, and development. The S.S. United States was no exception to this rule. Long before World War II Messrs. Gibbs with the late Mr. P. A. S. Franklin considered the possibility of the design and construction of a transatlantic passenger liner readily convertible to a troop transport and to have an average speed on the Atlantic of 30 knots. The late Mr. Franklin authorized the necessary research and development work to proceed, and model tests of such a ship were made under the direction of the late Admiral D. W. Taylor, former Chief Constructor of the Navy. Wars and depressions prevented the proposals from being carried into effect. In the meantime marine engineering and hull design were advancing rapidly and Gibbs & Cox, Inc., in 1933 was called upon by the Navy to prepare designs for advanced types of high-pressure. high-temperature steam machinery for the high-power combatant ships of the Navy. The use of this machinery became universal in such ships after 1938. In 1943, the late Mr. Basil Harris was directing the United States Lines as vice-president in the absence of General John M. Franklin, then serving in the Transportation Corps of the Army. The Messrs. Gibbs discussed with Mr. Harris the type of transatlantic passenger liner which might be required after the war, since, if the United States Lines was to continue in the passenger business, new tonnage would be required. As a result of these discussions, a research and development program was initiated by Gibbs & Cox, looking toward the design and construction of a ship which would have great value as a naval auxiliary and yet could be used efficiently and economically in the transatlantic passenger service of the United States Lines. The design of the S.S. United States may thus be said to have started late in 1943. By April 1945, this research and development program had reached the point where it became evident that, by making use of the advances in the art which had largely taken place since 1933 and utilizing the experience gained from the performance of the America (which had been designed by Gibbs & Cox for the United States Lines in 1938 and built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company), it would be possible to design a ship which would have great value as a naval auxiliary and would still meet the requirements of the United States Lines as to passenger capacity, economy, efficient operation, and speed. Such a ship would have to maintain a two-weekly round voyage between New York and English Channel ports, thus placing the United States for the first time in over 100 years in a favored competitive position with respect to the express transatlantic passenger ships under foreign flags. With the coming of peace and the return of General Franklin to the presidency of the United States Lines early in 1946, intensive consideration was given to the passenger capacity desired and the type of accommodation. In March 1946 Messrs. Gibbs were authorized by the United States Lines to proceed with further research and development, looking to the preparation of pre- liminary plans, to be followed by the contract plans and specifications. It was recognized, in view of the unprecedented type of the ship which was in contemplation, that to fix the design and insure success a vast amount of technical work would be necessary in connection with the preliminary and contract plans, involving testing of models and propellers, preparation of detailed estimates of weight and centers of gravity and estimates of cost. Since the ship was to be as fireproof as a modern combatant ship of the Navy, moreover, it was necessary to make a selection of materials and equipment which would be fireproof but of light weight. As soon as the preliminary plans were advanced sufficiently, consultations were held with Vice Admiral E. L. Cochrane, then Chief of the Bureau of Ships of the Navy. From the outset Admiral Cochrane and Vice Admiral E. W. Mills (then the Deputy Chief and later Chief of the Bureau of Ships) and their assistants enthusiastically aided the design with wise consultation and advice. In view of the fact that the ship was unprecedented and because it was planned to adopt types of design and materials not customary in commercial shipbuilding, early consultations were held with the United States Coast Guard, through Rear Admiral H. C. Shepheard and Captains R. A. Smyth and C. P. Murphy, and with the American Bureau of Shipping, through Mr. D. P. Brown, chief surveyor, and Mr. A. R. Gatewood, chief engineer surveyor. All of these agencies cooperated with extraordinary enthusiasm to find solutions for the exceptional problems presented in the design. It can be said therefore that the preliminary and contract plans were a joint product of these agencies and Gibbs & Cox.

Preliminary Plans Approved

After two years of intensive study, the preliminary design and plans and specifications were sufficiently advanced so that on April 7, 1948, a meeting was called in New York by General Franklin, and the results presented to the Maritime Commission for its consideration and approval. It is interesting to note that the plans were ultimately approved, without change. In the meantime the work of refinement and amplification of the design continued and on August 24, 1948, the plans and specifications were submitted to the bidders. The contract for building the ship was awarded to the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company on April 7, 1949, and Gibbs & Cox was appointed to act as the Design Agent jointly for the United States Lines and the Maritime Commission in connection with the supervision and approval of the preparation of working plans. As previously noted, model experiments had been initiated early in the preliminary design period together with model propeller experiments and self-propelled tests. Based on these experiments the final lines drawings of the ship were prepared and a plating model made and lined off in the model shop of the Design Agent. After the award, including the contract plans and plating model and the specifications, the Design Agent furnished to the Newport News Yard a large amount of guidance material, comprising of course the arrangement plans of the ship, structural plans (including midship section and sections at close intervals throughout the length of the ship), arrangement of machinery plans, diagrammatic plans of various piping and wiring systems, detailed estimates of weights and centers of gravity, strength calculations, heat balances and the like. All of the material which had been prepared by the Design Agent, in addition to that mentioned in the foregoing, comprising over 400 plans, sketches, diagrams, and the like, together with many sheets of data and the submissions made by the various vendors on which the selection of components had been based, were thus made available to the shipyard. By this means the design fixed and Newport News started the preparatio about 4,600 detailed working plans required for the struction of the vessel. These were prepared unde direction and supervision of Mr. S. A. Vincent, architect, and Mr. F. R. Benson, chief engineer, respectively. Both the Newport News yard and the Design A made numerous estimates of the vital elements of w and centers of gravity and the agreement between independent estimates was extraordinarily close. fact that every contractual requirement in conne with the performance of the ship had been amply and that the vessel has averaged over 35 knots distance equivalent to about one-quarter way aroun world, and this with an extraordinary freedom from bration and excellent economy, is a tribute to the e tionally complete and careful cooperative technical of the Design Agent and the Newport News Shipb ing and Dry Dock Company and the component m facturers. The Design Agent recommended to the Maritime mission, the United States Lines, and the Newport shipyard the appointment of firms of interior arch and interior decorators. In the case of the Grace Line ships of the Santa class and the America of the United States Line designed by Gibbs & Cox, the Design Agent, wit cooperation of the owners and builders had sel the firm of Smyth, Urquhart & Marckwald, as in decorators, and the firm of Eggers & Higgins, as in architects. This team of the Design Agent, interior rator, interior architect, and the shipyards conce having proved so satis factory in the case of the prec ships, it was continued in the case of the United S with the full concurrence of the Maritime Commi the United States Lines and Newport News, the rators being employed by the United States Lines the interior architects by Newport News. In all discussions between the Design Agent an contractor following the award, it was emphasize Mr. Gibbs that the development of the design shou a completely cooperative project and this was accomp ed to an unprecedented degree by the continuous sulation and interchange of views between the D Agent and the contractor's technical staffs, the pre tion of additional guidance plans by the Design A a complete re-check of all technical information, joint discussions with the various component man turers. The manufacturers who have supplied compo deserve great credit for their share in the results achi Many great firms, such as Westinghouse, General tric, Babcock & Wilcox, Foster-Wheeler, Worthin Allis-Chalmers, General Fireproofing, York Refri tion, Otis Elevator, and many more, contributed important degree to the success of the ship. Wheth be the main propulsion plant or merely a bureau dr every component must function properly in a succ ship and great credit must go to the design staffs of and other competent organizations. In conclusion, it is the belief of both Newport N and Gibbs & Cox that the total hours of technical w investigation, and research applied to this projec many times greater than have ever been required i case of any other ship of any type. It was this ca technical effort which accounts in large part for the standing performance of the ship. Few changes were thus necessary in the fundam and basic design which had been so closely circumsc by the extensive preliminary design work and the dance plans and data submitted to the shipyard. Changes however, were made in certain of the passenger arrangements due to the development of the passenger trade and experience gained by the United States Lines' Passenger Department since World War II. It is believed that the extras resulting from all changes are a lower percentage of the contract price than for any other large ship built since the war. To permit completion of the ship in the contract period of 36 months (actually the ship was completed in 34 months) Newport News and the subcontractors had to display extraordinary skill and expedition in the preparation of the working plans. Considering that these plans related to many unprecedented features of ship construction, it is notable that the time per action on the 23,000 actions required of the Design Agent averaged less than 14 days each, including in this average the time for transportation of the plans from and to the contractor's office. This prompt action and the procedure which permitted it was possible only through the cooperation of the Maritime Administration through the Chief of the Office of Ship Construction, which office was first filled by J. L. McGuigan and later by Captain R. L. Hicks. These officers clearly understanding the importance of the project and the advantage of prompt action facilitated in every way the necessary procedures in order to en-ahle the Design Agent to act promptly for the Maritime Administration, and in addition aided the Design Agent with valuable consultation and advice. Mr. Gibbs has stated publicly from time to time that he considers the S.S. United States the finest example of heavy shipbuilding that has been produced, and in this connection on the arrival of the ship at Southampton on the maiden voyage, he sent the following cable to Mr. W. E. Blewett, executive vice-president of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, and Mr. Blewett in turn distributed facsimile copies to all members of the Newsport Xews Staff: Congratulations to Builders After Record Run "As you have already heard, the voyage to Southampton was completed last night and was most successful, transatlantic record having been established with average speed increased over old record by 3.9 knots between Ambrose and Bishop's. Officers, crew, and passengers most enthusiastic about performance of the ship. "It is a pleasure to confirm our congratulations to Newport News which we have given verbally on board to Mr. Woodward and to convey to you and your associates at Newport News our deep appreciation and thanks tor the superb ship you have turned out. Tt is to the highest standard of shipbuilding yet attained. "It has been a pleasure to cooperate with you and we appreciate so much your friendly spirit and assistance in all phases of the work which made the result possible." It is therefore understandable why Mr. Gibbs has on numerous occasions made clear that the design of this ship is a cooperative effort, in which all who had any responsibility may share. As an example of this, there is quoted below, with the permission of the Reader's Digest, an excerpt from an article by Fillmore Hyde on the S. S. United States: "But ask him (Mr. Gibbs) if he designed her. 'Certainly not!' he says. 'About 50 percent of the marine engineering brains of the country have been applied to this ship. A great ship is the most complicated structure man creates. Topflight American manufacturers produced important refinements in design especially for her. This ship is the product of a prodigious explosive power-American industry.' " The conception of this ship, the design processes, and its construction are based on the fundamental American principle of individual initiative. This ship has been made possible by the initiative of many, who were brought together, organized, and who have worked and cooperated with enthusiasm and energy to accomplish a great project, in which their fellow citizens may well take pride. Thus, for the first time in a century, the United States, by this process, has an epoch-marking ship of unprecedented value for national defense, far safer than any other passenger ship in its subdivision and fireproofness, and one which now holds the transatlantic record for speed both east and west-bound.

Building the UNITED STATES

The United States is designed as a quadruple-screw high-speed passenger vessel for transatlantic service between New York and English channel ports, to carry also mail, specie, automobiles, baggage, and regular and refrigerated cargo as well as dry and refrigerated stores. There are three outstanding features incorporated in the design of the United States, other than its speed, which make the vessel unique; the complete air conditioning of all passenger, officer and crew spaces; the use of lightweight high-strength material where practicable; and the extensive use of both fireproof and fire-retardant materials. The expression "there shall be no wood on this ship" holds true with very minor exceptions, such as the pianos and the butcher blocks. It may be said with confidence that the United States is the most nearly fireproof passenger vessel ever constructed and equals in this respect the standard of a large naval combatant ship. She is constructed to meet the requirements of the American^ Bureau of Shipping entitling the vessel to Class A1 as an ocean-going mail, passenger, and cargo liner ; the United States Navy Department in so far as its use as a naval auxiliary is concerned; the United States Coast Guard; and the United States Public Health Service. While the basic requirements of these regulatory bodies were met, they also were exceeded particularly with regard to watertight subdivision and fireproof type of construction. In outward appearance the United States somewhat resembles a huge yacht with her raking bow, .cruiser stern, and unbroken promenade deck line from the bow to within a few feet of the extreme stern. The trim appearance is accentuated by the two large streamlined and well-raked stacks. There is a single radar mast forward as well as the short self-supporting kingposts forward and aft which eliminate unsightly stays and shrouds. There are eight decks of passenger and crew accommodation, as follows: D, C, B, A, main, and upper, which is the uppermost full-length deck. Above the upper deck are the promenade, with public rooms, which is the strength deck, and again the sun and sports decks of accommodation. In general the first-class spaces are amidships, with the cabin-class spaces aft and the tourist-class forward. Quarters for the crew are located at the extreme forward and after ends of the ship as well as amidships below the passenger spaces. The officers' quarters and promenade are topside. Although all passenger dining rooms and galleys are situated on A deck, the first-class quarters and public spaces are above. An enclosed promenade is provided on the promenade deck with open promenade and game decks on the sun and sports decks, respectively. Cabin-class spaces are aft on B deck and above with covered promenade on both the main and upper decks, and an open promenade and game deck at the after end of the promenade deck. The swimming pool is located aft on C deck between the shaft alley bulkheads. Tourist spaces are all located between the D and promenade decks forward, while both open and sheltered promenade is provided on the navigating bridge deck. Tourists also have the use of the open promenade deck between the house front and the breakwater which extends from rail height at the side to the top of the center-line deck house. The crew's open promenade is forward of the breakwater while their enclosed promenade is at the extreme after end of the main deck. There are four exposed hatches on the promenade deck; two forward, serving Nos. 1 and 2 holds suitable for stores, cargo, or automobiles; and two aft, No. 4 for baggage and No. 5 for mail. No. 3 hold, located adjacent to No. 2, accommodates baggage or stores and is served by elevator and cranes from side ports on B deck forward.

