OUR NEW FERRY FLIER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1789, 30 June 1913, Page 9

OUR NEW FERRY FLIER.

; WAHINE DESCRIBED, / _

CAPTAIN ALDWELL TO COMMAND,

/The Union. Company's now turbine ferry J jteantttf Walhine, Captain S. Vint, ar- g ' rived.at Port Chalmers yesterday on her t maiden voyago from tho Clyde, via BiUh S bury. The Wahine was launched from j Denny Brothers' yard lit Duintartoi. u*' { November-25, tho christening eepemo~y t biing performed by Miss Mills, daughter 1 of Sir James Mill?, the managing dil'ector ? of the Union Company, and may bo said. J , to represent the best and most' up-to-dato 1 ■ type of hor class. ] The gross tonnage of tile Wahine ia 4435 ' tons, !Cn3 her dimensions are 375 ft. by 1 63ft. by 25ft, Giiu The Maori's gross regis- f ter i 3 3399 tons, and her .dimensions are } 350 ft. by 1 47 ft. bv 24ft. Bin,, so . that the Wahino is a substantially bigger ship 1 than the Maori., Sho 'carriES two maSts 8 and two funnels, and is propelled by tBTeo 1 sets of improved turbines, tho 1 centre one' being high pressure, the oort 1 nnd starboard engines being each low ■ • pressure, each low ■pressure shaft beipg 3 fitted with a reversing turbine for going c astern. Steam is generated in eight largo 1 s , Baboock and Wilcox water-tube boilers, £ oaoh, of 1600 li.p* capacity, making a total o of 12,000 h,p. when tho boilers are. being j Worked at their maxirilum j>ressur<J. • A 1 Bpeed of 2l knots' was specified by lier i owners, and when the Wahine ran her trials for six hours, with all her boilers working, she covered 21 1-3 knots pet ihour, and it is confidently anticipated a . tliat the new flior will easily maintain e a regular speed of 1!), to 20 knots under a ordinary service conditions in Cook. Strait, f whore she will shortly bo employed. j c Passenger Accortlriiodation. , t Being specially fitted for carrying pas- <! gangers, the .Wahnpo lias been equipped i: With the most approved berthiiig 6co6m- li jnodatioii. ' Provision has been made to l berth 404 passengers in Single, y doublo, three, and fou/-berth cabins, and i: the vessel has, in. addition, several cabins a do Ixl3o fitted up like a hotel bedtoonl,. t with wid6 beds, handsome wardrobes/ I baths, oto. In the secontj-class division 5 there is accommodfttidrt for 188. passengers t in enclosed . cabins, fitted with spring I mattresses,: hot .raid cold pliiilge and t slower baths, extensive lavatories, • etc. In addition to tho above, the Wahine is licensed to carry 82 first-olass and 178 second-class passengers during an extra busy rush, making ft total of 853 pasfetly s gets. Special prOvisioit has been taade c ' tor equipping the Wahine with lifebiiats, l: of which she carries 16, besides two a emallOT boatsi hor boat cqUipmCht having .' been specially inspected by- Frdfessof s! Bills, director of naval construction at v Glasgow University, and a Committee of I Lloyd's, those gentlemen iKiiig highly c pleased and surprised with this branch ti of her equipment) which is in excess of i the "boats for all standard. 1 r • Lifeboat Facilities. i To facilitate tho rapid launching of the -i lifeboats during an emergency, the Wahine carries a,, special derrick .on her boat-deck, designed to hoist out two boats » at a time. To render that procoss quite ( independent of the engihes and boilers during darkness and emergency, there is . a special dynamo, driven by, an oil engine, placed on. the boat-deck, whioh may be brilliantly lighted iip whilst the remainder of the steamer is in total darkness. \ • '~ .' The vessel is illuihiinated by. 1700 OlectrW 1 lamps, operated by two one of 1 them being; kept as a stand-by in case of a < breakdown, thus• assuring ample lighting ■» ■under all conditions. I'ire is guarded ' iagainst by means of Clayton's patent fire- 1 extinguishing apparatus, and the whole > ship is ventilated by special machinery of < the most approved type, There are tour I hatches for carfjo, each having two der- i ricks and four the rapid band;, ,< ling of cargo : at pftrtj afid lii auditioil' si to the usual steam capstan she carries a 1 ''quick warp to-ensure rapid, berthing I >t the wharf on arrival. ! - ■ i Two Rudders—A Novelty. . i Besides tho ordinary rtiddef astern, the J Wailline