UNION COMPANY'S FLEET

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2345, 30 December 1914, Page 6

UNION COMPANY'S FLEET

STEAMERS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

THE 1915 PROGRAMME

In keoping with past traditions, and In order to maintain tho progressive standard of tho Rod Funnel fleet, the Union Company has now under construction three large steamers —ond for the Vancouver mail and passenger service, and two large cargo vessels, similar to the ill-fated Tyrone, one of them being designed to replace , that vessel, and the other being built to meet the oxpansion which is taking placo in tho Homo trade, in which the Roscommon, Limerick, and Westmeath are now engaged. The Union Company's annual report" gives tho following interesting details concerning the vessels now under conßtruotion: —"A contract was let to tlis Fairfield Shipbuilding Company for .the tho Vancouver steamor. She will bo osßentially a. high-class nail steamer, with a sea speed of 16} knots, and ui view of the growing trade in. dairy produce, meat., and fruit between Australasia and Vancouver, she will be specially fitted for refrigorated cargo. She will have accommodation for 468 first and second-class passengerß, and permanent accommodation for 247 thirdclass' passengers, which can. be extended as required. Her public rooms and appointments will place her in the front rank of passenger liners. After consultation with the builders,'it was decided to adopt what is known as the cruiser stern,, which possesses distinct advantages over the older type. In her engine and boiler-room advantage has been taken of the latest improvements. -Her water-tube Soilors aro designed for mo of either oil fuel or coal, and the steam, which, will ho superheated, will drive two sets of geared turbines. Delivery of . this vessel was to have been given in April next, but en! account of pressure to complete warships, it is not lively she will leave.the builders' hands before the following Juno. _ The cargo steamers are being built in the yards of Messrs. Swan, Hunter, Wigham, Richardson, Walls-end-on-Tyne, and Sir Raylton Dixon and Co., Middlesbro'. The one building by the former: company will be something over 12,000 tons gross register. Her deadweight will be nearly 16,000 tons, 'v'and her sea speed will be 14} knots. She will.:have large refrigerating engines, and her insulated holds will accommodate 130,000 carcases of mutton, with, space for extension if necessary. She will also be available to carry a large number of thirdolasß passengers. Tho steamer building, at Middlesbro'will be somewhat smaller, about 10,000 tons gross register, a deadweight of 10,600 tons, and a capacity for 115,000 carcasses of mutton. Both .these ships will have cruiser Bterns, and will be driven by geared turbines, superheated: steam being used. They will differ from the passenger steamer building fby Fairfield!s in having Scotch boilers, and_ being .designed to burn coal only. • Delivery of the steamer under construction-, at Middlesbro'. was to be given this month, while the one building on the Tyne was to be completed by July, 1915. Unfortunately both will probably' be delayed for the- same" reason that applies to the Fairfield steamer.