Construction Details

Construction of the United States was started on February 8, 1950. The keel laying was without ceremony although there were a number of distinguished guests who gathered to witness the historic event. The first assembly to be placed on the blocks consisted of a section of both flat and vertical keel 108 feet long weighing 55 tons. The United States was Hull No. 488. She was built in ship way No. 10, actually a huge dry dock 960 feet long, 123 feet wide, and 35 feet below sea level. Her over-all length of_990.feet projected both at the bow and the stern over the inboard and outboard ends of the ship way. The United States is built of steel and aluminum. The main portion of the hull up to and including the promenade deck is of steel. Above the promenade deck practically all of the superstructure is aluminum; steel being used primarily for the house front and all structure forward. The major part of the aluminum structure is riveted ; aluminum welding being used only where strength was not required. Special attention was given to the design of the stern structure in order to minimize hull vibration. As a result specially constructed bulkheads, girders, and brackets were installed, tying into one another and becoming a part of the. rigid structure and forming a continuous support for the stern portion of the vessel. The stem is formed of varying radius plating from the upper end to the waterline, there developing into a steel casting which terminates above the forefoot. The cast-steel stern frame was rough bored in the shop, after which the structural connecting members were welded to it. The rudder is of the double-plate type. The stock and coupling palm, coupling bolts, and pintles are made of forged steel. There are three cast-steel hawse pipes. The port and starboard hawse pipes are recessed as a precaution against loosening in heavy seas. The center line hawse pipe is located in the stem. Early in the design stage a 1/8 -full-size model of the bow above the waterline was built including hawse pipes and anchors. The pipes were bolstered experimentally until the anchors would stow properly regardless of the position they were in when first coming in contact with the hull. As regards compartmentation, the United States, like the America, exceeds the requirements of the 1929 Convention on Safety of Life at Sea, Senate Report 184, and the 1948 Conference on Safety of Life at Sea, both for flooding and stability flooded, down to the lightest anticipated service condition. In the October, 1951, issue of the National Safety News, Rear Admiral H. C. Shepheard, U. S. Coast Guard, made the following statements with respect to the safety features of the steamship United States: "Americans are building a ship which will give this country best representation on the sea lanes of the world it has had since the days of the clipper. Excelling in many respects over other ships of the world, it will have safety features which will make it the safest passenger or troop ship in operation anywhere. "One of the safety features of the steamship United States is the improvement in fire safety. This is due largely to the elimination of combustible materials." This feature is most evident in the public rooms and passenger staterooms. In the past it has been here that the fearful cry of "fire" at sea has earned its reputation as the forerunner of a major disaster. "On the steamship United States all wood trim and veneers have been eliminated, and all draperies, upholstery and mattresses will receive a fire-retardant treatment. Every article of furniture must be constructed of fire-retardant materials. Where passageways pierce fire bulkheads, automatic fire doors are installed. All can be closed simultaneously from the bridge. "The structural fire protection built into the ship will in no way reduce the usual number of extensive detecting and extinguishing apparatus which will provide for the prompt extinction of any incipient fire. "Next to fire the greatest hazard at sea is collision. Although the steamship United States will be equipped with the latest navigating instruments, designers, to limit the extent of flooding, have provided a subdivision of the hull unprecedented for a merchant ship. A flick of a switch will close all power-operated watertight doors penetrating the watertight bulkheads. "The lifeboats on the ship will be constructed entirely without wood. The many important safety features of the steamship United States are too numerous to mention. Some, like the ship's powerful machinery and the strength of the hull itself, are the result of years of experience in ship design, shipbuilding, and ship operation. In contrast, the electronic navigational aids, radar  and loran, are developments of the past few years. "The ship will carry 2,000' passengers under conditions of unexcelled comfort in peacetime. Statistics indicate that a passenger traveling with the American Merchant Marine is enjoying the safest method of transportation available in the world today. "In the event of war, the steamship United States will be converted into a troop ship, and the safety built into the original design will become an even greater asset to the American people." The double bottom, extends substantially throughout the length of the ship. Boundaries of the swimming pool and the surrounding beach are of welded monel-clad steel construction. A removable false bottom is fitted above the floor of the pool for some distance from the forward end of the pool. From this point aft the floor is inclined downward to form a level shallow water area. The false bottom and the raised portion between the pool proper and the beach are built of monel metal. The pool, so constructed, is less susceptible to damage than the customary tiled pool, and the bright monel unpainted surface presents a modern appearance in keeping with the general interior architecture. The midship deck house and the superstructure decks above the promenade deck aft of the house front are constructed of aluminum-alloy plating. The plating, supported on transverse steel beams, is strengthened against racking. The superstructure is built without expansion joints. All of the structural aluminum is riveted with aluminium rivets. Rivets up to 1/2 inch were driven cold. The rivets 1/2 inch and over were heat-treated rivets. These were both manufactured and heat-treated at the vard. The treatment consisted of heating to 1040 degrees F and quenching in cold water. After the quenching operation the rivets were "frozen" and kept at —40 degrees F until driven. This was necessary in order to prevent the rivets from age-hardening before driving which would be the case if stored at room temperature. The process was carried out satisfactorily by storing die rivets in commercial ice cream storage cabinets refrigerated with dry ice, and from these supplying the rivet gangs with smaller quantities in specially constructed heat-insulated containers. The rivets, driven cold, harden upon driving and with age. The driving-operation is fast as it is not necessary to go back and harden up the point as on a steel rivet. The countersunk points may be chipped off as a production operation. Nearly a million and a quarter aluminum rivets were driven during the construction of the vessel. Aluminum is also used for the boundary bulkheads of bathroom shower and toilet spaces and for galley and pantry partitions. Numerous wire-mesh bulkheads as I well were of aluminum. The use of over 2,000 tons of aluminum constituted the largest single order of aluminum ever placed. While ' many, perhaps the majority, of the practices used on steel can be used on aluminum, there are. those such as the handling, the prevention of cracking during forming, the inability to alter by burning and welding, and shaping in two directions, which created many problems in the course of construction. In handling large aluminum assemblies, the size becomes a greater problem than the weight which must be considered in handling comparable steel assemblies. About 75 percent of the structure of the United States was subassembled on platens 70 feet wide adjacent to and running the full length of the shipway. Many of the minor assemblies, including decks and bulkheads. were reassembled into larger sections such as the entire how of the vessel which was made up of five huge assemblies. Crane facilities were such that assemblies up to 100 tons could be handled readily from the platens directly into the ship. The two massive stacks. 60 feet long and 55 jeet high. were subassembled of aluminum plates and had to be erected in two pieces since the clearance between the stacks and the crane boom necessitated using the small 10-ton hooks located at the extreme ends of the booms. The height, shape, and general design of the stacks were developed after months of studying a model of the United States and many shapes of stacks in a specially designed wind tunnel. Smoke was piped to the stacks and by varying the exit velocity of the smoke and the wind velocity the most ideal condition could be chosen so that smoke would not come down on the after decks. The stacks are self-supporting and have concealed openings to discharge exhaust air. There is only one "mast on the United States, the radar mast or tower located just aft of the pilot house. The mast, built entirely of' aluminum, supports both the 10-centimeter and the 3-centimeter radar antennas, cross-tree, gaff, and crows nest. The crows nest is enclosed in transparent plastic with fixed circular side portions and a fiat hinged section in the front. Joiner Work. The accommodation spaces on the United States are of fireproof construction in accordance with the United States Coast Guard requirements. Construction in general is similar to that developed for the America, and has since become standard yard practice. Several different weights and thicknesses of marinite were used. No wood veneer was used in any case. Over half a million square feet of marinite panel was used in the construction of the vessel. Ceilings, where not acoustical, or of marine veneer. Marine type acoustical ceilings, moisture proof and fire proof, are fitted in all large public spaces. Insulation. To add to the comfort of both the passengers and the crew, sound insulation is fitted around all such noisy spaces as elevator machinery rooms, fan rooms, motor-generator rooms, and tailor and print shops. The extensive air conditioning of the United States required a consequent thorough installation of heat insulation. Railings. While all railings on the exposed promenade deck forward of the house front are of the standard steel tvpe, all other exterior railings...are of aluminum. The stanchions for the aluminum railing were cut from a special extruded section. The hollow aluminum cap rail used in place of the customary teak rail is also a special extruded section, anodized. Weather Peek Covering. Instead of the customary calked wood decking, the United Stales has a composition deck covering on all exposed decks. This covering-was spread on cleaned hare steel or aluminum decks, Painting. The application of paint generally followed standard practice. All paint used on the interior of the i'nited States was tested to he sure it met the fire-retardant requirements. Samples of all types of paint were applied to thin metal strips, and then, in specially designed electrical apparatus, current was passed through these strips causing the surface temperature to rise to about 2,30(3 degrees F. With the fire-retardant paint there is no flame and the paint will neither propagate nor intensify a tire. Xinety-two thousand gallons of paint were required to paint the United States. The United States was launched on June 23, 1951, exactly 500 days from the keel laying date. She was christened by Airs. Tom Connally. wife of United States senator Connally from Texas. The launching of a vessel the size of the United States from a submerged shipway lacks the thrill one experiences in watching such a magnificent ship as it slides majestically down the ways. However, although the anxiety of those responsible for the safety of the launching is greatly diminished, a floating launching still has its problems, and is far more complex than simply undocking a ship. Calculations must be made to determine the amount and location of ballast which must be pnt aboard to obtain the proper list and trim. Nearly half a mile of staging has to he removed from around the vessel, elevators and gangways which have provided access to the ship taken out, miles of cable, hose, and wire have to be disconnected. In addition to the keel blocks and bilge cribs there were 790 shores which supported the ship during construction. All of these shores as well as a number of A-frames had to be removed and all other material securely fastened to the bottom of the shipway. The dock was flooded to a depth of 21 feet on June 22, the afternoon before the launching, and all inner-bottom compartments checked. On the morning of June 23, the dock was filled and a preliminary inclining experiment held to determine the stability. After the christening and other appropriate ceremonies the United States was pulled from the shipway and guided downstream to her outfitting pier.

Unusual HULL EQUIPMENT

Under the heading of hull equipment appear a vast number of items, both large and small. As it would be impracticable to describe in detail all of those items, only the major items and those having unusual design or construction features are covered. Ports and Doors. Entry, cargo, and stores ports, garbage disposal ports, and fueling ports are all of heavy construction hung on rugged hinges with composition pins having pressure-lubricated fittings. Ports open outboard against the shell and when closed are flush with the ship's side. Crew's entrance port doors are provided with fenders to prevent small boats from fouling the under side of the open doors, when alongside. Fenders hinge into fending position when the doors are open and fold up and stow inside when closed. The garbage disposal ports can be either manually or power operated. Remote position indicating lights located in the damage control room show the doors to be closed only when in the dogged down condition. The United States necessarily has a considerable nuffi-ber of power-operated watertight doors. The control system is capable of operating simultaneously or individually all power-equipped doors. A master control and indicating panel showing the position of the doors is located in the damage control room while motors, controls, indicators, and_ audible alarm are located at each watertight door. Each local control is such that doors may be operated from either side of the bulkhead both at the door location or from the bulkhead deck. Joiner doors are hollow aluminum. All stateroom doors are insulated. Fire-screen doors are of steel, insulated, and of the hinged self-closing type. Those required to be controlled automatically from the damage control room are held in an open position by a magnetic catch. The catch may be operated locally to close an individual door. Those doors in passageways are fitted with a small hinged panel at the bottom to permit the passage of fire hose. The doors. in open position, are recessed to present an unobstrusive appearance. Ground Tackle. All three stockless type anchors are stowed in pipes, there being no spare anchor carried on deck. The upper ends of the hawse pipes are closed by as tight a cover as practicable to keep water from entering the enclosed anchor-handling room, and exceptionally large drains are fitted in this space to carry off any sea water entering the space in this manner. The stem anchor is larger than the bow anchors and appropriate chain cables are provided. Windlasses. The combined windlass and warping capstan machinery is of the vertical type located in the windlass machinery room on the main deck, with wildcats on the upper deck above. The drives are cross-connected. Vertical shafts are also extended from the gear boxes to operate two warping capstans on the promenade deck forward of the breakwater. Controls and indicators are located on the main, upper, and promenade decks. Each windlass is capable of hoisting the anchor and chain from a depth of 60 fathoms. The brake will stop the falling anchor with practically no effort on the part of the operator. Electrically operated indicators located in the windlass room and in the wheelhouse show at all times the fathoms of anchor chain paid-out. Mooring and Warping Gear. The United States has, in addition to the capstans operated by the windlass, electric capstans of the vertical deck-mounted type located on the promenade deck just forward of No. 2 hatch and on the main deck aft operated from the deck below. All gear is designed to withstand a pull equivalent to the breaking strength of the hawsers used. There are numerous bitts conveniently located forward on the promenade deck and aft on the main deck. The necessary roller chocks are provided forward and aft, Stowed on reels are the manila hawsers and warps. The towline is steel wire. Steering Gear. The steering gear, located on a steering gear flat below B deck, is of the electric-hydraulic type. Independent power plants, operated by motors and hydraulic pumps through flexible couplings, are capable of moving the rudder, running at maximum designed horsepower and full draft, from hard over to hard over when going ahead or astern. Control of the hydraulic valve gear is provided by electrical means from the wheelhouse and from the after steering station. Local control in the steering gear room is by trick wheels mechanically connected to the valve gear. Cargo Handling. A pair of tapered steel self-supported kingposts, extending well above the working deck, are located forward between Nos. 1 and 2 hatches and similarly aft between Nos. 4 and 5 hatches. All booms are designed for 5-ton loads. Eight single-drum electric cargo winches are provided. All kingposts are fitted with topping winches for the individual booms. All weather deck hatch covers on the United States are steel and of the quick-operating type. The hatch coamings for No. 1 and No. 2, and No. 5 are raised while the cover for the baggage hatch No. 4 aft is flush with the deck providing excellent access around the passengers' open promenade. The forward covers are hinged at one end and in the middle, the other end being fitted with rollers on each side. All 'tween deck covers, with the exception of those at E deck in both No. 1 and No. 2 hatches are steel and of the pontoon type. For handling cargo through side ports on B deck forward to No. 3 hold a trolley hoist, running on an extensible boom, is used. Cargo is handled from B deck to the hold by means of an elevator operating on the center-line of the vessel. Ventilation and Heating. Ventilation on the United States is designed to operate satisfactorily with weather doors, hatches, and similar openings closed during stormy weather. The total of both natural and mechanical exhaust from each watertight subdivision equals the supplv from the subdivision, there being no trunks or ducts piercing the main vertical watertight or fire-zone bulkheads. The various systems also are designed to avoid the influx of mechanical ventilation into air-conditioned-spaces. Non-air-conditioned spaces are in general supplied and exhausted with mechanical ventilation permitting a frequent change of air suitable to the use of the space. Heat for non-air-conditioned spaces is supplied by a direct steam heating system. Air Conditioning. The following spaces are air conditioned : all passenger, officer, engineer, and crew accommodations, enclosed public spaces, mess rooms, recreation rooms, hospital, offices, radio room, chart room, log room, damage control room, print shop, and dog kennels. The air-conditioning systems are designed to operate with an outside temperature of 95 degrees. Trunks and ducts are in general of steel below the bulkhead deck and aluminum above, concealed wherever practicable, and insulated to prevent sweating as well as heat loss, and the insulation on all cold air supply ducts is vapor sealed. The machinery for providing the chilled water for the air-conditioning system consists essentially of a plant of multiple motor-driven centrifugal compressors, condensers, coolers and pumps. Windows and Airports. All windows and airports opening onto open decks where passengers or crew have access are fitted with wire-inserted glass, in a single pattern. Shell airports in general below the main deck are of the fixed, non-opening type in passenger and crew accommodations. The remaining airports are the hinged-11.13 type for the two tvpes of spaces. The opening type of airport in the first-class and cabin-class staterooms are Pitted with a restraining catch or a jar hook, to permit opening the airport about 2 inches. Airports subject to breakage in storerooms, etc., have guard bars fitted.  Fixed lights, in aluminum frames, are installed in all outside doors leading directly to accommodation or to companionways and in passage doors, and so on, hut not in the main vertical zone bulkheads. Wheelhouse windows of aluminum are of the vertical sliding type, mechanically operated, glazed with heat-treated glass. The windows along both sides of the first-class enclosed promenade are of the vertical sliding storm window type with four frames of heat-treated glass. The frames are of aluminum. The top and bottom sashes are fixed. The windows are equipped with operating gear, securing devices, and guard rails. Watertight inclosure windows are also installed in the cabin-class promenade on the main deck aft and at the after end of the upper deck. In general, public room and other spaces are fitted with aluminum framed casement windows with rounded corners. The eighteen windows forward on the promenade in the tourist lounge are oval in shape. The windows in the first-class lounge on the promenade deck are of the hurricane type fixed windows extending within 30 inches of the deck. They permit ready view of the sea from most parts of the room. Oversize ports are featured in the cocktail lounge looking out on the starboard side of the promenade deck. Elevators. The United States is equipped with nineteen elevators, the largest number of elevators ever installed on a ship. Ten of the nineteen elevators are for passengers only, arranged in two banks of two cars each with the others spotted singly throughout the ship. Three elevators are used by engineering and deck officers. Six service elevators will handle food, luggage, and other freight. Car interiors are finished in baked enamel with different colors for each class. Each car is equipped with an electric fan. All of the elevators are automatic and are equipped for operation either by the passengers or by regular attendants. Special attention has been given to elevator safety. In addition to all standard elevator safety devices, such as door interlocks which prevent the hatch-way door from being opened unless a car is at the landing, the elevators on the United States are self-leveling. Not onlv are accidents from tripping avoided, but faster service is obtained. Special provisions have been made to compensate for horizontal thrust loads imposed on the elevators and guide rails by the rolling and pitching of the ship at sea. Dumbwaiters. Automatic electric pushbutton-operated dumbwaiters on the United States provide service from the galleys to the main service pantrys. They are located in the first, cabin and tourist-class galleys. A "ear-here" and "in-use" signal light is provided at each door opening. Hardware. All hardware is of the best grade marine type and in keeping with the architectural treatment of the different spaces. Master's, staff officers', and chief engineer's rooms are similar to first class; crew quarters are furnished similar to tourist class. As a general rule all personnel and service rooms employ the type hardware consonant with the adjacent passenger accommodations. Theatre doors and similar applications are fitted with panic-proof hardware. The door lock to each room throughout the ship, passenger and crew alike, is provided with keys in accordance with the number of occupants; each lock is different from all others except where there is more than one door to a room. Two separate keys are necessary either to open or to close the strong room locks, thus reducing the possibility of any one person gaining access to this room. Locks fitted to entrance doors into the navigating spaces can be opened by its own key, a master key, and no other. Locks and padlocks are grouped for master key purposes. First, cabin, and tourist classes are master keyed separately and as a group. All keys are properly marked and are attached to an aluminum label tag. Hooks, Bumpers, Cheeks. All passenger stateroom> and officers' quarters are provided with ajar hooks which may be locked in position. All doors, save fire-screen doors, are provided with either catch hooks or holdbacks and also with rubber-tipped bumpers. The door checks which are provided throughout the ship are of overhead concealed or surface type. Deck Covering. The floor coverings on the ship include carpets, rugs, linoleum, rubber tile, rubber sheeting, and "Neotex" and neoprene mattings. These materials are used in accordance with the type of service expected. Throughout the first and cabin-class staterooms and suites wall to wall carpeting is used. After  the decta were cleaned and primed they were painted with deck paint. An Ozite underlay or rug cushion is used under all carpets and rugs. Also fully carpeted are the master's and chief engineer's staterooms and reception rooms, first-class lounge, library, and writing alcove, first-class cocktail lounge and foyer, both first and cabin-class theatres, cabin-class lounge, and observation lounge. The carpeting is furnished in solid colors. The colors employed number more than a dozen and include several shades of each. The open decks^ topside, employ Xeotex in a deep green to eliminate mare. This material provides a non-"slip, weather-resistant surface. Molded, rubber tile, grooved in squares and laid in a linoleum cement, has been applied to first and cabin-class enclosed promenades. The light blue color of this tile serves to make the promenades appear more spacious and brighter. Sheet rubber flooring of inlaid design has been used, employing some thirty colors in first, cabin, and tourist stair halls, smoking rooms, children's playrooms, dining saloons, and extensively in passageways, foyers, and shops. A waterproof cement is spread on prior to laying the flooring. This flooring is used in conjunction with a 4-inch molded rubber sanitary cove base. Moderate use has been made of rugs on rubber flooring, principally in cabin and tourist library, writing rooms, and tourist staterooms. These are scatter rugs and are not fastened down in any manner. The first and cabin-class dance floors have removable carpets covering the sheet-rubber flooring. In the 'officers' and engineers' loir~ges, messroom, staterooms, barber shops, and beauty shops, gymnasium. ship's offices, and vestibules marbleized sheet rubber has been applied. All bars, butcher shops, galleys, bake shops, and service spaces are floored with a hard asphalt tile. Stairways throughout the ship are covered with sheet rubber applied in the usual manner; the nosings are provided with non-slip aluminum. Operating room and dispensaries employ static conductive covering with waterproof cement as an adhesive. This linoleum has the property of dispelling static elec-tricity which would otherwise present a hazard. Fire-retardant deck paint has been used extensively and in a uniform manner. After cleaning the deck surface two coats of primer were applied and then the fire-retardant paint. This finish is used in lockers, storerooms, fan rooms, cargo spaces, specie room, brig, tobacco room, plumber's shop, and in dozens of other service and storerooms. Aluminum gratings in baggage room, mail room, rope stowage, and dry stores, refrigerators, and refrigerated cargo are all non-slip and in refrigerated spaces rest on insulation sheathed in stainless steel. Working deck spaces on the sun deck, officers' and crew's promenades, all crew passages and working spaces, below stair halls, canteen, dog house, and walkways in storerooms and shops are floored with a non-skid material troweled on in two layers. Interior spaces subject to water being constantly spilled on the floors, such as swimming pool beach, drying room, shower spaces, public toilets, etc., were covered with a terrazzo which was troweled on, as a mastic, ground smooth and sealed. Crew staterooms, tailor shop, radio room, wheelhouse, projection rooms, telephone exchange, hospital wards, and comparable spaces wxre floored with marine deck covering with an adhesive beneath.

