Refuel Every 3 ½ Years Tribune July 31 - 57 U.S. Atom Liner to Sail Seas by 1960 New York Times Service WASHINGTON, July 30—The keel of the nation's first atomic- powered merchant ship will be laid next spring and the rakish- lined, modernistic vessel should be sailing the high seas by 1960. This timetable for the construction and launching of an atomic-powered passenger-cargo ship was presented Tuesday at Today's Chuckle "There's one thing sure about. Eustice," said a luncheon club member after a long meeting. "If there's nothing to be said, he'll always say it." a symposium on the government program to develop a nuclear- powered merchant fleet. The symposium, sponsored by the Atomic Energy Commission and the Maritime Administration, was attended by scores of officials and. engineers of the shipping and atomic industries. With its atomic power plant, the 42 Vs -million-dollar ship will be able to steam 350,000 miles, or 3V2 years on one charge of nuclear fuel. The 21,000-ton ship will be. a "floating laboratory" to demonstrate the feasibility of atomic power for commercial ships and lead the way to a nuclear-powered merchant fleet. Eventually the ship is expected to enter reg ular commercial service, but as the first atomic-powered ship it is not expected to be competitive economically with conventionally powered ships. The ship will have a length of between 587 and 600 feet— slightly longer than the new mariner class of cargo-passenger ships. She will have a beam of 78 feet and draft of 29% feet. While designed primarily to carry more than 9,000 tons of cargo in her six holds, the ship also will be able to accommodate 60 passengers in the comfortable style of a modern liner. On her promenade deck will be a dance floor, cocktail lounge, bar, swimming pool and play area.