The steamer New Bedford of the New Bedford, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamboat Line, is being requisitioned by the government as of noon today. This is the second boat to be taken from the line under the war power of the government, and her departure follows by little more than three weeks the requisitioning of the line’s flagships, the Naushon.

 

Every assurance has been given, it is learned, that no more steamers will be taken from the Island line.

 

Beginning today, two trips will be omitted from the Island schedule. These are the trips numbered 7 and 8 on the printed timetables. The first is that which now leaves New Bedford at 7 a.m., and reaches Oak Bluffs at 9 a.m. The second is that which leaves Nantucket at 4;30 p.m., and leaves Oak Bluffs at 6:45 p.m., reaching New Bedford at 8:45. With the exception of these two cancelled saillings, the timetable will remain as at present.

 

There may be further readjustment of the Sunday schedule, however, to afford better handling of the traffic on that day, and revised schedules will be published in the Gazette on Friday.

 

 

In announcing the taking of the New Bedford, Albert F. Haas, superintendent of the line, told the Gazette that the company would omit no step to maintain the best possible service with the remaining boats. He said that arrangements would be made for doubling up trips at peak times, and there is every reason for the public to look forward to adequate connections between the Island and the mainland.

 

The taking of the New Bedford terminates the arrangement whereby Nantucket, for a few days, has had the benefit of an early boat, and whereby it has been possible for one-day excursionists to spend five hours on that island between boats. It also puts an end to the early mail and early arrival of newspapers which has been popular on the Vineyard.

 

The steamer New Bedford was built in 1927 at the Fore River plant of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co. Her overall length is 210 feet, 3 inches; length molded, 202 feet; beam overall, 50 feet; beam molded, 35 feet; depth, 14 feet, 3 inches. She has a maximum passenger capacity of 2,000 persons and her freight space has an area of 5,450 square feet.

 

She is similar in general design and construction to the Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, except that the passenger gangway on the main deck is placed well aft, and the freight space thus made one third larger than that of the other boats. The lunchroom and purser’s office are on the saloon deck instead of on the main deck.

 

The automobile capacity of the New Bedford is rated at thirty-five cars.

 

The New Bedford is built of steel and has bilge keels to prevent rolling. she is practically fireproof. She has a four-cylinder, direct acting, triple expansion, surface condensing engine, and a speed of fifteen statute miles an hour. She went into service early in the summer of 1928.

 

Although the New Bedford has never been a popular boat, due to the use of space for freight at the expense of passenger accommodations, she has been important in handling freight and cars, and has been an important reliance of the Island.