Sample Staterooms

One of the unusual procedures during the building of the United States was the construction of a group of sample staterooms in one of the shipyard buildings. These were built in 1949 before the start of joiner work on board the ship. Three sample rooms were assembled and equipped completely, one for each class, together with two bathrooms, toilets, and showers for finally determining the suitability of details of the design specified for construction, finish, furniture, fittings, and the like. These rooms together with passageways for each class were complete in every detail exactly as they were to be constructed on the ship. In addition a number of separate items of hardware, bath fixtures, furniture, and other items of equipment were displayed on the outside walls of the rooms. The construction of these rooms greatly aided the owners, builders, and designers in the visual selection of equipment for the passenger accommodations of the ship. It also greatly expedited construction. The following, are some of the items included in the rooms, passageways, closets, and baths of the rooms: Construction of fire stations. Serving trays in passageways. Floor covering, lighting, hardware, name plates, handrails, fire-screen doors, stateroom doors, ports, drapes, furniture, bathroom fixtures, shower stalls, shower mixing valves, joiner work, air-conditioning outlets, colors of paints and many others. Safety Equipment The safety of the passengers on the United States is safeguarded in a manner paralleling that on a naval vessel. Adjacent to the wheelhouse is a damage control room which is manned on an around-the-clock basis. In this damage control room there is centered all safety controls, equipment, annunciators, alarms, and means of communication necessary for the safety of the passengers, whether it be fire or collision.

Damage-Control

In the case of accident, the safety officer in the damage-control room has facilities for closing all watertight and fire-screen doors. This subdivides the vessel into small compartments. He also shuts down the ventilating systems to cut off the supply of air which may be feeding a fire. At the same time he sounds the alarm in the officer and crew quarters to summon the emergency scjuads who report to emergency gear lockers and await instructions as to the nature and location of the trouble. When this has been determined, instructions are given to open watertight and fire-screen doors and start the ventilation fans to spaces which are not affected.

Fire Delecting and Extinguishing

The alarm for fire may appear in the damage control room in one of several manners, in the event of fire in passenger quarters, public spaces, or areas frequently visited, the alarm may be by telephone, by watchmen using the break-glass pull-lever system, during their patrol of the vessel over routes of a mechanical clock system, or by the thermostatically operated indicating system which show's on the indicator board and sounds an alarm. In such cases fire may be brought under control by water from the fire hydrants. In spaces such as storerooms and cargo holds below the bulkhead deck, which are not frequently visited during a voyage, there is installed a smoke-detection and carbon-dioxide extinguishing system. If smoke from such a compartment appears in the indicator in the damage control room it is not only visible but also sets off an alarm. The officer in charge can then summon the emergency squad or can send a charge of carbon dioxide into the compartment without personnel entering the space. In galleys where hot grease is apt to Hare up above the hoods, the flame is automatically extinguished by a carbon-dioxide blanket which prevents the heat from being carried up through the upper decks. A carbon-dioxide system is used also in the machinery rooms for oil fires, and is operated just outside the exit so that the last engineer out can release the gas.

General Alarm System

A general alarm system is provided with bells throughout the vessel so located that their operation is heard by all passengers and crew. The system is divided into two parts, one covering passenger spaces and the other covering crew and operating spaces with contact makers in the damage control room so arranged that the alarm can be transmitted throughout the entire vessel or to the crew and operating spaces only. Power is obtained directly from the direct-current bus on the forward emergency generator switchboard without means of disconnecting other than fuses.

Lifesaving Equipment

The United States is fitted with modern lifesaving equipment exceeding the latest requirements of the U. S. Coast Guard and the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1948. Sufficient capacity is provided in lifeboats to accommodate all persons aboard. There are two 36-foot motor-driven lifeboats, 133 persons each; twenty 36-foot hand-propelled lifeboats, 140 persons each; and two 26-foot rescue boats accommodating 40 persons each. Not only are all boats built of aluminum but all fittings and gears are of either aluminum or non-combustible material. Hollow aluminum oars are provided. The boats are non-sinkable, being built with patented inner hulls divided into 14 watertight compartments. The hand-propelled lifeboats are operated by means of 10 upright lever-through mechanisms to the propellers. These boats develop a speed of about 5 miles per hour. The two motor-driven lifeboats are equipped with Diesel engines and radio transmitter-receiver capable of 6 hour operation without charging batteries. All 36-foot lifeboats are hung in aluminum gravity-type davits. Electric boat winches are capable of raising or lowering the loaded boats rapidly. Auxiliary hand gear is provided to start the movement of the boat, and to lower the boats in case of power failure. Boatsare operated from winch platforms on the sun deck which is also the place of embarkation. In addition to the lifeboats, there is also sufficient metallic buoyant apparatus to accommodate 25 percent of the persons on board. Stowage is such that the apparatus will float free. Fireproof life preservers are provided for all persons on board, while children's size life preservers are furnished for 10 percent of the total number of passengers.

INTERIORS of the UNITED STATES Feature Best in Modern Design

Interiors of the superliner United States utilize many new materials, and stress American themes in the designs presented in a decorative scheme in which the colors of the sea and sky are featured in a number of the 26 public rooms. Planning for the interiors of the world's most modern, safest and most powerful ship was started even before the keel had been laid. So painstaking was this process that miniature models of staterooms-about two feet in size but perfect in scale-were built to try out individual schemes. As a result, the 990-foot liner is an artistically harmonious unit. Symbols of American life, American cities, states and industries are major decoration themes featured, as are motifs of wind and stars, ocean currents and marine life. From stem to stern, below decks as well as above, the new ship exemplifies fresh, original, contemporary design, smooth, ease-giving functional ingenuity and native American good taste. Architects of the new flagship of the United States Lines were Eggers & Higgins and decorators Smyth, Urquhart and Marckwald, both New York firms of outstanding reputation and experts in ship interiors. Dorothy Marckwald and Anne Urquhart, partners in the firm of Smyth, Urquhart and Marckwald, the only firm of women ship decorators in the world, also designed the superb interiors of the steamship America, previously this country's largest and finest passenger ship and a running mate of the United States. For both ships they enlisted the talents of leading American artists.

Unique Problems Solved

The United States is a unique ship in design and posed unusual problems for the women decorators. There is virtually no wood aboard the superliner, all furniture is aluminum and even the paint is fire-retarding. The unprecedented safety standards of the liner required the decorators to provide a structure five city blocks long and twelve stories high with fine decoration without using anything inflammable. Thousands of yards of fabrics were selected-not only for design, color, texture, durability and non-absorption of moisture, but also for non-inflammable character. After careful experiments, a new synthetic linenlike fabric, dynel, was chosen for curtains and bedspreads in all staterooms except the luxury suites. The thousands of chairs, beds, sofas, tables and bureaus are painted to harmonize with the decor. Drawers will not stick no matter what the weather. Other interior fittings of the luxury liner's cabins are painted aluminum-right down to the roomy wardrobes and the shower stalls. Skilled decorative talents have given these rooms the smartness and comfort of the finest modern American interiors ashore. From earliest planning stages, decoration of the new United States featured the best in contemporary American decoration. To ensure this the decorators called in two well-known mural painters and designers, Mrs. Hil-dreth Meiere and Austin Purvis, Jr., as over-all art consultants. A harmonious unity in the entire scheme of decorative arts throughout the ship has been the result. Appropriately for the greatest liner ever built here, the decorative scheme reflects life in this country, emphasizing Americana and natural elements within "the national borders. Notable among the decorative subjects are the Mississippi River, Navajo Indian sand painting, old American glassware, ocean plants and creatures of the coastline, and figures which symbolize American philosophy. While the ship's interiors have the elegance and distinction of the best hotels or finest homes, the interior scheme of the superliner United States has been so designed that the first reaction won't be, "Why, it's like a big hotel, a remark that is constantly heard from visitors on big liners. In the colors used, in the art, and in other ways the decorators have related the ship to its natural elements, the sea, the winds, the stars. This approach seems to pull the whole scheme together into a pleasing, yet subtle, harmony. A wide range of greens and blues in some of the art and in many of the fabrics, runs as a motif throughout the ship-but the great variety of treatment makes each room fresh and sparkling.

Three Classes on the United States

All three classes of accommodations on the United States have lounges, smoking rooms, dining rooms, theatres, children's playrooms, barber shops, and beauty parlors. The cabin and first-class passengers share a single theatre while the tourist class has its own. The swimming pool and gymnasium are shared by the first two classes. No other three-class ship offers such outstanding accommodations for the tourist-class traveler as does the United States. The tourist lounge is located forward on the promenade deck. Aft of the lounge across the foyer is the theatre; only two decks down by elevator is the smoking room. The dining room is on A deck forward of the first-class dining room. The game deck and recreation space is aft of the bridge and around the forward stack. All of the public spaces have acoustical ceilings, share the same music system with speakers concealed in the ceiling and follow the same general lighting plan with the use of cove and trough indirect light. Aluminum decorative features, either alumilited or in the form of aluminum leaf, are used in most of the spaces. In addition to being air conditioned all staterooms and public spaces are equipped with electric fans. All decorations throughout the ship were executed by the artists on aluminum. The material was fabricated to fit the desired space and shipped to the artists.

First-Class Public Rooms and Spaces

Dining Saloon Theatre Observation Lounge, Library, Writing Room Ballroom Smoking Room Restaurant Cocktail Lounge Children's Playroom, Swimming Pool Steam Room, Shops, Tobacco Shop Barber Shop Beauty Parlor, Gymnasium, Foyers: Dining, Main Entrance Promenade Deck, Dining Saloon. The first-class dining saloon, seating 390 persons, is located forward of the galley and aft of the foyer and first-class stairway on A deck. The room extends the full width of the ship and is the shape of a square "U" with entrances from the foyer adjacent to the inboard bulkheads on both the port and starboard sides. Two double entrances from the galley are provided on the inboard side of the room. The flooring is of black sheet rubber in blocks with small inlaid black squares. The walls are oyster white. The port and starboard sides of the room are one deck in height. Each of these sections is broken fore and aft by two athwartship framed openings decorated with gold and natural alumilite. Ornamental plant boxes are located in each opening. The ports are covered with sliding sashes of translucent glass and are framed with a finish of aluminum leaf glazed gold. The curtains are of special woven texture-off-white in color-with threads of gold and silver and three rows of heavy tas-seled braid on the bottom portion. The two-deck high center portion of the room is framed with aluminum and gold decorated double frames extending the full length of the room from deck to ceiling. These frames form coves for the lighting. The three openings on each side connecting the three portions of the room are framed and decorated with aluminum leaf glazed gold. The eagle and state seal decorations over the center frames on the inboard sides and all of the decorations in the room were executed in foam glass by Miss Gwen Lux. This same artist also provided the main decorative feature of four sculptured figures symbolizing the expressions of freedom located on the after bulkhead of the two-deck portion of the room, above the sideboard. Groups of state seals by Miss Lux are located on the inboard bulkheads near the entrances to the room and above the buffet table. The outboard bulkheads at both ends of the room are decorated with other sculptures of marine life. The musicians' balcony is located at the forward portion of the center section of the room. The ornamental railing across the balcony is finished in gold and aluminum. The floor of the balcony is of dark gray squares of linoleum. The balcony is equipped with an upright piano and with light gray leather-covered chairs. Beneath the balcony is the buffet table equipped to serve hot or cold dishes. All of the serving tables are ebony with gold alumilite hardware and black plastic tops. The pedestal-type tables of the room are square, round or rectangular with linoleum tops. The chairs in the room are of the semi-barrel type covered with a turkey-red fabric. Coves provide the general lighting with flush mounted lens fixtures at the windows. Down lights and spot lights are installed for decorative lighting on the sculptured murals.

Theatre

The first and cabin-class theatre, the aftermost public space on the promenade deck, seats 352 persons. The general design follows that of a shore installation with the widest portion of the room at the forward end. The entrances are arranged for use of the theatre by each of the two classes. Doors are provided from the cabin-class foyer at the inboard entrances to the theatre and for the first-class on the port and starboard sides passageways from the smoking room. The doors are opened only to the class using the theatre at the time. The theatre is unusual in passenger ship design in that the deck is on an incline, similar to shore theatre installations. This result required the building of a deck upon a deck, A series of steps is provided at the entrance tc reach the forward level of the theatre. The center portion of the theatre is two decks in height with the lighting coves formed in the shape of a horseshoe. The lighting coves of the one-deck side sections an curved to follow the architecture of the room. The oyster-white walls are S-form vertical panels designed to give the proper acoustical effect. The motion picture boot! with two modern sound projection machines is locatec at the forward end of the room, the bulkhead at this enc of the room is covered with sound absorbent material. The two-deck high stage and picture screen is locatec at the after end of the room. It is equipped with a hand woven curtain of dark blue, woven with glints of meta threads. Large irregularly spaced multicolored pom-pom of looped threads are attached to the curtain. The floor of the theatre is covered with dark blue car peting. The special aluminum chairs are covered with ; rough-textured green polka dot pattern. All lighting is by coves except for the stage which is indirect. Lights are controlled by dimmers. The stage is [quipped with footlights, border lights, proscenium strips, and a floodlight cove for all types of stage shows. The curtains are motor-operated,

Observation Lounge

The observation lounge, one deck in height, is the jforward-most first-class public room and extends for the lull width of the promenade deck. It is separated on the centerline forward by the tourist class theatre. The room is in the general shape of the letter "H" with the connecting portion at the lower part of the letter. Entrances to the room are inboard on the port and starboard sides aft from the first-class main entrance foyer. Both ends of the forward portions of the room are set off by mirrored archways. On the port side of the room, this space is used as a writing room and on the starboard side as a library. A second archway on each side separates the other portion of the room. The room was designed with the thought that passengers in small groups would feel more at ease in the more intimate space and the room would get more use than has been the case in other large ships. The soundness of this principle has been demonstrated in operation. Mirrors cover the forward bulkhead on the space connecting the two main portions of the room. An upright piano and groups of easy chairs, sofas, and tables are placed in this space. The walls of the room are decorated in a light blue gray shade called mist. The carpeting is bright green. The chairs and sofas are grouped in matching colors around tables or toward the windows for a better view of the sea. Varying purpose tables are used—large round glass tables with alumilited gold strips beneath the tops, small round enamel topped tables in various sky colors, and blue leather topped card tables. The room contains dark blue easy chairs, arm chairs, and sofas, all covered with a hand-woven textured material. Other easy chairs, open arm chairs and sofas are covered with a medium blue-green hand-woven texture. Tub chairs are covered with either chartreuse or light blue leather. The thirty-two windows of the room looking out upon the sea extend to within 30 inches of the deck. Japanese type lattice blinds operate in metal runners on the windows which are draped with a hand-woven texture of chartreuse, blue-green and dark blue stripes interwoven with gold, silver, blue, green, and copper metal threads. Two murals by Raymond Wendell, on the curved inboard bulkheads forming the after corners of the tourist theatre, are the featured decorations of the room. These murals, which carry out the "sea around us" theme of the room, are in ultramarine blue with shades of blue-green and pale lemon-yellow. The port side decoration delineates the submarine topography of the North Atlantic Ocean bottom, with applied bronze arrows indicating the prevailing winds in the area. The starboard mural shows the patterns of the surface currents with bronze arrows indicating their prevailing direction. Mr. Wendell also executed the bronze decorations suggestive of sea life surrounding the clocks on the inboard bulkheads at the entrances to the lounge. Four sets of sculptured figures of fish in aluminum and gold by Wheeler Williams are placed on tables in the lounge. The cove lighting in the room is supplemented by pinpoint lighting, floor lamps, and bracket lights with cone-shaped alumilited shades. An altar for church services is concealed by folding doors on the after bulkhead of the starboard portion of the room.

