NEW ORIENT LINER.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19326, 2 June 1928, Page 20

NEW ORIENT LINER.

/ R.M.S. ORFORD. I A COMFORTABLE SHIP. (raOH OVZ OWH COEBBSPOSDEKT.) LONDON, April 18. The new 20,000-ton Orient liner Oxford has begun her servico with a pleasure cruise to the Mediterranean. Further cruises, including summer ones to the Norwegian Fjords and the-Northern Capitals, will follow until in October the ship takes up hor. position in the mail and passenger service to Australia, for which she has been specially designed. The Oxford, built at Vickers-Armstrongs' Nnval Construction "Works, Barrow-in-Fur-ness, is the fourth vessel of her tonnage to be added to the Orient Line fleet in a little over three years, her sister ships being .the Orama and Otranto, built at Barrow, and the Oronsay, built at Clydebank. . Her length overall is 658 ft, her breadth moulded 75ft. her erpeed 20 knots, and her shaft horsepower 20,000. Like the other steamers of the Orient Line, she carries only two classes of passengers, and she has accommodation for approximately 520 first-class and 1160 third-class passengers. Of her eight decks, three are continuous from stem to stern. Main watertight bulkheads, 11 in number, extend generally to "F" deck, above which fire-screen bulkheads ore arranged at suitable intervals. The ship is propelled by twin screws driven by two sets of Parsons turbines and single reduction gearing. The boilers are arranged for oil-burning only. A feature of the internal accommodation is the large proportion of single-berth cabins, fitted with bedsteads in place of the oldfashioned bunk. The dining saloon, foyer, lounge, cafe, and other public rooms are most tastefully decorated, the whole scheme giving an effect of restfulness and quiet charm, in happy contrast to the ornate and overpowering decorations of certain liners of a former day. Special attention has been paid to ventilation, the atmosphere throughout the ship being kept cool and fresh even in warm latitudes. Charming Public Booms. During a trip down the Channel from Southampton a largo company of guests of the Orient Line were, able to see how admirably the Orford is suited for pleasure cruises and for the Australian service. Her deck space is very generous. The promenade j'deck alone has an area of 16,500 square, feet, and offers extensive facilities for tennis and other games. "B" deck occupies about 282 ft of length amidships, and _ carries a spacious cafe .with n novel decoration scheme of panelled lacquer in general tones of Eolden buff, witih mouldings and motifs 3n the Chinese manner; a large and.charming lounge, designed in a free manner suggestive of both the English Adam and the French Empire styles, and luxuriously furnished: antj a comfortable smoking-room. The writing-room on "C" deck is planned in cruciform, jhape to afford many sheltered corners; while the first-class dining saloon, whch will accommodate 350 persons at a sitting, is treated in mellow tones of buff and green, .with harmoniously coloured scagliola filling to the panels. A high centre well to tlie saloon has broad pilasters and large perforated bronze lunettes, the figures of which illustrate the mythological story of the ' 'Triumph of Venus." The first-clacs part of the stoip has a swimming pool. The third-class accommodation is superior to that which, not so many years ago, was considered good enough for second-cabin passengers, and includes an excollent lounge and a commodious panelled dinfng saloon to seat • 479 persons. The thirdrclass cabins are roomy and well ventilated. !