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Florida Completes Trial Runs Liner Enters Key West— HE Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. has completed, at the yard in Newport News, and delivered to the Peninsular & Occidental Steamship Co., on May 20, the steamship Frorma for service between Florida ports and Havana. This vessel while of the familiar type of American passenger and freight steamships for coast- wise service embodies a number of features which to some extent distinguish it from the majority of vessels of that type. One of these is a slightly curved stem, and an- other is a semicircular type of stern, the combination of which with two raked well pole masts and one stack make a very handsome appearing vessel, as is well #l- lustrated by the accompanying photographs. Another feature, which although fitted on a few simi- lar type vessels built in the United States in recent years is not very common in mercantile vessels, is a bulbous bow. Still other features are compliance with the re- quirements of the 1929 safety at sea convention for such matters as watertight subdivision and doors, fire screen bulkheads, locked airports, ete., although the convention rules do not apply to ves- sels in this service. Also, in line with the best modern practice, is a streamlined balanced rudder. The construction of the FLORIDA was supervised by Carroll S. Smith, Twin Screw S.S. Florida General Particulars & Occidental S.S. Co. Builder. . Newport News Shipbuilding & D. D. Co. Owner...... Peninsular avana Service screw with the shafts carried in partial bossings and struts. There are three steel decks in the hull proper, a promenade deck extending the full length of the vessel, and saloon and boat decks above. With the exception of a short distance at the extreme after end the main fram- ing and steel sides are carried up to the promenade deck. There are long steel deck houses on the promenade and saloon decks, enclosing passenger accommodations, and on the boat deck two smaller wood houses, one con- taining the wheel and chart room, captain’s and officers’ quarters, and the other, the radio room, emergency light- ing room, and stair hall to passenger accommodations on the decks below. A complete double bottom, subdivided into compart- ments for the carriage of fuel oil and boiler feed water, extends from peak to peak, and seven watertight trans- verse bulkheads provide ample subdivision. The col- lision bulkhead extends to the promenade deck and all other main division bulkheads ex- tend to the upper deck: Additional fuel oil capacity is provided in tanks built at each side of the boiler room. Outboard of the shaft tunnels, and aft of the réfrigerating machinery room between the shaft tunnels, are fresh water tanks for ship’s use. The midship section of the vessel consulting engineer for the owner Keel laid: soccer es oe . ee is built with transverse framing, the and his staff, and they also prepared Teme |. ae May 20,1931 frames, except at the extreme ends, the general design. The lines of the Doppaines © Oe si Bureau of ae being channels, joggled. Beams for ngt verall, téet, inchesos swig. «tee. 2 e vessel and all details were prepared Tenatk ae load waterline, feet, faches fo Suse 378 0 all decks, up to and including the * “1d; Length between perpendiculars, ft. in....... eck. are also channels by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Beam, molded, feet, inches............ eas ee promenade deck, ’ Dry Dock Co. to meet the contract Depth, molded, to promenade seek. ft. eee a : fitted on every frame; for the saloon > t, oe guarantees for speed and fuel con- Neda aser egg nana ches... 200 ~©«©and boat decks, angle beams fitted. sumption. She was built under the Designed load drei Ge i inches. . Sen A ecalked Oregon pine deck with teak * é Displacement at loa Patt CPOMIB) vis shc pote Sees B 3 special survey of the American Bu- Core capacily, (egbie feeble tae... 83700 margins is fitted at the after end of Fuel oil capacity, tons wee e rete tne t ered eres 700 the upper deck, and outside of the reau of Shipping to class A. 1. “‘with aden Soe Ds A freeboard,’ and in many respects ex- Provecker atcommenen an first class ees 612 houses on the promenade and saloon ceeds the requirements as well as toeeaeimeperh ay eS aa decks. The boat deck is a tongued those of the United States steamboat Gross tonmage.(...-<-'o ous aae nent een tees ee and grooved joiner deck, canvas inspection service. Net tonnage: --- Mai | Sovered oven tot), 58 = The vessel, which is of the com- plete superstructure type, is twin rt ‘a a i LAAT ELLE LY TEE STD is fitted, about amidships, in the boat deck and the sides of the saloon MARINE REVIEw—June, 1931 ot