Library

The first-class library is located in the forward section of the observation lounge on the starboard side. A glass-front bookcase extending athwartship across the forward bulkhead contains all of the latest reading material. Furniture and easy chairs of the section are the same as the observation lounge.

Writing Room

The first-class writing room is located in the forward section of the observation lounge. Four double and two single writing desks will accommodate as many as twelve persons. The glass-topped desks are blue-green with chairs matching the general color scheme of the lounge. A decoration of laminated handmade blue-green and clear glass with blue glass disks, suggestive of undersea life, by Raymond Wendell, is located on the forward bulkhead. of the writing room.

Ballroom

The ballroom is located on the promenade deck aft of the forward first-class entrance foyer, with double-door entrances from that space on both the port and starboard sides. There is a double entrance at the after end from the cocktail lounge on the starboard side and a single-door entrance from the restaurant on the port side. The room, which is the largest on the promenade deck, extends the full width between the port and starboard enclosed promenades. The ballroom is a dual-purpose room with a cocktail space and bar at the after end formed by a semi-circular arranagement of carved glass panels at its after end. The dancing portion of the room is oval in shape with the orchestra platform at the forward end. The oval rubber-covered dance floor is located beneath a circular dome extending into the next deck. The floor is covered with carpet when not in use The main decorative feature of the room is nineteen carved glass panels by Charles Gilbert portraying undersea themes. In addition to the panels forming the cocktail space, eight others forrn partitions around the outer edges of the dance floor for more intimate arrangements of furniture. A translucent gold leaf has beeen applied to the carved areas of the panels to add a .touch of color. The panels are framed in aluminum alumilited gold with edge lighting at both the top and bottom of each panel. The sandblasting method used to carve the panels was an innovation in the industry. The entire floor of the room is covered by dark red carpeting. The bulkheads are aluminum leaf glazed gold. Hand-woven off-white curtains cover not only the windows, but also portions of the outboard bulkheads of the room, and the back wall of the orchestra .platform. The curtains in addition to their decorative value aid greatly in the acoustic quality of the dance music. The banquettes, in front of the glass panels and windows in the main portion of the room, are covered with beige fabric interwoven with gold metal threads. Easy side chairs of matching color are grouped with the banquettes around coffee-tvpe tables with glass tops of stippled gun metal color. Other arm chairs and side chairs upholstered in a bright coral weave are grouped about round glass-topped pedestal-type aluminum tables alumilited gold with wheel spoke designs under the glass of the same metal. Alumilited smoking stands are placed in convenient positions about the room. The cocktail portion of the room has continuous banquettes of dark red leather around the alcoves of the outboard walls. Coral textured side chairs are grouped about the round pedestal-type tables in front of the banquettes. Chairs are also grouped about the tables of this same type in other portions of the space. The front of the curved aluminum bar is covered with aluminum leaf glazed gold. The pedestal-type bar stools are covered with dark red leather. This same color leather is used to cover the arm rests of the bar. The clock on the wall behind the bar is surrounded with a decoration of the sun, moon, and stars, in natural alumilite and gold alumilite by Charles' Gilbert. A grand piano is installed on the orchestra platform together with the musicians' chairs of light gray leather. All of the stanchions of the room are covered with alumilited gold casings. Incandescent lighting in the ballroom is furnished by three sets or coves which follow the contours of the domed ceiling. The coves are fitted with lenses to create a uniform light pattern. Featured lighting is included around the alumilited gold door frames and above the windows and curtains. A motor-operated color disk is located in the center of the steel dome above the dance floor. Dimmers and controls for all lighting in the room are located in a panel adjacent to the orchestra platform. Service for the room from the cocktail bar is supplemented by a service bar located in the forward part of the room outboard of the port entrance.

Smoking Room

The first-class smoking room is located on the promenade deck with entrances on the port and starboard sides from a foyer at the forward end and from passageways to the theatre at the after end. The room extends for the full width of the deck from the enclosed promenade. The flooring is of small blocks of black rubber tile arranged in a diagonal pattern. The dark brown bulkheads are constructed into square panels with applied bosses of copper alumilite furnishing a touch of color. The windows, which extend almost the full depth of the room on both sides, are draped with a multi-striped texture woven in vertical stripes shot through with horizontal threads in subtle tones of yellow, orange, red, and green. High-backed banquettes covered with a combination copper and brown hand-woven material are placed in front of athwartship bulkheads of the room; matching easy chairs are grouped with the banquettes around coffee tables with terrazzo tops in copper and beige. Arm chairs with brown leather on the outsides and copper leather on the inside are grouped about round and square black-topped pedestal-topped tables. Alumilited floor ash stands are placed about the room. The main decorative feature of the room is the curved projection of the continents of the world located on the after inboard bulkhead in the center of the room. This decoration, which was executed by William King, is a mercator projection of the continents of the world painted in outline with the parallels of latitude indicated with gold metal bronze. The background colors of the map are muted shades of green and blue-greens. Bronze metal plates indicate many important cities of the world. A metal frieze at the top of the decoration, representing clock faces, shows variations of time at different longitudes. The smoking room is serviced by a bar located in the passageway to the theatre adjacent to the room at the after end on the port side. Square coffers in the sound absorbent ceilings furnish lighting for the room. Down lights are located around the William King decoration.

Restaurant

The restaurant, which will seat fifty persons, is located on the promenade deck on the port side with entrances from a foyer at its after end and from the ballroom at its forward end. Service is given through a service pantry located inboard of the room. The bulkheads and carpeting of the room are dark blue. The ceiling is light gray. The seven windows of the room are covered with decorative sliding sashes bordered with mirrored divisions and sand-blasted bands. The windows are draped with a hand-woven oyster-white heavy-texture material with vertical stripes. Alternating stripes carry bands of 3-inch loop fringe, woven into the fabric. The four decorative panels of the room are formed into offsets. Banquettes covered with a sapphire-blue texture are located in the offsets. Pedestal-type tables in front of the banquettes are constructed to pull forward to facilitate seating. Arm chairs around the tables are a red and gray-white textured material. Charles Lin Tissot executed the decorations of the room. They consist of four panels, located at each end of the room and inboard on either side of the entrance to the service pantry. Inserted in each of the blue-painted panels are groups of crystals forming designs based on light rays of distant stars and planets. Lighting behind each design reflects through the glass crystals to give the desired and unusual effect. The panels are offset from the wall and lighting from beneath their edges supplements the other cove lighting in the room. Lighting of the room is controlled by dimmers. The doors to the service pantry are covered with green leather. Both of the passages into the restaurant have metal reeded bulkheads.

Cocktail Lounge

The cocktail lounge is located between the ballroom and a first-class foyer on the starboard outboard side of the ship. A passageway on the inboard side separates it from the bulkhead forming the service pantry. A curved metal and glass partition separates the passageway and the cocktail lounge on the outboard side. Unusual features of the room are the four portholes overlooking the promenade deck and the Indian sand painting decorations by Peter Ostuni. The paintings by Ostuni, which form a frieze 50-feet long around the walls of the room, are faithful interpretations in vitreous enamel on copper of the ritual sand paintings of the Navajo Indians of the Southwest. Assembly of the hundreds of pieces of vitreous enamel on the sand-coated aluminum was delicate and tedious work. The walls, ceiling and carpeting of the room are charcoal in color. Banquettes, covered in a textured material of this same color, extend across the ends and rounded corners of the room. Color is furnished to the room by the paintings and tomato-red, canary-yellow and off-white leather side chairs grouped around the black-topped pedestal-type tables. Cove lighting from the outboard ceiling is supplemented by indirect lighting behind the banquettes at each end of the room. The passageway adjacent to the cocktail lounge is decorated with aluminum lead glazed gold. Three panels of heat treated silver mirrors are located in the center portion of the bulkhead with a clock in the center panel.

Children's Playroom

The first-class children's playroom is located on the sports deck aft, inboard of the starboard passageway. The walls and ceiling of the room are off-white. The floor is covered with blue marbleized rubber with feature inlays of white rubber squares. The furniture, consisting of arm chairs, side chairs, and settees are in scale and were built especially for young children. The frames of all of the furniture are enameled red with both leather and texture upholstery in blue and beige. A green nucite class chalk board with natural alumilite frame and chalk rack is located on the inboard bulkhead. The entrance door of the room is unusual in that it has three vertical ports. Tables in the room have natural alumilite frames with red micarta tops. The lavatory and stainless steel drinking fountain are built to scale for children. A slide and other portable toys and games are a part of the equipment of the room. Lighting is furnished through recessed ceiling fixtures with feature lighting blocks of glass in the fixture. Decorating the room are nine original water-color paintings of animals by Fred Chance.

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool, located aft on C deck is used alternatively by both first-class and cabin-class passengers. Entrance is from a port and starboard doorway leading from a small foyer at the foot of the stairway onto a raised railed section at the forward end overlooking the pool or by elevator directly into the pool space. The pool is located in the center portion of the space. It extends to the bulkhead at its after end with a beach portion on each side one step down from the pool-side area. The body of the pool, edge nosings, step nosings, handrails, decorative grilles around the top of the pool and the "No Diving" signs are all monel metal. The surrounding area of the pool is gray terrazzo. The bulkheads and sound-absorbent ceiling over the pool are painted dark blue. The ceiling over the beach areas extends downwards outboard of the longitudinal bulkheads sufficiently to form a scalloped awning valance. The space between is used for indirect lighting. The ceiling and valance are painted in wide stripes of white and narrow stripes of red to simulate an awning. Aluminum forms with round shapes extending in a vertical position are painted white and extend from the flood to the ceiling against the blue walls to form trellises. Six large white round tables on the beach area are surrounded by white comfortable metal chairs with metal-reed type backs and bottoms that permit air circulation for quick drying of the bather. The principal decoration of the room is a series of seven groups of colored international code flags on the after bulkhead above the pool. These flags, which signal ''Come on in, the water's fine," were designed by Lewis E. York, and executed in porcelain enamel by John Scott Williams. In addition to the indirect lighting along the valances of the beach awning, pinpoint lights are located in the ceiling above the water with floodlights in the sides of the pool beneath the water. Dressing rooms are located outboard on the port side of the pool area. The women's section is aft and the men's forward. Included in the rooms are showers, wash basins, toilets, mirrored dressing tables, and lockers. Bulkheads and ceilings of the spaces are painted in oyster color. Lockers and furniture are dark blue with gray linoleum deck covering. Steam Room. Two steam rooms are located outboard of the swimming pool on the starboard side. Entrance to the rooms is through an office. The forward room in the shape of the letter "L" is equipped with hydro-therapy bath, steam bath, a massage table, a shampoo table, and two restrooms equipped with beds. The after room is equipped with a hydro-therapy bath, ray-light bath, two shampoo tables, and two restrooms with beds. The rooms are decorated similar to the dressing rooms previously described.

Shops

The first-class shopping center is on the promenade deck starboard, outboard of the passageway between the smoking room and theatre. The shop has a dark brown polished rubber floor and off-white walls. Glass sliding door showcases framed in aluminum with an alumilite finish are installed against the outboard bulkhead. Glass display cases of this same metal with shelves covered with smoke gray velvet are installed inboard of the show cases, and are arranged in a slight curve from forward to aft to permit easy access from the glass framed doorway. A storage room is available in a space provided for that purpose in the after portion of the room. Tobacco Shop. Aft of the shop and adjacent to the first-class smoking room is the tobacco shop. This small room is equipped with a waist-high door counter and conforms to the color scheme of the smoking room. Handy shelves, lockers, and a storage space at the after part of the room are provided for adequate service of the tobacco needs of the passengers. Barber Shop. The first-class barber shop is about amidships on the port side of the main deck. It is equipped with two sea green leather barber chairs. Side chairs and easy arm chairs of the room are covered with this same material. The two mirrored cabinets outboard of the barber chairs are enameled black with alumilite trim. The bulkheads of the room are painted light gray, the ceilings are off-white, and the flooring is of light gray marbleized rubber. The room is lighted by incandescent ceiling fixtures, with an alumilite reading light adjacent to the customer's waiting space. Beauty Parlor. The first-class beauty parlor is on the starboard side of the ship connecting with the first-class barber shop. The room is equipped with two beauty chairs enameled gray with gray leather upholstery. The easy arm chairs and side chairs in the room have natural alumilite frames with the same upholstery as the beauty chairs. The bulkheads are painted pink, the ceiling off-white and the deck covering is light gray marbleized rubber. The traverse curtains for each of the beauty stalls are cotton prints in shades of sepia, white and red, Another off-white stretched curtain is available for the doorway. All of the equipment usually found in beauty shops such as a manicure table, hair dryers, mirrors, magazine rack, smoking stand and mirrored shelves are part of the beauty shop installation on the United States.

Gymnasium

The gymnasium which is used by both first and cabin-class passengers is located on B deck directly above the swimming pool. A beige color is used to decorate both the bulkheads and ceiling. This color scheme is continued in the brown marbleized floor covering. Light is furnished by louvre-type lighting fixtures. Wall bars, vibrator, mechanical bicycle, mechanical horse, chest weights, rowing machine, punching bag, dumb bells, and scales are all part of the gymnasium equipment. Foyers, Passageways, and Stairways Flourescent lighting in coves, troughs, or wall fixtures is used extensively throughout the foyers, passageways and on stairways of the United States. All ot the decks of these spaces are covered with sheet rubber in varying patterns. As throughout the ship, aluminum with an alumilite finish is used extensively for both decorations and furnishings. Pining Saloon Foyer. The first-class dining saloon foyer on A deck has flooring of black rubber with feature inlays of white rubber strips. Both the inboard and outboard bulkheads which are painted gray are decorated with aluminum castings of state birds and flowers by Austin Purves. Black leather settees are provided against the bulkheads for the waiting diners. Decorative alumilited flower boxes containing various types of green plants are located in alcoves between the stairway and the forward ends of the foyer. The entrance doors to the dining room, located outboard of the two passenger elevators, are framed with an ornamental metal frame with a gunmetal center and natural alumilite disks and borders. The space between the elevators and the sides of the fire-screen doors opening on to the foyer are decorated with gunmetal mirrors. The port side of the forward end of the foyer is used as a coat alcove. On the starboard side, which leads to the assistant purser's office and tourist class quarters, is located a telephone booth and bulletin board. All of the lighting in the foyer is fluorescent in recessed troughs in the off-white ceiling.

Cabin-Class Public Rooms and Spaces

Lounge Barber Shop, Smoking Room Beauty Parlor, Dining Saloon Theatre, Library and Writing Room Swimming Pool, Children's Playroom Gymnasium, Novelty Shop Foyers, Passageways

Lounge

The cabin-class lounge is a square-shaped room located aft between and overlooking the covered promenade on the upper deck. The space is used for dancing and other activities of the cabin-class passenger. The room is arranged with a stage at its after end on the centerline. In front of the stage is a black rubber-covered dance floor. The floor is covered with a portable carpet when not in use for dancing. Windows overlooking the covered promenade on both sides of the room are curtained from ceiling to floor with a textured damask forming patterns in pink-beige and off-white. The floor of the room is covered with a dark gun-metal carpet, the bulkheads, columns, and doors of the room are covered with aluminum leaf glazed pink while the sound-absorbent ceiling is painted light gray. The sofa, extending across the center of the room at the forward end, is covered with a red-checkered weave material; other easy chairs around the room are covered in the same material. The room is equipped with round-pedestal type tables, smoking tables, card tables, and coffee tables with tops of gray and dark brown. Grouped around these tables are arm chairs upholstered with a gun-metal texture. Some of the chairs are plain; others have multi-colored needlework patterns in the inside back and seat to add spots of color throughout the room. The featured decoration of the room is located on the forward bulkhead between the two double entrances to the room. This mural, which was designed by Hildreth Meiere and executed by Louis Ross, bears the title, "The Mississippi Father of Waters." Shades of gold and silver are used to show the Mississippi and all of its tributaries. The main lighting of the room is by indirect coves extending almost the full length of the room. Feature lighting is used above the window curtains and the decorative panels. The stage is equipped with a piano, music stand, and chairs of light gray leather. It has a curtain of the same textured material at the windows. An altar at the rear of the stage opens into position for church services when needed.

