had not taken place. As a result, the lubricant for the first two voyages had been lard oil subsequently replaced with mineral oil with good performance until gear abrasion due to lubrication failure was determined after the eighth voyage in Honolulu. The gears were transposed in San Francisco so that astern and forward surfaces were reversed and good surfaces were used for ahead turbines and lard oil was again used. During the transit from San Francisco to New York after requisition by the government salt water entered the system due to an accident in an oil cooler causing the lard oil to go highly acidic requiring a complete overhaul in Baltimore where again abrasion to tooth surfaces was detected due to inferior oil and another failure of the oil cooling system; however, Maui made a round trip to Europe without gear trouble. Despite these early problems the propulsion plant for Maui was proven so successful in both early commercial service and under demanding service with the Navy that similar Westinghouse propulsion plants were specified in the design of Matson's postwar ships and . Electric power was provided by two 30 kilowatt and one 50 kilowatt generators supplying 110-volt direct current. Three ten ton Brunswick Refrigeration Company compressors chilled galley and pantry units and a large cluster of separate chill rooms for various classes of stores in a special gallery of by served by a handling room and a larger space for refrigerated cargo. Passenger accommodations were similar to the older with a larger number of special staterooms with a capacity for 252 first class passengers in 64 three berth, 24 two berth and 12 single berth rooms. Passenger service Sea trials were conducted 3 April 1917 and the new Matson liner departed San Francisco on maiden voyage to Honolulu on 7 April. Maui became the flagship of the Matson fleet and, with Matsonia, accounted not only for passenger traffic between the mainland and Hawaii but 20,000 tons a month of cargo each way bringing goods from the mainland and returning with sugar and pineapples. The sugar industry and islands received a "shock" with news announced in early June 1917 of a cable from President Matson concerning the fact the government would take over Maui for wartime service when she reached San Francisco on a voyage already underway and Matsonia as soon as she returned from the round trip. Sugar stocks