The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

32 Career of New President of Naval Architects Admiral Taylor was born on March 4, 1864, in Louisa county, Virginia, the son of Henry Taylor and Mary Wat- son Taylor. He was educated at home and at Randolph-Macon college, Ash- land, Va., until 1881, when he was ap- pointed cadet engineer at the United States naval academy, passing second among 130 candidates. He graduated as a naval cadet in 1885 at the head of his class, receiving the highest percentage of marks of any graduate of ‘he naval academy before or since. After a short cruise on the European station, he was sent to the Royal Naval college, Green- wich, England, as a special student for a course in naval architecture and marine engineering, graduating from that insti- tution in 1888. His achievements there in competition with picked men from all parts of the world paralleled his record at the United States naval academy. His work as a naval constructor since his appointment has been conspicuous. In 1894, he was ordered to the bureau of construction and repair as principal assistant to Chief Constructor Hichborn. He had charge of the designs and building of the apparatus for the United States Model basin, whose construction was authorized in 1897. This was com- pleted in 1899. From that time until December, 1914, his principal duty was in charge of the work of the model basin and his researches there have resulted in many improvements in the design of hulls of naval vessels. At home and abroad, he is recognized as the leading designer of the world for large, high- powered vessels. Admiral Taylor is the author of two books, Resistance of Ships and Screw Propulsion, published in 1894, and Speed and Power of Ships, published in 1910, the latter particularly being regarded as the standard work on this subject. He has the honorary degree of doctor of engineering from Stevens’ Institute, 1904; also doctor of science, George Washing- ‘ton university; doctor of laws, Randolph- Macon college, and doctor of laws, Uni- versity of Glasgow, Scotland. He designed the lines of practically all naval vessels from 1900 to 1922, and had a large part in the design of other features. The flush deck type of de- stroyer was one of his design. The cen- terline disposition of turrets was first proposed and advocated by him in 1895, but was not adopted until 10 years later in the SourH Carotina and MICHIGAN. It has since been adopted for the battle- ships of all nations. Among the subjects Admiral Taylor at the United States Model basin was that of the suction or investigated by MARINE REVIEW hydraulic interaction between two ves- sels when one is passing the other. As a result of this investigation, when the Atlantic liner Otympic and the English cruiser Hawke had their collision off Cowes, England, in 1911, resulting in a lawsuit, Admiral Taylor was retained by the admiralty as an expert witness on the question of suction, the English government making the request upon the United States government. The idea of suction had never been accepted in an English court before, but as a _ result of his testimony, the judge accepted it in this case and decided in favor of the TAYLOR ADMIRAL DAVID W. International Authority on Ship Design and Construction Who Has Been Elected Presi- dent of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers admiralty, a decision which has since been sustained in the English courts of last resort. Admiral Taylor’s official record is re- plete with commendatory expressions by his superiors. Secretary Daniels said of him: “An able officer whose service as head of the bureau of construction and repair has set the highest standard of efficiency. No man in the navy did more ashore and afloat to secure naval efficiency.” The French govern- ment decorated him with the order of commander of the Legion of Honor for “exceptional services in organizing the conduct of the war (naval construc- tion).” Admiral Taylor’s own govern- ment gave him the Distinguished Service medal “for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as chief of the bureau of construction and repair.” Admiral Taylor was appointed chief constructor and chief of the bureau of construction and repair on Dec. 13, 1914, and continued in this position until trans- ferred at his own request to tthe retired list of the navy in July, 1922. January, 1925 Start\Work On Great $6,500,000 Liner The contract for the big, fast 20,- 000-ton Matson passenger liner has apparently hurdled the last obstacle. On Dec. 16, the shipping board gave formal approval to the award of the contract to the William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Co., Philadel- phia, at $6,560,000. This great liner will be run by the Matson Navigation Co. in its service from San Francisco to Honolulu. It is being built nominally to order of the American-Hawaiian Steamship Co., to take advantage of the provision in the merchant marine act of 1920 which al- lows excess and war profits taxes due under the revenue act of 1918 to be waived by the government provided the amount of the taxes, together with the addition of a sum twice as large as the taxes, be invested in building a new ves- sel in a private American yard, the ship to fly the American flag. The time limit under the act has expired, but with the Matson vessel under negotiation, the time was extended until details could be worked out. After completion, the American-Hawaiian will turn the vessel over to the Matson company. Originally, the ship was bid on by the Cramp, Bethlehem and Newport News yards and the contract awarded to Cramp for about $4,750,000. Later the navy department wanted changes made to adapt the ship for auxiliary service, and William Francis Gibbs, who han- dled the LrviatHANn reconditioning - was selected to go over and modify the plans. The changes gave greater beam, in- creased passenger capacity and _ higher speed. The Cramp yard estimated the cost of the changes, and the shipowner decided to call for new bids. These were submitted Dec. 5 by a number of-yards, the Cramp yard again receiving the award. Now with the shipping board’s approval given, work can start. The vessel will be the finest passenger ship ever built by an American yard and represents the largest merchant ship contract for a single vessel ever awarded an American yard. The liner will be of the twin screw type, with a speed of at least 22 knots, accommodations for about 680 first-class passengers, length of 582 feet, beam of 83 feet and displace- ment of about 20,000 tons. Electric driven geared turbines will propel the ship. A building period of 26 months is estimated, putting the ship in service early in 1927, The liner will run to Honolulu from San Francisco in 4% days, against a present 6-day schedule. The ship will have all the modern installations of the new transatlantic liners.