Smoking Room

The cabin-class smoking room is square shaped and is located on the main deck aft between the cabin-class enclosed promenade. Furnishings of the room are featured with the generous use of beige-colored leather banquettes. Two long banquettes, running in a curve fore and aft, form a semicircle in the center portion of the room. Two stanchion tables covered with black leather extend for the full length behind these banquettes. Colorful duck sculpturs are placed in the center of each of these tables. Banquettes of this same material have been placed around the corrugated bulkheads in each corner and across the forward bulkhead of the room. Beige easy chairs are located adjacent to the banquettes. Black leather open-arm chairs and arm chairs, both with red enameled frames, are placed around alumilited coffee tables in front of the banquettes and in other parts of the room. Round pedestal-type tables in varying sizes, card tables, and lamp tables all with dark green tops are used in the room. The floors of the room are covered in black marbleized rubber. The ceiling is painted putty color and the bulkheads and doors, dark green. The windows are curtained in a printed cotton material of harlequin design in red. green, beige, and white. The aluminum bar extends across the center of the after bulkhead. The front and arm rests are covered in black leather. The pedestal-type bar stools are upholstered in beige leather. The decoration behind the bar showing old American historic bottles and jugs was executed by Lewis York. This same artist also painted the homespun Americana ornaments decoration on the forward bulkhead between the entrances to the room. Trough lighting is used in the center of the room and coves in the outboard sections. This lighting is supplemented by the use of shaded lamps built as part of tables.

Dining Saloon

The cabin-class dining saloon extends the full width of A deck in its center portion, but is separated at both its forward and after ends by machinery hatches. Entrances for passengers are in the after part of the room on both the port and starboard sides from the main cabin-class entrance foyer. Entrances to the galley on both sides are forward. The walls of the room are painted midnite blue and feature aluminum line sculptures by Michael Lantz. The theme of these decorations is the story of the seasons, told by the constellations. The gray marbleized floor covering features stripes of ofT-white forming large square patterns. The arm chairs for diners are covered in two tones of green leather. Bright green chairs are used on either side of the room and light green chairs in the center section. The ports, which are covered with sliding translucent glass sashes, are curtained with a woven material with three shades of green stripes on an oyster background. The serving tables and buffet, located adjacent to the after bulkhead in the center section, are enameled midnight blue. The outboard portions of the room are separated by a transverse mirrored web casing. The forward bulkhead of the center section is covered with gun-metal mirrors. A raised semi-circular orchestra platform is located off the center portion of the bulkhead. Hardware and doors of the space are alumilite finished. General lighting of the room is by use of coves. Spot lighting is used above the orchestra platform.

Library and Writing Room

The cabin-class library and writing room is one of the most colorful and attractive small rooms on the ship. It is located on the upper deck, port side, off the cabin-class foyer and opposite the novelty shop. The room is furnished in a red, white, and blue motif. The basket-weave cotton-prints covering the ports are of this color. A plain red rug covers the floor of black marbleized rubber. The easy chairs and side chairs of the room have red enameled frames and are upholstered in a blue textured material. The arm chairs, with dark red frames, are covered with a cotton print of red, white and blue. The walls of the room are painted a putty color while the ceiling is gray-white. The double desks and magazine table are covered with dark red leather with binding strips of gold alumilite. Featured decorations of the room are seventeen hand colored prints of "The Cup Defenders" by R. F. Patterson. These colorful views of yachts are arranged in a frieze using applied horizontal strips of alumilited gold bands. The hardware, grilles for the attractive bookcases, doors, cornices, and other decorative items in the room are all alumilited gold. Lighting from the coffer in the ceiling is supplemented by shaded lamps gold in color and desk lamps of this same color.

Children's Playroom

The cabin-class children's playroom on the starboard side of the upper deck aft is equipped in the same manner as the first-class space previously described. The decorations, colors, and type of furniture are somewhat different. The flooring is dark gray rubber with feature inlays of small off-white squares. Both the bulkheads and ceiling are off-white. The ports are covered with sill length curtains in a children's zoo cotton print of red, white and blue. The frames of the furniture, built especially for children, are blue. The arm chairs and side chairs are covered in gray leather. The easy chairs and settee are upholstered in a red, white, and blue plaid material. Featured decorations of the room are a series of five water colors of circus scenes by Edward Meshikoff.

Novelty Shop

The cabin-class novelty shop is located on the upper deck, inboard on the cabin-class foyer, with entrances on both the port and starboard sides. Cabinets and glass show cases are arranged around the after portion of the space to form storage spaces in the after outboard corners. A floor display case is located athwartship forward of these. Two pedestal-type display tables are placed in the other floor area. Display windows on both sides show some of the products on sale. The. floor of the shop is covered with black rubber, the bulkheads are off-gray, and the ceiling an off-white shade. All of the metal frames of the glass cases, hardware, and doors are alumilited. The lining for display cases and tables is a smoke gray velveteen. Cove lighting is augmented by lighting within the cases.

Barber Shop

The cabin class barber shop is on A deck, port side, inboard. The decorative scheme and equipment is similar to that in the first-class barber shop previously described. It is equipped with two barber chairs, manicure table, sun lamp, and other accessories to render complete barber service to the cabin-class traveler.

Beauty Parlor

The cabin-class beauty parlor is opposite the barber shop inboard on the starboard side of the ship. The color scheme of the space is a duplicate of the first-class beauty parlor previously described. It is equipped with one beauty chair, manicure table, hair dryers, and other equipment to furnish complete service.

Theatre

The theatre on the promenade deck aft, previously described under first-class public spaces, is also used by cabin-class travelers.

Swimming Pool, Baths, Gymnasium

These spaces, previously described under first-class public spaces, are also used by cabin-class passengers.

Foyers

The cabin-class main entrance foyer, located on A deck aft of the cabin-class dining saloon, includes the travel office, purser's office on the starboard side, and the baggage office and steward's office on the port side. The arrangement of the port doors is similar to that previously described. The flooring of the space is marbleized gray rubber with feature inlays of small gray-white rubber squares. The bulkheads are painted gray; the acoustical ceiling is off-white. Extensive use of alumilited aluminum is made in the doors, door frames, stanchion casings, and in the frames and metal curtains of the offices in the space. Benches upholstered in green leather are placed beneath the aluminum decorations of groups of birds on the bulkheads. Lighting in the space is with concealed lighting in the outboard sections and coves in the center section containing the stairway and elevators.

Passageways

The cabin-class passageways are similar to the first-class passageways previously described. The main stairway for cabin class is not of the parapet type. The alumilited stair rails extend from the treads and are designed to be both ornamental and functional. Aluminum has reliefs of birds and flowers by Austin Purves, Jr., are on several of the main foyers.

Tourist-Class Rooms and Public Spaces

Dining Saloon Theatre, Lounge Barber Shop, Library Beauty Parlor, Reading Room Foyer, Smoking Room Passageways

Dining Saloon

The tourist-class dining saloon, which extends the full width of the ship, is on A deck forward of the tourist galley. The room seats 340 persons at one sitting. The floors are black marbleized rubber with features of double diagonal inlays in off-white rubber. The bulkheads of the room are painted a terra-cotta color; the ceilings are off-white. The frames of the side chairs are painted black; the upholestry is red leather. The pedestal-type tables are equipped with sea racks in all of the dining rooms of the ship. The sliding translucent sash windows covering the ports are framed with alumilite and are curtained with window length prints of red and white stripes. The serving tables are ebony with hardware of natural alumilite. Stanchions are covered with casings of this same metal. The after inboard bulkhead in both sections of the room is covered with gun-metal mirrors with a clock in the upper center section of the mirrors. The principal decoration of the room is line drawings of 18th Century sailors, shipping and sea life by^ Erica Egan. These are placed on the bulkheads within frames of narrow natural alumilite. The main lighting in the room is furnished by large rectangular coffers with smaller rectangular coffers in their center.

Lounge

The tourist lounge is the forward space on the promenade deck, and extends for the full width of the deck. The room follows the radius of the deckhouse. Entrances on both the port and starboard sides are aft from the tourist entrance foyer and forward from the promenade deck. The after portions of the room are divided by the tourist stair hall, the resulting alcoves are used as the library on the port side and writing room on the starboard side. Alumilited frames in the inboard longitudinal bulkheads partially form the room into three sections. The floor of the room is covered in marbleized black-rubber tile. The tiling is partially covered by two-tone beige rugs. The doors and walls of the room are painted green-blue, the ceilings are decorated off-white. The oversized oval-shaped ports are curtained in a floor length tulip cotton print in red, turquoise and beige. The Venetian blinds for the ports are green-blue to match the wall colors. In the side sections of the room, easy chairs and sofas upholstered in a blue-green textured material and beige covered arm chairs are grouped around red-framed, glass-topped coffee tables. Beige arm chairs are also used around card tables in these outboard sections. Arm chairs upholstered in a red and beige textured dot are used, together with the blue-green sofas in the inboard section of the room, around the coffee type tables. Four large original water-color paintings by Roy M. Mason, appropriately matted and framed have been placed on the inboard bulkheads. The various titles of the scenes are as follows: "Canvas Backs on Prowl," "Redheads in Spring," "Six Mile Creek," and "Old Creek." Lighting is furnished by a circular coffer in each of the outboard sections and rectangular coffers extending almost the full length of the room in the center section. Shaded bracket lamps are placed on the outboard walls. An altar enclosure for church services is located on the inboard after bulkhead. An upright piano is against the forward inboard bulkhead.

Reading Alcove

The tourist-class library is located in an alcove in the after outboard section of the tourist lounge. It contains a bookcase and magazine cabinet and is furnished for comfortable reading similar to the adjoining lounge space. The colors of the walls vary slightly from those of the lounge, a medium green blue-green has been used instead of a green-blue. A water color original, entitled "City Island," by Morton Grossman, is hung on the after bulkhead of the alcove.

Writing Alcove

The tourist writing alcove is adjacent to the tourist lounge aft on the starboard side. It is equipped with one six-place writing table and one two-place writing table, both with black tops and medium green-blue frames. The decorative scheme is similar to the library and the adjoining lounge.

Smoking Room

The tourist-class smoking room is a rectangular shaped room extending the full width of the ship and located forward of the tourist main entrance foyer. The aluminum bar extends in a reverse curve across the inboard section of the after bulkhead between the after entrances. The front of the bar is covered with green leather ; the pedestal-type bar stools are upholstered in red leather. The forward portion of the room, along the transverse bulkhead is formed into alcoves by the use of framing. The green leather banquettes in this space are separated into three sections by the forward entrance doors. Easy chairs, also upholstered in green leather. are. placed opposite the banquettes in front of rectangu-lar-pedestal-type tables with dark green tops with alumilited edges. Other banquettes of the same color are placed against the after outboard bulkheads. Ladder-type arm chairs in orange leather are grouped around pedestal-type tables of varying diameters throughout the room. The translucent sliding sashes over the ports are curtained with a window length cotton print with dark green horizontal lines and red, gold and blue oval patterns on a background of off-white. The floor of the room is covered with black marbleized rubber, laid in large squares with feature inlays of circle? of off-white rubber. The walls of the room are painted putty color, the ceilings are off-white. The wall decorations on the forward and after bulkheads consist of twelve color prints, suitably matted and framed, of old maps. Lighting in the room is from indirect lighting; behind the forward banquettes, bracket lamps on the after bulkhead, and recessed glass ceiling fixtures with blocks of feature lighting.

Theatre

The tourist-class theatre, seating 200 persons. is located aft of the tourist foyer on the promenade deck and is surrounded on three sides by the observation lounge. The fully equipped and lighted stage at the after end of the room has a curtain with a geometrical design in bright green and gun-metal on a light gray background The gun-metal color aluminum frame-seats are upholstered in a kelly green mohair. Lighting is by a series of coves which arch from the decks across the ceiling in graded arcs. The lighting is on dimmers. The acoustic walls are painted off-white. The room is covered with a gun-metal carpet; the double-entrance doors are covered with green leather. Emergency exit doors into the observation lounge are located in the forward corners of the room. The movie booth is equipped with two of the latest sound projection motion picture machines.

Barber Shop

The tourist-class barber shop is located on the upper deck, inboard on the port side forward of the tourist-class foyer. It is equipped to render complete barber service similar to the cabin-class barber shop previously described.

Beauty Parlor

The tourist-class beauty parlor on the upper deck, inboard of the barber shop, is equipped to furnish complete beauty parlor service to tourist-class lady-travelers. It is decorated and fitted out the same as the cabin-class beauty shop previously descibed.

Children's Playroom

The tourist-class children's playroom is located inboard in the tourist foyer space on the upper deck with entrances on both the port and starboard sides. The marbleized yellow rubber floor covering in the space features inlays of gray-white. Both the bulkheads and ceiling are painted off-white. All of the furniture of the space was custom-made for children. The frames of all of the furniture and the table tops are dark blue. The eight arm chairs are upholstered in canary yellow leather, the six side-chairs and two settees are covered with a red, white and blue plaid texture. The walls of the room are decorated with silk screen prints as follows : "The Walking Cat" by Lisa Harper, and "The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg," "Little Boy Blue," "Three Little Pigs," "Jonah and the Whale," "Rock-a-Bye Baby," and "flumpty-D'umpty," all by Charles Harper.

Foyer

The tourist-class main entrance foyer is located on the main deck aft of the smoking room. The purser's office and baggage office are located inboard of the space opposite the stairway and elevator. The arrangement of the ports and vestibule is similar to that of the first-class entrance foyer previously described. The floor covering of the space is red marbleized rubber with features of double-inlays of marbleized gray. The other colors and fluorescent lighting is similar to that used in the cabin-class foyer previously described.

Passageways

All of the passageways are decorated and equipped in the same manner with the exception of a difference in the patterns of floor covering. The tourist-class passageways are covered with red marbleized sheet rubber.

