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Plan To Remake the Leviathan Reconditioning Specifications for This Tremendous Job Provide for Restoring a Magnificent Transatlantic Palace O RECONDITION the Levia- THAN during 1922 is a job for shipbuilders which is of a magni- tude sufficient to appeal to the imagina- tion of the whole nation. Outside of nav- al architects and _ shipbuilders, the work involved in this possibly may not be fully appreciated. The mere statement of the millions which are to be expended in ef- fecting the transformation of this hulk to a palatial transatlantic liner fails to indicate clearly what is involved. Here is a ship of which the Germans held the plans. Experienced English naval architects declared that it would be im- possible to rebuild the vessel without ob- taining the plans from the Germans, that it was utterly impossible to get plans of the ship other than from the ship- builder’s originals. But the Germans held out and demanded in payment for the plans what they thought they had lost in the value of the ship when the United States took her as a prize of war. Saving a Million Naturally the United States refused to pay the Germans the price they de- manded for the plans and under the capable direction of W. F. Gibbs, the construction chief of the International Mercantile Marine Co., a small army of draftsmen were set to work on the kulk as she was moored to the army pier at Hoboken, N. J. They measured every foot on the LEVIATHAN and put it all down on paper. After many months, plans for reconditioning the ship were evolved, and these plans, according to the contractors who have bid on the work, were the most complete and detailed which have ever been issued on a job such as this. But to understand the magnitude of this work the dimensions of the ship herself must be considered. The LeviATHAN has 12 decks, lettered from A to L inclusive, and there are six elevators arranged to carry passen- gers from one deck to another. To com- pare a ship like this to a modern hotel tells only a part of the story, as the LEVIATHAN is much more than a_ hotel or magnificent club. Her size as_ set forth in the reconditioning specifications is as follows: Length over all, 949 feet 9 inches Length between perpendiculars (40- foot waterline) ,—928 feet 5 inches Beam molded, 100 feet Depth molded to D deck, 70 feet 44 inches Frame spacing - 36.02 inches (general), Normal mean load draft, about 40 feet ; Deadweight carrying capacity on above draft, about 16,240 tons Capacity of fuel oil compartment (exclusive of fore peaks), 9616 tons Capacity of fresh water compart- ments, 3470 tons. Maximum shaft: horsepower, about 100,000 Normal shaft horsepower, service condition, about 65,000 Normal speed, service condition, about 22 knots. While the propulsion unit of the LEVIATHAN was gone over thorough- ly by the navy yard after she had com- pleted her service as an army transport, it is understood many minor repairs are to be made in addition to con- verting’ the ship from a coal burner to an oil burner. Also some modifica- tions will be made from her original passenger carrying ‘capacity to meet the modern demands of ocean transportation. Third class accommodations on the Ler- VIATHAN, for instance, will. be better than second class accommodations on some transatlantic steamers, especially such accommodations aboard foreign steamers, and fourth class accommoda- tions aboard this ship will represent the best immigrant quarters. For first class accommodation, the re- conditioned LrviATHAN will provide 704 beds, 19 pullman berths and 250 sofa berths, giving her a total first class passenger accommodation for 973 per- sons. Second class she will carry 548 persons. The third class quarters will accommodate 944 and the fourth class 934 persons. This will make the new LEVIATHAN capable of transporting 3399 passengers. She will have officers’ and crew quarters for 1100, thus being able to carry 4499 ‘persons. The recondition- ing plans decree that a portion of her old coal bunker space on H deck: shall be provided with necessary access and ventilation to permit the space being utilized for the accommodation of 400 additional fourth class passengers in case of emergency. The potential car- rying capacity of the LerviaTHaN will be nearer 5000 than 4500 persons. With such a population as this aboard, the LEVIATHAN represents something much 43 products. more than any hotel community in the United States. When refitted, the LrviatHAN will take on a typical Americanized appcar- ance. The original plans for recondi- .tioning called for the restoration of much of the German furniture and appoint- ments. The new plans have discarded all this, and while the intention is to re- store the woodwork and built-in furni- ture as far as possible, all the movable furniture will be of the most modern American manufacture. The heavy Ger- man appointments will be discarded com- pletely and all of the depressing color- ings will be entirely changed. The architect has endeavored to attain the impression of space and brightness and all the new furnishings and decorations will be made with that object in view. ‘Generally all textiles in the decorations will be replaced with paint. That is in accordance with the modern ideas of decoration and of health standards. Con- sequently upon entering a public room or a stateroom on the LEvIATHAN, the passenger will gain the impression that he is the first to occupy those quarters. Even the slip-covers for the furniture in ‘public places will be intended to give this appearance. Use American Products The woodwork in the first, second and third class public rooms as well as the woodwork in the officers, first and second class staterooms is in fair condition and this will be restored. In all other parts of the ship, the original grade of woodwork is to be _ rebuilt. But a special type of boards will be used in the first and second class accommodations and in the officers quarters. Against the sides of the vessel and against steel enclosures a spruce lining will be used and _ that faced with a special covering. These two specialties are typical American In the third and fourth class quarters, North Carolina pine will be used. The built-in furniture, which was removed when the Leviathan was used as a transport, will be restored and replaced where lost. The orna- mental work, art glass and grills will be restored with the exception that all essential German motifs are to be elim- inated. All German oil paintings and sculpture will be removed. A gymnasium is located in the first class quarters and another in the sec- ond class quarters. These are to be