Later career.2C 1902.E2.80.931928 SS Yorktown (1894)

1 later career, 1902–1928

1.1 powatan
1.2 cuba—world s first electric drive passenger ship

1.2.1 accommodations
1.2.2 engineering


1.3 seneca

later career, 1902–1928

the ship returned mercantile service in 1902 , operated under names ss powhatan, ss cuba, , ss seneca.

powatan

renamed powatan ship began norfolk, virginia—boston, massachusetts service merchants , miners transportation company. company shown in 1908 railway guide twenty-four ships , routes extending boston savannah, georgia.

at 8:14 p.m. 15 december 1916 outbound powatan collided 375 feet 6 inches (114.5 m) inbound british ship telena southeast of thimble shoal light in deep channel of lower chesapeake bay. both ships damaged powatan beached ship , cargo total loss. court findings powatan, in confused signals, had cut across telena s course rather pass port port responsibility collision resting entirely powatan. on appeal of decision fourth circuit court of appeals dismissed case , found unnecessary add full , fair discussion of case in lower court.

s.s. powhatan shortly after being brought surface.

powhatan declared total loss both owners , underwriters , remained unsalvaged months until world war demands shipping , skyrocketing ship values resulted in hulk being raised , taken norfolk, virginia until rehabilitation plan established. powatan, described rusted, wasted hulk of ship shipping men described hopeless after 2 years on mud flats, yanked off mud , towed new york morse tugs escorted far barnegat, new jersey osprey s 2 eggs in nest in masthead lamp. @ morse dry dock , repair company s brooklyn yard damaged , corroded plates , frames removed along machinery , there scarcely whole shell time rebuild converted ship world s first electric drive passenger ship, ss cuba, began.

cuba—world s first electric drive passenger ship

december 4, 1920 advertisement in new york evening post.

the rebuilt powhatan, renamed cuba, underwent trials , began operation in late 1920 world s first passenger ship turbo-electric drive , lighting , auxiliary machinery being electric. on trials propulsion motor delivering full 3,000 horsepower ship attained speed of 17.28 knots.

cuba relatively small ship of 3,580 tons displacement @ 17 feet (5.2 m) draft, 320 feet 6 inches (97.7 m) length overall , not intended owners, miami steamship company, carry cargo other automobiles on deck, express freight , refrigerated fruit emphasis put of passenger accommodations , spaces—so cuba called luxurious yacht rather passenger steamship . rebuilding cuba sponsored charles l. dimon, grandson of john dimon, partner in firm smith & dimon had designed , built 1845 clipper rainbow , 1846 clipper sea witch, backed general electric company dimon had selected furnish electrical equipment including main propulsion. initial references first class service between florida ports , havana, cuba later advertisements new york direct miami service leaving new york every saturday.

accommodations

verandah café.

passenger staterooms, double berths , private baths, in forward superstructure dining room furnished tables seating four. aid in handling passenger s automobiles vessel s side auto port designed allow largest limousines built driven, rather hoisted, aboard. among passenger spaces card room on boat deck aft of officer s quarters , radio room; smoking room large mahogany bar , end-to-end skylight aft of card room , verandah café aft of smoking room. verandah café designed imitate typical verandah running vines , trellis work, furniture in ivory , green , large windows opening sea breeze.

engineering

3,000 horsepower, 1,150 volt, 1,180 ampere electric propulsion motor installed in cuba.

electric power provided steam plant of 4 scotch boilers, each 3 oil fired furnaces, driving general electric 8 stage turbo-generator set in turn provided power @ 1,100 volts, 1,234 amperes rated @ 2,350 kilowatts delivering 50 cycle alternating current general electric synchronous type electric motor rated 3,000 horsepower running @ 1,150 volts , 1,180 amperes driving shaft , 15 feet (4.6 m) 4 bladed propeller pitch of 8 feet 9 inches (2.7 m) of built-up type cast iron hub , manganese bronze blades. motor control 2 levers, 1 motor speed , forward or reverse.

two 150 kilowatt general electric turbo-generator sets provided lighting , power auxiliary machinery half kilowatt holtzer-cabot electric company generator providing power wireless communication emergency lighting generator set driven gasoline engine on upper deck. capstans , winches electric including windlass 2 bower anchors of 5,110 pounds (2,317.9 kg) each. steering gear, not electric, steam driven various engineering pumps; main boiler feed pump, auxiliary feed, circulating , air pumps. 2 8 ton refrigeration plants installed forward.

seneca

on 30 december 1927 seneca burned , sank @ hoboken, new jersey. refloated on 2 september 1928 , subsequently scrapped.

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