Suites and Staterooms

There are a total of 695 passenger staterooms on the United States which are well shown with the furniture on the accompanying plans. All of the first and cabin-class rooms have baths with either showers or tubs. The tourist rooms are equipped with lavatories and use public baths and toilets. All of the furniture is custom made of aluminum with baked enamel finish, and matching micarta tops. The bedspreads, curtains and chair upholstery materials are all of a special design, custom made and either of fireproof material or treated to be fire-resistant. The United States has fourteen suites, six on the upper deck and eight on the main deck. The furniture and fabrics in these suites are custom made, and are used nowhere else on the ship. The three-room suites are the most spacious on any liner, having in addition to the three staterooms, three bathrooms, a dressing room, and a trunk room. Some suites have quilted slip covers on the head and foot boards of the beds to match the bedspreads. Other original decorations in de luxe suites are carved glass panels, with leaf motifs, ducks in natural settings, enamel plaques of twenty-four American birds, sea shells, and marine crustaceans. The suites are decorated to key with their sitting rooms as follows: U-77 Sitting Room—Walls of dark gray and gray carpets, upholstered furniture, some gray some bright yellow. Furniture is dark blue. Curtains white hand-woven horizontal textured strips. Murals consist of twenty-four American birds hung in close groups. U-80 Sitting Room—Soft Venetian red walls with trim and ceiling light gray. Upholstery is in light gray tweedy material and some in light gray leather. Curtains are off-white, hand woven. Leaves of American trees are executed in glass murals on the walls. U-89 Sitting Room—-Walls of aluminum leaf with ducks in natural setting. Gray carpets, two chairs in soft gray, two in orange. Furniture is light gray and curtains off-white hand-loomed. U-92 Sitting Room—Pale sepia walls with carpets of deep brown. Upholstered furniture in a medium shade of sepia woven fabric. Three chairs in off-white leather about the color of sea shells. Furniture is a deep brown. Curtains are hand woven with a background off-white with sepia woven through, highlighted with touches of copper metal threads. Five wall decorations of sea shells of the Atlantic Coast. Twelve basic color schemes were used in decorating the staterooms, six in the first class, three in the cabin class and three in the tourist class. The six color schemes employed in decorating the first class staterooms are as follows: (1) Walls of beige with furniture a medium shade of red. Upholstery of the furniture is hand woven in brown, beige and red. The bedspreads and curtains of a Dynel textured print with a beige background and darker loop design. Carpeting, of loop pile, is of a darker beige. (2) Light blue walls and furniture, the upholstery of a soft green checkered weave. Bedspreads and curtains are Dynel off-white ground with a leaf design in green, blue and red. Carpeting of dark green, loop pile concludes the color scheme. (3) Oyster-white walls, dark blue furniture and dark blue hand woven wool. Bedspreads and drapes are of an off-white ground with a geometric butterfly design in shades of red. Carpet is of two-tone beige, loop piling. (4) Walls and furniture of gray. Upholstery is hand woven in several tones of gray from silver to charcoal. Curtains and spreads are in Dynel red background with geometric motifs in charcoal and off-white. (5) Oyster-white walls with furniture in dark green. Upholstery is plaid, hand woven in soft greens, blues and yellows. Curtains and bedspreads are the same as in Scheme No. 1. Dark green loop piling carpet. (6) Walls of very light terra cotta, as is the furniture. Upholstery is a checkered weave in light red. Drapes and spreads with geometrical pattern on off-white ground with charcoal and red. Brown, loop pile carpet. The three color schemes employed in the cabin class staterooms are as follows: (1) Oyster-white walls and lacquer red furniture. Upholstery also of lacquer red and off-white, hand woven. Spreads and curtains Dynel leaf design in green, yellow and tomato red or off-white and carpeted in loop pile beige. (2) Walls and furniture gray with upholstery in a red weave. Spreads and curtains in geometric butterfly design in gray ground and shades of gray and white, complemented by a red loop pile carpet. (3) Walls and furniture light blue, green weave upholstery. Dynel drapes and spreads in green, blue and red circle design on off-white. Dark green carpet. The three color schemes worked out for the tourist class staterooms are as follows: (1) Walls and furniture in light terra cotta. Red leather upholstery, curtains and spreads of off-white with a loop design are furnished in Dynel. Brown floor covering. (2) Walls and furniture gray, green upholstery, Dynel spreads and curtains in green loop design on off-white. Floor covering is brown. (3) Furniture and walls, dark green leather. Curtains and spreads in Dynel loop design in gold on off-white. Brown floor covering. All of the 15,500 pieces of furniture on the United Stales are of special design and custom made. All the fabrics covering the furniture were designed and woven especially for the United States, many were hand woven. Construction of the furniture is of aluminum with baked enamel finish. All fabrics, stuffing, and cushioning is of fibreglass or other non-inflammable material. Included in the furniture are arm chairs, easy chairs, side chairs, tables of all kinds, sofas, banquettes, settees, pianos, portable altars, benches, lounge chairs, deck chairs, bar stools, dressers, desks, barber chairs, beds, berths and others. Different designs of furniture were developed for each class of public space or stateroom.

Furniture and Furnishings

Clocks. Clocks in the ship are all electric except the navigational chronometers. The mechanical portion of the interior clocks was furnished by a single supplier. The numerals and hands were fabricated in the. builder's yard and attached to the bulkhead which then serves as" the clock face. Clocks are located in all public spaces, main foyers, and enclosed promenades. A description of the operation of these clocks is included in the section on Interior Communications. Mirrors. Full-length mirrors are installed in each stateroom. Mattresses. All mattresses for passenger accommodations, licensed officers, and higher personnel are flame-proofed. Folding Shelves. Shelves are provided along passenger passages for room service in all classes. They are of aluminum and are arranged to fold into recesses on bulkheads. Fabrics. All fabrics, unless woven of fire-resistant materials, are permanently flameproofed. Deck Chairs. Deck chairs are of aluminum alloy, enamel finish with seat, back, and foot rest interlaced with non-inflammable fabric. Headrests are provided. Drapes and Bedspreads. Numbers of fabrics were selected, not only for design, color, texture, durability and non-absorption of moisture but also for properties of non-inflammability. After experiments, a new, synthetic, linen-like fabric, Dynel, was chosen for curtains and bedspreads in all staterooms.

Deck Spaces

The deck spaces availagle to the passengers are unusually spacious and free of obstructions. The absence of ventilators, guy wires, masts and other structures usually found topside is striking.

First Class

The first-class passenger has use of the entire sports deck open space. Included in this space are open promenade and two game decks marked and equipped for shuffleboard, deck tennis, and other games. The sun deck is also for use by first class with the exception of about half the port side promenade which is for the ship's officers. This deck is used extensively for deck chairs and as a promenade.

Promenade Deck

First class enclosed promenade runs on both sides of the ship, amidships, for a length of nearly 100 yards and is wide enough, for two rows of deck chairs and an ample promenade space. This space is floored with blue serrated rubber tile laid in 24-inch squares. The bulkheads are in gray-blue with matching doors. Aluminum metal sheathing covers the ceiling. This is the first time ceiling sheathing has been employed on a deck space of a commercial vessel. Full length windows uf plate glass extend the entire length of the enclosed deck. These double hung windows are of: full length. At lifeboat stations the entire fixture opens to provide easy access to the boat. Ceiling fixtures are of the globe type and are spaced so as to provide ample illumination. Spaced intermittently, on stanchions between the windows, are dark red ash trays. Public address speakers finished in oxidized aluminum are fitted overhead to furnish suitable volume of sound to all portions of the deck. Hand rails of aluminum to withstand weath er, are fitted both inboard and outboard. Five lockers for the stewards' use in stowing deck chairs are provided. The equipment of this deck includes a red upright piano on the portside and two ping pong tables on the after connecting deck. Entry doors are found on either side at the lobby between the observation lounge and ballroom, and between the cocktail foyer and first-class smoking room.

Cabin Class

The after end of the promenade deck is devoted to cabin-class open promenade and includes a raised game deck which is marked off for deck games. Below this space on the upper deck there is covered promenade space and across the stern is more open promenade space. On the main deck aft is another enclosed promenade with an after connecting deck.

Tourist Class

Tourist-class deck space is divided into two areas, both of which are open promenades. The space surrounding the forward stack and promenade deck forward are set aside for the use of passengers in this class of accommodation.

Dog Kennels

Located on the sports deck aft of the forward stack is the kennel and dog run. This space which runs the width of the deck contains kennels faced with aluminum wire, a dog run, and on the starboard side quarters for the attendant. The entire space is fully insulated and is constructed to be drained easily when washed. A portable aluminum drinking trough is provided in the dog run. The trimming table and all other fittings and equipment are fitted to insure sanitation to the standard of the Westminster Kennel Association.

General Service Spaces

Hospital Spaces

The hospital spaces and equipment provided on this vessel are the finest obtainable for the service expected. Two areas are used for these facilities. The surgeon's office and waiting room, together with a dispensary, are located aft on the main deck, port side. These offices are suitable for consultation and examination, and the dispensary is fully,equipped in the usual manner with the most up-to-date equipment. On B deck, starboard side, adjacent to the tourist accommodations forward are located the main hospital spaces consisting of wards with bath for men, women, and isolation cases, and a crew ward, operating room, dispensary, X-ray darkroom, and diet kitchen. The operating room is equipped to permit the surgeon and his staff to undertake verv delicate operations.

Travel Information Offices

 Both first and cabin classes are provided with a travel office. These offices are operated by the United States Lines for the sale of boat-train tickets, hotel reservations, travel information, etc. The first-class travel office is located just aft of the foyer on the main deck, port side. The cabin class is served from the A deck entrance foyer, port side.

Tailor Shop

The tailor shop located on D deck, and is equipped to make alterations, do pressing and sundry services associated with the trade. Among the equipment are found the following: sewing machine, presses, electric irons, and storage space with protection for finished garments. The services of this shop are available to all passengers, and the shop is convenient to an elevator.

Laundry

Adjacent to the tailor shop is the passenger laundry, capable of doing efficient laundering of any washable fabrics in order to handle the passengers' laundry quickly and safely.

Print Shop

The print shop, located amidships on B deck, is equipped with two open presses and one Mer-genthaler linotype machine and the auxiliaries that are necessary to feed these machines. The ship's paper, menus, notices, and the large amount of miscellaneous printing constantly required on the ship can be handled efficiently.

Carpenter and Upholstery Shops

These two shops, located on main deck forward, are designed to maintain and make an_v repairs to furniture and fixtures.

Joiner  and Locksmith Shop

This shop on B deck forward is capable of making repairs to locks, door hardware, fittings, and similar equipment used on and fitted to the vessel. This shop is equipped with a grinder, drill press, key cutter, and necessary cabinets and benches.

Mai[ Rooms

On C deck aft and running the width of the ship is the registered mail room, served by No. 5 mail hatch. This space is kept securely locked at all times and access during the voyage is not necessary. Directly below this space on D deck is the storage room for ordinary mail.

Baggage Office

Baggage offices, one for each class of passenger accommodation, are maintained on the ship. These offices are equipped with lockers and other facilities for the checking, handling, and routing of baggage. Baggage is not stored in these offices, however. The first-class baggage office adjoins the entrance foyer on the main deck, starboard side. The cabin-class facilities are at the entrance foyer on A deck, starboard side. The tourist-class baggage room is amidships on the main deck immediately aft of the entrance foyer. Baggage stowage for first and cabin passengers is provided for in three spaces all in the after end of the ship. One room, which contains the baggage check office, is on C deck, starboard side, and another larger space on D deck runs the width of the ship at that point. Tourist-class baggage is stowed in No. 3 hold forward on E deck and below. All of these spaces are served by elevators and all baggage is stowed on shelving in such a manner as to be accessible during the voyage.

Pursers

Pursers' offices for first-class passengers are located on the port side of the main deck adjoining the entrance foyer. The tourist class is served from the office just aft of the tourist entrance foyer on the same deck. The cabin-class purser's office is also adjoining the entrance foyer of that class. These offices are equipped to serve the passengers efficiently and provide the usual facilities expected from this department.

Battery Rooms

Battery rooms, which contain the storage batteries used to energize the temporary emergency services, are provided. These spaces contain emergency batteries of a capacity sufficient to operate the temporary emergency services at full load for an ample time.

Oilskins

A locker for the storage of oilskin clothing is provided in the officers' accommodations on the sports deck.

Linens

The linen supply for the vessel is carried in three spaces. All of these spaces are served by elevators.

Bars

Public Bars

Three public bars have been provided, one for each class of accommodation. First-class passengers make use of the bar located in the cocktail lounge aft of the ballroom on the promenade deck. The cabin-class public bar is found in the smoking room on the main deck aft, and the tourist-class passengers have a bar in the tourist smoking room on the same deck.

Service Bars

The passenger accommodations are provied  with seven service bars as follows: one on the promenade deck, port side, aft of the first-class smoking-room ; another on the port side, forward, in the ballroom; another adjacent to the tourist lounge; and another on upper deck, starboard side, aft, adjoining the cabin-class lounge; one on main deck aft, port side, adjacent to cabin smoking room. Two have been installed in the galleys, one on A deck just aft of first-class dining saloon.

Equipment

A representative service bar, the one on main deck adjacent to the cabin smoking room, is equipped for rapid and efficient service. The equipment includes a refrigerator with adjustable spaces for bottle racks, a refrigerated beverage unit, drink mixers and juice extractors, and a glass washing machine. Tables, lockers, sinks, shelves, racks, and other furnishings necessary are provided. The first-class cocktail lounge bar contains the same equipment; in fact, all the bars, public and service, are similarly equipped. The bars' furnishings are of aluminum and, in case of public bars, are divided between bar and back bar in the usual manner.

Foyers, Passageways, and Stairways

First-Class Main Entrance Foyer

The first-class main entrance foyer on the main deck is the largest foyer space on the ship. The bulkheads of the space are painted gray; the ceiling off-white; and the decks are covered with black rubber with feature inlays of gray-white strips forming an unusual pattern. Double port doors on both sides of the ship open onto a vestibule with doors that are closed when the vessel is underway. The only offices on the starboard side of the foyer are those of the baggage master and chief steward. The baggage office is located in the after part of the space adjacent to the first-class passageway. The chief steward's office.and reception room is a part of his quarters and is located in the after passageway just off the foyer. Similar accommodations for the chief purser are located in the same position on the port side. The purser's office is located outboard on the port side of the foyer with the travel office inboard and adjacent to the after passageway. The main stairway is on the centerline aft opposite the two passenger elevators. Large aluminum eagle bas reliefs are the feature decorations on the inboard bulkheads facing the port doors. A curved aluminum recessed panel is inboard on the port side with a curved panel and decorative grilles of this same metal in this same position starboard. Black upholstered benches are placed against the inboard bulkheads. Generous use of aluminum is made in the frames, metal curtains, signs, and other construction in the space. An alumilited orientation diagram is placed between the elevators of this space and at all other elevator entrances on the ship. They show the passenger his present location and how to reach other spaces or staterooms on that deck.

Eirst-Class Entrance Foyer on Promenade Deck

This space has port and starboard alumilited entrance doors to the enclosed promenade outboard, the ballroom aft, and to the observation lounge forward. Phone booths are recessed in the inboard bulkhead aft on both the port and starboard sides. A featured decorative effect on the gray bulkheads of the space is the alumilited strap work, with applied aluminum disks. These straps are used to form square patterns, with disks applied to each corner of the square. The floor covering is black rubber tile. Lighting coves are located in the off-white ceiling. Benches upholstered in black leather are located adjacent to the forward bulkhead and inboard forward bulkhead on both the port and starboard sides.

Passageways

The miles of first-class passageways have gray rubber floor covering with feature inlays of large round sections off-white in color. The bulkheads are painted gray and the ceilings are off-white. Fluorescent lighting fixtures, spaced intermittently, fit into the corner of the "ceiling. Pound alumilited hand rails, waist high. extend down both sides of the bulkheads. Hinged serving trays of gray micarta fold conveniently into the bulkheads when not in use. Call bell stations, illuminated markers for toilets and other spaces are placed where needed. Adjacent to each stateroom are the room number and call cancellation buttons.

Stairways

The first-class stairways are of the parapet type with natural alumilited decorative disks between the hand rail and bottom rail of this same metal. This aluminum portion was attached to the top of the parapet. The stair nosings are of non-slip aluminum. The stair treads, risers, and landings are covered in varying shades of sheet rubber to harmonize with the surrounding spaces. All of the bulkheads are gray, the ceilings off-white. Deck markings of gray-white rubber are inserted in the covering on the stair landings at each deck. The bulkhead of each of the stair platforms between decks is decorated with aluminum bas reliefs of state birds and flowers designed and executed by Austin Purves, Jr.

Sanitary Fixtures

Passenger Spaces

There are private bath rooms, public baths, and toilets. All fixtures installed in these spaces are of the highest grade marine type.

Private Baths

The floor covering in the private baths is of marbled black and white rubber with gray cove. The lavatory of white-vitreous china with rectangular basin has chromium fixtures above and below. Soiled towel containers, towel bars, hooks and soap dish are also in easy reach of the lavatory. A mirror front cabinet is installed over the basin. On one bulkhead is a towel shelf. The water closet is of vitreous china with chromium fittings. A built-in shower stall of aluminum is fitted with an adjustable shower head and a thermostatic controlled mixer which permits the user to select the water temperature desired by setting one control. The shower is (loored with non-skid aluminum. In spaces that incorporate a vitreous china tub in the bath the. same fixtures have been furnished. Off-white flame-resistant shower curtains are used in both types of showier, and are provided with holdback hooks. Lighting is accomplished by means of a ceiling fixture and a fixture in the toilet cabinet. Tourist stateroom sanitary fixtures include a white vitreous lavatory and a soap dish mounted above. A mirrored toilet cabinet with an overhead light, as in private bath spaces, is installed.

Public Toilets and Baths

Public baths and toilets are located throughout the passenger areas and are fitted with sanitary fixtures equal in quality to those of staterooms. All toilet and bath fixtures are enclosed. Fixtures are of white vitreous china. Lavatories are equipped with liquid soap dispensers. Grab-rods, towrel hooks, soap dishes, toilet shelf, soiled towel basket and other miscellaneous fittings and fixtures are installed in these spaces. Flooring is of marbled black and white rubber. Lighting is by means of ceiling fixtures and cove lighting over toilet cabinets where installed.

Officers' Baths, Toilets, and Shozvers

Officers' baths, toilets, and showers are installed in both public and private facilities. Tn the case of officers' private bath and toilet spaces they are equal to passenger spaces, and officers' public baths and toilets are equal to similar spaces in passenger quarters.

Shozvers

Showers are installed in passenger stateroom toilets including all bath tubs, officers' shower spaces, and hospital spaces. These showers have a thermostatic mixing valve, volume control and ball joint heads. Crew shower spaces have comparable fixtures. Shower curtains are flame-resistant, all fittings and accessories of chromium-plated brass or aluminum.

Drinking Fountains

Drinking fountains of a decorative type are installed in passenger spaces.

Barber Shops and Beauty Parlors

Each of these shops have vitreous china lavatories with shampoo fittings. Each shop is equipped with a china manicure table with supply spout.

