LAUNCH of THe KRONPRINZ WILHELM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 132, 5 June 1901, Page 4

LAUNCH of THe KRONPRINZ WILHELM.

On March 30 the latest express steamer of the Norddeutscher Lloyd, the Kronprinz : Wilhelm, was launched from the stocks of the Vulcau Works in Stettin, in the presence of the Crown Prfnce of Germany and the directors of the North German Lloyd.. (With this new boat the company is making the effort of regaining the world's record in speed amongst the mercantile marine at present held by the DeutschJand, which, means 24 knots. The Kronprinz Wilhelm is a twin-screw vessel of 663 ft in length, GGft breadth, and 43ft depth, and registers 15,000 tons brutto, the displacement folly laden amounting to 21,300 tons. Being sinii|ar In appearance to the same company's Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, the steamer ia

15ft longer, nntl .should add another knot ami irvlhilf i.o her average speed. The weight of Uiis enormous vessel when leaving the stocks registered 5950 tons, belug built of the best Orinaii stwl throughout, and In accordance witb the requirements necessary fur her to vet ns an auxiliary cruiser for'the Government in cast: of need. Of tlie highest class in tlio Gorman Lloyd, nor four decks arc .singularly stoutly huitt, the outward appearance showing tony gigantic funnels ami two pole musts, giving ilio steamer

Li highly imposing appearance. Accommodation of a high and novel order is supplied for 0.00 first ciass. :}oO second, und 700 third class, totalling 170U in all, containing alone eight cabins do luxe, with sleeping, day, hath rooms, and lavatories attached. The comfort and luxury of the saloons, readingrooms, social halls, state-rooms. t;ud smokiiis.' compartments are on v scale which is to surpass anything hitherto attempted, th« artists employed to produce this work being ncniitcd from the foremost in their Individual brandies. Captain and oittwvs my housed above the upper promenade deck in the immediate vicinity of the bridge, Everything has been undertaken lo ensure the safety of the vessel, and in ease of accident the -4 large lifeboats are ready for immediate use. and L' 4 watertight compartments, comprising the double bottom,together with 17 running through to the upper deck.milkb the vessel practically uusinkable. The engines, drlvinjsr twin screws, are ulso divided by it watertight compartment, and indicate. '£{.000 horse-power, giving the si earner a speed of 2-1 knots ;it sea. Steam is produced' by means of 1* j enormous boilers, conmiming over 500 tons of coal per diem.whiel;, lire taken from bunkers having ;i cnp.icil.x of 4450 tons. In order to ensure the absence of vibration, the engines are balanced under. the favourably known Hehlick system, an is the ease with all the newer N.D.L. steamers, the vessel also htiring a new system of rolling chalks. Electricity will be extensively used in various manner?, und in ordei to do this and HghtMip the 1900 lamps on board four large steam dynamos arc installed, each 825 amperes at 100 volts. The crew of the Kronpriuz Wilhelm numbers 500.