is fitted with a bow i rudder, by meajis of which her -manoeuvring capacity mil bo fully doubled. Her steering is operated by means of a. patent hydt-aulio ■ domofel', fthd to facilitate bertlUng' at , 'larves 1 there is n Chadburn docking tele- i ..aph, with repeat dials at the stern, and vn addition to th«se latest devices htf , commandor can telephone from the ilying bridge, and givo his . orders by speaking , tubes to the eilgirte-fcom, the lookoilt for* .ward, aild the bofthiiig officer at the . stern. In tho ovOnt of ahy mishap to thd ' Fteorlng maohinory, the vessel con bo : ptcored by hlitld-geai by means of Brown's , xtcnt machinery. Although primarily intended, for the . Cook Strait ferry service, tho Wahine is equipped with wireless telegraphy, operated by IJ-kiW. transformer, giving n day radiua o£ 250 Miles, and double that range : at night tinder ordinary conditions, an. emergency set being available when steam i 3 not procurable. Tho interior fitting 3 of the new steamer are said .to be V6ry : plain, but rioh withal, t.ho panelling being ■, of yellow pine and heavy gilt mouldings, giving the interior of the ship an elegant appoaranco. Tho main dining saloon is ' situated on tho lower deck, and is very similar to that of her sister ship, the ' Maori, larger. Tho smokeroom, music-room, and social hall aro situated on the promenade deck, biing lighted by large square ports, whioh com-' mand a wide view. The second-class dining saloon is on the promenade deck, tit tho after end of tho ship, and the accommodation of this quarter*is quite' sumptuous, baths, hot and cold Showers, lavatories, etc., being placed on each deck. All the interior metal fittings are heavily electroplated brass, and a feature of the' second-class bathrooms- is tho mahogany dre?sing'-tablcs with which each room is ?quipped< ■ ' ■ Officers'and Crew's Quarters. ' The seamen's quarters are situated in . !he forecastlo, and include hot and Cold laths,, messrooms, and other corriforts, beid£'3 a specially-designed system of vendition, said to be quite a feature of tho aon's quarters on this vessel. The cavjatn and 'officers are quartered on the boat-deck, with tnessrooms, baths, etc., for their exclusive use. The engineers'. • quarters are on tho upper ceck, where. . similar conveniences afo provided for the, engine-room staff. The galley of tho Wnhiiio is provided with all the latest appliances for roasting and. baking and the supply of hot water. Thero are steamheated chests, ■ special carving ' tables, patent copper, coffee-making, and milk-, warming apparatus, besides numerous other labour-saving devices calculated to tnake the average chef rejoico. In overy pare of tho Walnno there is evidence of thorough caro and skill in the choice of her equipment, suggested bythe experience gained with tho Maori j so' that to-day the Wahine stands for. all. that is best in a vessol of her size and will remain at Port Chalmfr3 for about a fortnight, and during that time she will be docked and painted prior to talcing up tho Maori's running in the Lvt-telton-WollingtOn service, , whilst the latter vessel comes south for an extensive overhaul. Upon completion of her overhaul, the Maori will Tonlace tho Mararoa, and tho ferry servico will thereafter be maintained by tho Maori nnd the Wahine. Captain B, M. Aldwell's Career. Captain B. M. Aldwell, at present in chnrgo of tho Maori, will take chargo of tho Wahine when sho enters tho Lyt-tefton-Wellingtnn service. This announcement will be received with pleasure by the mhnv friends and acquaintances of Captain "Mdwell, who has earned a welldeserved reputation as a careful, capable, and skilful shipmaster. Captain Aldwell, who his been in thO Borvice of the Union Steam Ship Company for many years, as officer and master, has been in command of the Maori since January 22, 1910, when he succeeded Captain T. M. Hunter, after tho la Iter's appointment to tho pilot staff at Ljttolton. / ' The Wahino is at present commanded ■by Captain S. Vint, formerly :of the Apnrimi. No official announcement has yet been made .as to who will command the Maori, when sho • replaces tlie M&r&roa after undergoing an overhaul at Port Chalmers, bait it is stated that Captain W. _ Manning mo.y take charge of the Maori.