Commissary Spaces

First and Cabin-Class Galley

The first and cabin-class galley is located amidships on A deck between the first and cabin-class dining saloons and runs the width of the ship. Multiple ranges in battery are installed athwartships facing aft. Arranged in a U-shape forward of these ranges is a row of bain-maries. In he center of the galley and separated from the battery of electric ranges by a partition is the open grill room with deep fat fryers, broilers, a range, bain-maries, and the two radar ranges. Aft of this area and arranged in a block on the centerline is the Kosher pantry, daily stores, daily issue room, and cabin silver stores. Aft is a multiple battery of ranges to serve the cabin-class passengers, and with a row of bain-maries adjoining. Along the sides are found the various pantries, vegetable rooms, etc. Inboard, forward is the first-class service bar, and pastry storeroom. All heat producing equipment is hooded and vented. Stainless steel and aluminum are used throughout the commissary.

Cabin-Class Pantry and Coffee Room

This space is equipped with egg boilers, chocolate pots, cream dispensers, refrigerators, and the necessary sinks, tables, shelves, etc.

First-Class Cold Fruit and Coffee Pantry

This space is similar to the cabin coffee pantry and also serves fruit and juices. Used in this space are juice extractors, coffee urns, chocolate pots, milk and cream dispensers, hot water urns, refrigerated juice dispensing unit. Refrigeration in this space is extensive, employing a large built-in unit.

Cabin-Class Breakjast Station

This equipment is designed for use as the name would imply. Included in this space are a hot water urn, coffee urns, cream dispenser, and milk dispenser, griddles, and toasters. Suitable shelves and counters containing a refrigerator and other necessary appurtenances have been installed.

Pastry Shop

This space contains equipment for the bakers and also ice cream equipment as follows: ice cream freezer, electric bake ovens, baker's table with marble slab top, electric range, and refrigerator. The necessary tables, sinks, racks, shelves, etc., are provided as required.

Larder

This space contains principally meat-service equipment which includes a meat sheer and a meat grinder, refrigerators, tables, counters, sinks, shelves, etc.

Grill Room

This space contains the equipment associated with this type of food service and contains steam tables and bain-maries with service shelves, electric broilers with oven, deep fat fryers, and the necessary auxiliaries such as tables, sinks, lockers, racks, and so on, as required for this space.

Scullery

The scullery contains sinks, racks, shelves, and other equipment necessary for cleaning pots, pans, and other cooking utensils.

Vegetable Room

The specialized equipment for this space includes electric potato peelers, food cutters, vegetable steamers, and kettles of various sizes.

Butcher Shop

This commissary space adjoins the first and cabin-class galley on the port side. Herein will be found one of the two uses of wood equipment—the meat blocks such as are seen in any butcher store or meat counter. Equipment for this shop is as follows: meat chopper, meat-slicing machines, bone and meat cutters, and a large refrigerator. To complete the space are the necessary tables, sinks, hooks, shelves, racks, etc.

Kosher Pantry

This pantry, which is located in the galley, is equipped with under counter refrigeration, steam table with bain-maries, warming compartment shelves, etc. The usual furnishings are provided.

First-Class Service Pantry—Main Deck

This space, located midships, contains a hot water urn, egg boilers, toasters, a refrigerator, coffee urns, and the necessary counters, shelves, etc., to provide efficient service.

Deck Pantry Cabin Class

This pantry, to serve the passengers using the cabin-class covered promenade on the main deck, is located forward of this space, starboard, and for this purpose is furnished with a coffee urn, hot water urn, toasters, electric juice extractor, a refrigerator, and other necessary equipment.

Deck Pantry First Class

This pantry on the upper deck amidships contains a hot water urn, toasters, juice extractor, egg boilers, coffee urns, and a refrigerator. The remaining equipment is the usual sinks, tables, shelves, etc.

Deck Pantry Cabin Class

This additional deck pantry for cabin-class passengers is forward on the starboard side of the upper deck cabin-class enclosed promenade and is furnished with a coffee urn, hot water urn, toasters, juice extractor, and a refrigerator.

Pantry First Class—Promenade Deck

This pantry serves the restaurant which it adjoins, and the cocktail lounge immediately forward. Equipment for this service consists of coffee urns, hot water urns, egg boilers, toasters, griddles, a refrigerator, and various counters, shelves, cabinets, and other necessary equipment.

Deck Pantry First Class—Sun Deck

This pantry, provided to serve first-class accommodations on this deck, contains a coffee urn, hot water urn, egg boilers, electric toasters, a refrigerator, and necessary shelves, lockers, sinks racks, etc.

First and Cabin-Class Dish-Washing Rooms

These two spaces in the galley each contain electric dish-washing machines and the necessary equipment to accompany these machines.

First and Cabin-Class Silver and Glass-Washing Room

Each of these spaces on the port side of the galley contains an electric silver-washing machine, glass dish-washing machine, and all of the necessary auxiliary equipment.

First and Cabin Silver Storerooms

These spaces adjoining the galley are fitted with proper storage drawers and racks for silverware.

Tourist-Class Galley

This space on C deck is between first-class dining saloon and the tourist-class dining saloon and is equipped with the finest fittings obtainable for the intended use. There are electric ranges, a broiler, steam cooker, steam kettles, steam table, meat choppers, meat cutter, block, potato peeler with attachments, a refrigerator, and all the tables, racks, shelves, sinks lock-ers, etc., that are required. Ranged along the port side outboard and adjoining the tourist galley are running aft, a dish-washing room, Kosher galley, vegetable preparation room, and scullery. On the port side outboard is a cold and coffee pantry. These spaces are equipped similar to their first and cabin-class counterparts.

Crew's Galley, Pantries, Canteen, and Messrooms

The crew's galley is on B deck, amidships, and contains electric ranges, a steam cooker, kettles, steam table, a refrigerator, and the required sinks, lockers, racks, shelves etc. All this equipment is similar to that used in passenger accommodation galleys. A pantry equipped similar to those serving passenger spaces adjoins the galley to port. Along the outboard port side in this area are the crew's messrooms. The captain's pantry is located starboard of his reception room on the sports deck. On the sports deck aft on the port side inboard is the officers' and engineers' pantry, equipped similarly to the passenger and crew pantries.

Refrigerated Spaces

In the refrigerated spaces for the ship's stores the refrigerant is Freon. The walls, floors, and overhead of these spaces are sheathed with metal. All of the refrigerated spaces are provided with shelving, racks, hooks, and the necessary storage equipment. Temperatures of each refrigerated "space may be maintained independently of the others. Shelving and floor boards are of aluminum. High-temperature rooms are supplied with air coolers and low-temperature rooms are fitted with coils. Boxes are provided for meat, fish, Kosher fish, and Kosher meat and poultry; in addition, boxes are provided for ice cream, cheese, eggs, milk, and butter, wine, champagne, beer, and mineral water. Boxes are also provided for vegetables, potatoes, and fruit. Miscellaneous storerooms are provided for crockery and bulk stores, flour and sugar stores, and dry stores of all kinds.

Navigating and Operated the United States

Installed aboard the steamship United States is the most modern version of every proven navigational aid intended to facilitate the navigation and handling of the ship and to promote the safety of the ship, its passengers. and its crew. The spacious wheelhouse, the damage-control station, and the charthouse contain equipment and instruments which permit the officers and crew to ascertain and evaluate at a moment's notice any and all conditions having any bearing on navigation, ship operation and safety. As an additional safety measure practically all the equipment necessary to navigate the ship and transmit orders dealing with its operation is installed in duplicate. Thus a rapid changeover can be made in the event of the failure of one system. One of the most unusual features of the United States is its sleek and glistening all-aluminum radar mast, on which are located the two antennas for the ship's electronic eyes. These radar units, which may be operated singly or simultaneously, on long or short range, will enable the ship to sail safely through fog and darkness. The powerful transmitters and receivers, operating alternately, can supply to the screens in the wheelhouse an uninterrupted diagram of all objects within a large area surrounding the ship. The objects on the screens move continuously in relation to the position of the ship, so the course of nearby ships can be plotted accurately and the navigator knows at all times exactly how close he is to land, another ship, or any other object within range. The navigator is thus enabled to bring the United States through harbor approaches which are enshrouded in fog or darkness, snow or rain, and to bring it to its pier in absolute safety—and on schedule. The "seeing eye" of the United States is the echo depth sounder, which in simple language bounces a sound against the ocean floor and measures the time necessary for the echo to reach the ship. By a simple calculation the depth of the water can then be accurately gaged. From the information thus provided the navigator can proceed safely in even the heaviest weather, and can at the same time chart the ocean floor beneath the United States. By comparing this with regular nautical charts he also is able to check his position quickly and accurately. The speedometer of the United States is the pitometer log, which indicates the ship's speeds in knots. The contrast between the modern radar installation and the oldtime lookout is no more startling than the revolutionary changes which have produced the super-modern steering wheels installed aboard the United States. No longer need the helmsman hold the spokes of a four or live foot steering wheel against the might of the ocean—no further need to "lash the wheel" to hold her steady—no longer need he call for help to turn the wheel wdien a change of course is ordered—and no longer need he constantly make corrections to offset over-turning or under-turning. Two small modern steering wheels— installed on special steering stands—plus the addition of power control units to actually move the rudder, relieve the man at the wheel of all but an insignficant part of his burden—and increase greatly the accuracy with which a course can be held. So easy to handle are these new controls that they require little more effort than that required to turn the steering wdieel on an automobile. A special adaptation of the famous gyro-pilot will enable the United States to be steered automatically with no help from the helmsman, should her master decide that it is necessarv to do so. In addition to magnetic compasses the United States has the latest and finest gyro-compass system available. The gyro-compass of the United States is an electromechanical compass which utilizes the principles of the centuries-old gyroscope, which in a modified form has been a popular toy for several generations. Since it is not affected by magnetic force it has the advantage of constantly indicating true north rather than magnetic north. Located for convenience throughout the ship are a number of "repeaters,'' each of which shows the exact course on which the ship is being steered, and a ship's officer can thus readily check on this information even though he may not be on the bridge or in the wheelhouse. As a further check there is in the wheelhouse an instrument on which there is indicated at all times the exact position of the rudder. Orders concerning the ship's speed desired, and whether that speed is to be ahead or astern, are transmitted from the wheelhouse to the engine room by means of an engine order transfer and indicator. This instrument transmits a visual and an audible order to the propelling machinery operating stations and the audible order continues to sound until these stations in turn send back to the commanding officer an acknowledgment so that there can be no misunderstanding. This system is provided in duplicate, and the transmitting and receiving units are located in the wheelhouse at various positions selected because of convenience of operation and the maximum degree of visibility. A battery of telephones is provided in the wheelhouse. These offer a means of quick and direct communications with any of the ship's personnel whose job it is to help operate the ship, and also with many department heads and stewards. A large number of these are regular electric telephones, but many other are ''sound-powered." These sound-powered telephones require no batteries or other outside power sources, and are actually operated Making final connections to the 100 miles of wire and cable on the United States directly by the voice speaking into the mouthpiece. They I operate with efficiency even in the high noise level of an engine room, and insure uninterrupted communication I during any emergency. In addition to the telephones there is a public address system which can transmit verbal orders from the wheel- I house to many parts of the ship during certain specialized maneuvers such as docking or the dropping of an anchor. A number of these are equipped with a talk-back feature so that two-way communication is possible. The opened or closed position of each of the ship's many water-tight doors and fire-screen doors is indicated on a panel located in the damage-control station, and the damage-control officer may, if the need arises, close individual or all watertight or fire-screen doors from this location. The radio equipment installed on the United States is representative of the latest developments in this phase of communication and covers all of the allocated transmitting and receiving frequencies. As a result of this complete and modern radio installation and because the United States will have a telephone in each stateroom in all three classes, the United States will be the first large passenger vessel in history where any passenger aboard may sit in the comfort and privacy of his own stateroom and place a ship-to-shore telephone call to almost any other telephone in the world.

Interior Communications

There are twenty-five separate, independent interior communications systems provided for the safety of the ship, the efficiency of the crew, and the comfort and convenience of the passengers. Every practical safety signal and alarm device has been incorporated into the vessel in accordance with the soundest engineering principles. Effort and expense have not been spared if compromise could be avoided. Wherever possible duplicate or reserve systems have been installed, and arrangements have been made to have all equipment as fool-proof as possible and to insure the operation of the various systems under extreme conditions. Some of these systems are described below.

Telegraph Systems

There are two engine-order telegraph systems operating from double-face transmitters, located in the wheelhouse, and serving corresponding indicators for each transmitter in the machinery spaces.

Propeller Shaft Revolution Indicator System

Each of the four propeller shafts of the vessel activates its own revolution indicator which operates from a reduction gear stub shaft. Each transmitter is connected to RPM indicators in the respective engine-room control station. Eight digit revolution counters operate in conjunction with this system. A backing signal is incorporated for reverse indication.

General Alarm System

This system provides complete coverage of passenger, crew, and operating spaces, so located as to be audible throughout the vessel as required by the rules of the United States Coast Guard. The alarm bells are recessed into the ceilings at strategic places. The areas are themselves divided into smaller groups. Power for this system is obtained from ship's emergency storage batteries.

Ship's Service Telephone System-Manual

The telephone installation on this vessel is among the most extensive and efficient applications in marine history. There are no less than three complete powered systems and multiple sound-powered systems. Each stateroom in first class, cabin class, and tourist class is a station on this system. Numerous trunk lines are provided—some for shore line connections and some to the automatic telephone system, and to the radio-telephone equipment. The switchboard is three-position, has panel sections arranged for first, cabin, and tourist stateroom lines, and contains approximately 800 stations. This switchboard is located on the starboard side of the main deck, amidships. By means of these telephones a passenger may call virtually any telephone in the world from the comfort and privacy of his own stateroom.

Ship's Service Telephone System—Automatic

This network is provided for the use of the deck and engineer officers and certain stewards and pursers.

Sound-Powered Telephone Systems

These installations are solely for the use of the crew and are divided into numerous independent systems. All units are fitted with handsets and audible call signals of such intensity as to suit the noise level. Some of the following circuits are employed : Ship maneuvering system, which connects the bridge to engine rooms, aft steering station, and gyro rooms; docking and lookout system, emergency gear locker system, runs between the damage control station and four gear stowage lockers; the engineer's system, connects the bridge with the machinery spaces ; the fuel-oil filling system comprises numerous stations in the various compartments.

Voice Tubes

Two voice tube systems have been installed, both serving the wheelhouse. These tubes are of 2 1/2-inch diameter brass and have the necessary waterproofing. One line is installed between the steering compass and the standard compass in the wheelhouse and the other is from the wheelhouse to the chartroom and the bridge wings.

Call Bell System

An elaborate call bell system for summoning a steward, stewardess or other attendant has been installed throughout the passenger areas including all staterooms, bathrooms and toilets, suite sitting rooms.. public spaces, and all public toilets and baths. In order to insure that the passenger receives the proper service the reset pushbutton is located outside each space served. An independent system has been provided for use by the officers in the deck and engineers' departments.

Fire Alarm

A continuously supervised fire-alarm system combined with an automatic fire-detecting system, also supervised, has been installed with the purpose in mind of making the ship as perfectly protected as possible. Fire-alarm boxes are located prominently throughout the entire ship, as are automatic detecting devices. In conjunction with the fire-alarm system a fire-screen door system is provided. These doors may be released locally'or all doors simultaneously from the damage-control station.

Watertight Doors

The watertight door control system is possibly the most extensive ever before used on a merchant vessel. The damage-control station operates this system either individually or simultaneously, or the doors can be opened and closed locally. A sound reproduction system employing radios, record player, and microphones is distributed throughout the public spaces, suite sitting rooms and crew recreation areas. Thus, music and announcements of importance may be delivered continuously and at anv time.

Docking Announcing System

Three systems are provided for issuing orders—one emanating from the wheel-house, one from the windlass room, and one from the after docking bridge.

Electric Clocks

Electric clocks throughout the ship are controlled with pilot clock and control in the damage-control system. The clocks can be advanced or retarded simultaneously by at least an hour for correction by time zones.

Refrigerated Spaces Temperature Control

The refrigerating machinery room is fitted with indicating instruments operating from each refrigerated space to register the temperatures recorded in the various thermometers.

Propelling Machinery and Electrical Plant

The main propulsion turbines, boilers, auxiliary turbines, main and auxiliary condensers, and their associated piping are arranged so they may operate as four independent -plants. The various units required are arranged in the multiple machinery spaces so that protection is provided against total loss of propulsion power and other essential services in the event of damage. The propulsion machinery consists of four sets of highspeed geared turbines of the most advanced marine design. Each unit drives one of the four propeller shafts. The main propulsion turbines forward drive the outboard shafts. The reduction gear is arranged to allow the condensers to be mounted below the low-pressure turbines. Steam is generated by a multiple arrangement of watertube boilers of advanced design, supplying steam at the superheater outlet of pressure and temperature well above usual marine practice, necessitating the use of alloy steel in boilers, turbines, and steam piping. The' feed system operates on the closed cycle with stage feed heating. The main feed pumps are of the turbine-driven type. They are conveniently located for control and maintenance. The ship's service generators are turbine driven with reduction gears. The generators are located in the machinery spaces to insure that flooding of one space will not affect the whole electric plant. Fresh water for washing, drinking, and make-up feed is provided by a multiple low-pressure type distilling plant.

