’Frisco Steamer Service.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 16, 18 October 1911, Page 4

’Frisco Steamer Service.

The Oceanic SdS. Company, which is dominated by the Spreckels interest, has, it is definitely Announced, decided to reeonetriret the Ventura and tSonoma as oiU burners, at a cost approximating £ 150,800, with a view to resuming running between San Francisco, New Zealand, and Australia. These two boats, which originally cost each, have been lying idle in the Bay of dSan Francisco since 1906, waiting for a Government subsidy to enable them to resume the service. Apparently it has now been decided to start running without waiting any longer for the subsidy, w-hiih seems further away than it was in 1906. A contract has been signed for the work of putting the vessels in order for the service, and it iis estimated that work will be provided for 300 men Tor half a year. When these vessels burned coal, the maximum speed wa4 16J knots per hour. The sister ship Sierra was converted into an oil burner some time ago, and ha-s been running between ’Frisco and Honolulu, and it has been found tha-t her speed iwereased to 17 knots. It is estimated that the sulmtitirt-iou <of oil for coal as fuel will reduce the -aost -of running 40 per cent, and it is .ewpeeted that the run across will lie accomplished in nineteen days, instead of 21 as formerly, when coal fuel was used. Tanks sere to ba built that will give these vessels a' steaming radins of -10,500 miles. The resumption of a service between Auckland and San Francisco should be of great benefit to this city, as the communication since the Spreckels line erased Tunning has been so irregular, that a good deal of trade was undoubtedly lost during the intervening five years. In that time Auckland has progressed so rapidly that it should pay mneh better now to run the steamers than it did then. The Ventura and Sonoma are twinscrew ships of over 6,000 tons register, each having accommodation for 175 firstclass and 150 second cabin and steerage passengers. Electric lighting, wireless apparatus, and other appliances are to be installed for the safety and comfort of the passengers.