Main Turbines

The main propulsion turbines are designed to incorporate the newest developments for high-pressure, high-temperature equipment. The turbines are manually controlled by means of the usual throttle hand wheel arrangement. Ahead of the high-pressure turbine are manifolds containing the steam strainer, astern throttle valve, astern guard valve, etc. The high and low-pressure turbines are both of compact high-speed type with all machined blading. The advanced pressure and temperature required the use of alloy steel forcings and castings throughout and has necessitated new features of design in parts subjected to high thermal gradients such as inlet steam chests and the astern turbine blade rings.

Main Reduction Gears

The reduction gears have involute teeth. The gear wheel rims are forged. The pinions are also steel forgings. Each turbine rotor is connected to its high-speed pinion by an intermediate length of shafting and flexible coupling. The main thrust bearing is of the Kingsbury type. The thrust bearings are supported by structural foundations.

Shafting and Propellers

The line shafting is hollow bored. The propeller shafts are arranged to be interchangeable. A special section of shafting was provided for mounting torsionmeters. All four propellers are of cast manganese bronze, finished all over. Four and five-bladed wheels were designed and extended model tests were conducted, with a tentative selection made.

Main and Auxiliary Condensers

The four main condensers are of the conventional surface type. The condensers are located under the low-pressure turbines. Each condenser is designed to maintain a high vacuum with warm sea water. The water boxes were designed carefully and model tested to provide streamline flow to the tubes. Multiple auxiliary condensing systems of conventional type are provided throughout the machinery spaces as required to condense the steam from the auxiliary exhaust main and various drains.

Soot Catchers and Stack Design

 Means have been provided to prevent the deposit of stack gases and soot on the decks. Centrifugal type soot catchers are provided. They are located in the stacks and the soot thus collected is discharged overboard by soot ejectors. As mentioned elsewhere extended wind tunnel model tests were run by the shipyard to enable an optimum selection of dimensions for the stacks from the point of view of height, cross-section of stack, and the upper termination and form. Results have been satisfactory.

Forced-Draft Blowers

Forced-draft blowers in multiple are provided for the boilers. The blowers are capable of delivering sufficient air to the individual boilers at the required pressure for complete combustion at all conditions of operation. The forced-draft blowers take suction from ducts led down from the base of the stacks.

Main Steam System

The main steam piping system supplies superheated steam to the main propulsion turbines. There are independent main steam piping groups. Special problems were encountered in the design of main steam piping because of the high temperature of the design. Great care was used in selecting piping material. Some pipes, valves, and headers were connected by welding. Extensive inspections of such welded joints were made by means of radium and activated cobalt, as well as other non-destructive tests to insure proper fabrication of such welded piping. The yard's most highly skilled welders were picked out to do the welding.

Auxiliary Steam

A conventional auxiliary steam system is used to supply steam-driven auxiliaries of which numerous units and types are used.

Boiler Feed System

The feedwater heating system for the United States is designed to supply a continuous flow of heated and deaerated water to the boilers. It consists of the necessary heaters in which are included means for deaerating the feed. Boiler feed is drawn from the feed heaters and pumped to the boilers. There are independent boiler feed systems for each shaft. Any main feed pump for a shaft can discharge to any boiler for such shaft via both main and auxiliary feed piping in the conventional manner. The main feed pumps are of the conventional centrifugal type driven by steam turbines. Each main feed pump is fitted with a constant differential pressure governor which controls the pump speed so as to maintain a constant pressure difference between the pump discharge and the boiler drum pressure. The pump turbine also has the usual speed limiting governor.

Lubricating-Oil Service System

Lubricating oil is furnished for the turbines and gears in the conventional manner, with the necessary stand-by pumps. Lubricating oil for each shaft is drawn from the drain tank through a duplex strainer by the operating lubri-cating-oil service pump and is discharged through a duplex strainer and an oil cooler to the main unit header. From the header the oil is distributed to the gear and turbine bearings and the reduction gear oil sprays. Each engine room is provided with the necessary lu-bricating-oil storage tanks.

Compressed Air Systems

The ship's service compressed air system on the United States includes a multiple compressor plant. The compressors are distributed throughout the machinery spaces and normally supply air to the ship's service system for operation of workshop tools, cleaning of electric motors and generators, charging pneumatic pressure tanks, etc.

Fuel-Oil System

The fuel-oil system has been arranged so that fuel oil can be drawn from any quarter of the ship and discharged to any other quarter of the ship. The fuel-oil system comprises two fuel-oil filling-stations on either side of the ship and the necessary filling lines to tanks with overflows so combined that the chance of oil overflowing into the harbor when filling is minimized. The filling and transfer system is arranged so that fuel oil can be drawn from any part of the tank system and discharged to any other tanks or to the dock.

Pumps

As might be imagined, a very large number of pumps are required for the various services on the United States. They comprise circulating pumps, feed system pumps, transfer, bilge, ballast, sanitary, fire pumps, etc. There are nearly _{v300 pumps in all and the total capacity is about 236,000 gallons per minute or 52,600 tons per hour.}

Electrical Plant

Ship's service power aboard the United States is alternating current. The use of alternating-current power on passenger ship as large as the United States is an innovation. One of the major objectives in the design of this ship was to obtain the lightest weight, most efficient and yet well-proven machinery installation. Experience obtained in the design of large naval vessels and some commercial tankers demonstrated that the over-all weight of an alternating-current plant would be considerably less than that of a direct-current plant, and that many thousands of pounds would be saved in the weight of cable for the electric power distribution systems because of the reduction in size of copper conductors and in the reduced weight of motors, generators, and other equipment, with consequent economies in critical material. Another important advantage in the use of alternating current is apparent because of the lesser maintenance required on alternating-current squirrel-cage induction motors in contrast to direct current, since no commutators or brushes are necessary for the alternating-current units. There are some motor-driven auxiliaries installed on the United States which do not lend themselves to alternating-current power because of the inherent lack of simple wide-range speed control for alternating-current motors. Therefore, certain auxiliaries, such as cargo winches and other auxiliaries requiring a fine degree of speed control are direct current, but these represent a very small percentage of the total motor installation. The alternating-current generators which provide the ship's service power, together with their control switchboards, are so located as to minimize simultaneous damage to the units; emanating from the generator switchboard and primary station is the maze of cables necessary to supply electric power to all of the motor-driven pumps, vent fans, air-conditioning units, lifeboat davits, cooking facilities, labor saving devices, lighting installations, and the like. The ship's service lighting system and small fractional horsepower motors and other appliances operate at reduced voltage, which is obtained from the ship's service power sources through banks of transformers located at the load center. Alternate feeders are installed to the reduced voltage load center to insure continuity of service in the event of casualty to the normal supply. In living spaces, passages and public rooms, lighting is subdivided and supplied from branch circuits connected to one or the other of the two or more feeders supplying the sections of the ship. In this manner, the failure of one branch circuit or feeder will not leave any living space in darkness. In order to provide some illumination throughout the vessel, and to operate certain damage control power equipment in the event of failure of all or part of the ship's service electric generating plant or distribution system, a completely separate emergency power supply and distribution system has been installed. Under normal operation, electric power for the emergency system is obtained from the ship's service generators through the emergency generator switchboard, but in the event of shutdown of the ship's service generator the source of power is automatically transferred to the emergency generating plant. The emergency Diesel-driven generators will start automatically upon the failure of ship's service power, but in the interim while these units are coming up to speed and cutting in on the line, the emergency supply source is from storage batteries and direct-current motor-driven alternating-current generators. Emergency lighting fixtures are provided in locations and numbers sufficient to illuminate main stairways, passages for access and egress of passengers and crew throughout the ship, and emergency power is provided for operation of such vital auxiliaries as are necessary for the safety of the ship and damage control. Under normal conditions of operation, direct-current power requirements on the ship are obtained from direct-current generators driven by alternating-current motors which obtain their power from the ship's service distribution system. Under extreme emergency conditions of ship operation, or in the event of failure of the ship's service generators, the direct current and of the motor-generator set operates as a motor, obtaining its power from storage batteries provided as required by law, and the alternating-current unit becomes a generator to provide alternating current to vital services in the interim before the Diesel-driven emergency generator sets are started and connected to the line. Continuity of electric service is assured under all normal and emergency conditions of operation by means of manual and automatic switching devices. The generating and power distribution networks on the United States have inherent in their design a factor of safety equal to, or in excess of, the requirements of government regulatory bodies, the American Bureau of Shipping and the International Convention on Safety of Life at Sea, in order to insure safety of passengers and crew and continuity of electrical power under any conceivable condition. The passenger aboard the United States will see little of the complex installation which generates and dist butes to all parts of the ship the electric power necessa for its operation and to the comfort of passengers, b he cannot help but notice the end use of some of t power in lighting his stateroom and the public spaces a soft, efficient, comfortable, and colorful manner. It is no easy task to provide soft lighting which do not detract from the beauty of the surroundings. T installation on the United States represents the culmin tion of efforts by designers, interior architects and deco ators, and utilizes the most recent developments in candescent lamps and fluorescent tubes to achieve t most desirable results. On coming aboard, the passenger will probably fi his stateroom suffused with all the light that is available therein, as an invitation to look around and observe t beauties of the decor and furnishings provided to ma his stay aboard a pleasant one. But once the steward h placed the luggage and closed the door, the intensity lighting may be reduced to suit the mood of the mome Soft lights for reading are provided near the easy cha and berths, and concentrated lighting can be obtained mirrors and dressing tables by the mere flip of a switch Leaving the stateroom and strolling through the bea tifully decorated public room, it becomes increasin evident that the designers have achieved the desired o jective of providing a lighting installation which is fu tionally efficient, yet one which accentuates the color a beauty of the interiors and furnishings without bei harsh and obtrusive. The graceful contours of the domed ceiling in the ba room lounge are emphasized by the uniform light pattern emanating from lamps concealed in coves arou its periphery. The curved glass panels which so grea enhance the decor of this room are illuminated from co cealed sources which highlight the achievements of th creators. Concealed lighting is provided to impart a s glow to the window draperies and a halo of light arou the main entrance doors, and table and floor lamps centuate the furniture arrangements in the forward e of the space. After dinner, when the band assembles a dancing is the order of the hour, the mood of the mu will be imparted to the dancers by effecting a reduct in the intensity of the general illumination and stiff us the entire scene with ever-changing color. The snow-white linen, sparkling crystal and sil service which adorn the tables in the dining saloon raised to a pinnacle of beauty when bathed in indir light emanating from coves in the ceiling and spotligh by table lamps. The murals, plaques, sculpture, and ot objets d'art which complete the decor of the room prominently outlined by spotlights appropriately pla to suit the purpose. In the first-class smoking room a skillful blending color is created—an atmosphere of quiet relaxation wh is enhanced by the soft glow of light from glass pan located in the ceiling which is illuminated by concea lamps behind the panels. Special lighting is provided o the bar. Underwater floodlights and overhead lighting in swimming pool will simulate reflection of sunlight for a tropical sea. The lighting in the theatres accentuates the ga colored, gaily-patterned motif of the decorations and p vides all features of stage lighting—floodlights, bor lights, proscenium strips and spotlights—found in th tres ashore. Throughout the ship every effort has been brought bear to provide a lighting installation decoratively a functionally equal to comparable installations on la Special consideration has been given to providing light of efficient illuminating value in the various working spaces throughout the ship, and lighting in the crew living and recreation areas has been designed to provide the uttermost comfort and minimum eyestrain during off-duty hours.

Trial Trips Demonstrate Speed of the United States

Dock trials of the United States were held in the builder's yard on March 26 to 29, 1952, and were completely satisfactory in all respects.

Builder's Trials

Builder's trials were held on May 14 to 16, 1952, about 100 to 150 miles east of the Virginia Capes in the North Atlantic. Shipyard personnel manned the vessel during these trials. The builder's trials were of longer duration than is customary because many of the official tests were held, including standardization. The decision to use Raydist made it possible to run the standardization on this trial. The Trial Board was on board and consequently, since the Raydist proved to be successful, the measured mile runs became the official standardization tests. Thus, a time-consuming trip to Rockland, Maine, or Guantanamo, Cuba, was eliminated. The following are the events of the builder's trials:

Wednesday, May 14, 1952

9 :00 a.m.—Left the shipyard. 9:45 a.m.—The vessel passed Old Point Comfort and the Distilling Plant Tests w^ere started. 10:45 a.m.—The vessel passed Cape Henry, at which point the first Steam Rate Tests were started. These tests determine the efficiency of the turbines by measuring the pounds of steam per horsepower in an hour. This involves computation of readings from a water meter in the condensate flow and a torsionmeter on the shaft. The tests were made using various numbers of nozzles in the turbines. 12:00 M.—The vessel arrived at Chesapeake Lightship. 1:30 p.m.—The compass and radio direction finder operations were completed. The compass adjustments were made by sighting the sun with a Pelorus to determine the sun's hour angle. The resulting direction as shown in the Azimuth book was then checked with that on the compass. If the sun is not visible, sights are made on objects in known positions on shore. The radio calibration was made by checking the bearings of the finder with the known position of the signal-sender, which in this case was the Light Vessel. The vessel then proceeded to sea, building up to cruising shaft horsepower. 4:00 p.m.—The United States started her first builder's economy trial. 5 :00 p.m.—The vessel arrived at the Raydist buoy and checked the functioning of the Raydist and Loran Systems. The Raydist System was used for this purpose for the first time on a more or less experimental basis. The system operates by placing two small buoys with their Raydist equipment in the water. The buoy equipment of each sends out impulses which are received on another set of apparatus installed on the ship. The ship may then move in any direction from the buoy and a measurement possibly as accurate as one part in 5,000 can be made of a given distance. This system may replace the old method of sighting objects on land to measure the speed. Loran is used as a check by keeping the ship in a course parallel to the Hatteras-Nantucket Loran base line. In this way, it is not necessary to obtain a "fix" to determine the ship's speed. Measurements were obtained with a special recorder recently developed by the U. S. Coast Guard. 6:10 p.m.—The United States started her official economy trials. 12 :00 p.m.—The official economy trials were sufficiently completed in accordance with the specifications and the ship started increasing to normal horsepower. During the balance of the night the United States cruised at normal speeds.

Thursday, May 15, 1952

4:00 a.m.—The United States completed cruising and started drag shaft operations. Contact was made with the U. S. Coast Guard tender Conifer to place the Raydist buoys in the trial course, area. Because of high winds and seas, considerable difficulty was experienced in placing the buoys. As a result, the first speed runs were delayed more than three hours. 8:10 a.m.—The United States started her 15-knot speed runs. Other runs continued at speeds up to 30 knots until 4:00 p.m. At this point it was determined that some of the bearings in the gears were showing a tendency to get hot and additional speed runs were nostponed to the official trials. 4:00 p.m.—The vessel cruised at normal speeds for the remainder of the night.

Friday, May 16, 1952

3 :00 p.m.—The United States arrived at 60 fathom line to prepare for windlass test. At 5 :00 a.m. the windlass test was begun with each anchor being lowered by the hand brake in 15-fathom shots up to 60 fathoms and then heaved in. Each anchor was also shot out to 100 fathoms and heaved in completing all windlass tests. 8:30 a.m.—The United States started slow speed steering tests including emergency steering on single ram of steering gear. 9:00 a.m.—All tests were completed and the United States headed for Newport News and at 5 :00 p.m. the ship was docked.

Offjcial Trials

Official trials were held June 9 to 10, 1952, in the Atlantic Ocean, 100 to 150 miles off the Virginia Capes. The vessel was again under the operation of shipyard personnel. All tests were completed to the satisfaction of the Trial Board. The following is the chronological sequence of events:

Monday, June 9, 1952

6 :38 a.m.—Left shipyard. 7 :33 a.m.—Passed Old Pohit Comfort. 9:40 a.m.—United States began calibration and compass adjustment. 4:00 p.m.—Started normal power run. 11:00 p.m.—United States completed her normal power run. Tuesday, June 10, 1952 6:10 a.m.—Started steering tests. 6 :50' a.m.—Crash astern test. 7:30 a.m.—Crash ahead test. 1 :35 p.m.—Steam rate test completed by the United States. 1 -55 p.m.—United States began reducing speed. 7:38 p.m.—All secure fore and aft to shipyard pier, gangways aboard.