THE HOSPITAL SHIP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2506, 6 July 1915, Page 6

THE HOSPITAL SHIP

MAHENO IN PORT VISITED BY 8000 PEOPLE Nothing has tended to knit the friendly relations'existing between-His Excellency the Governor and the peopie of New Zealand so ir.uch as His Majesty's representative's proposal that the Dominion should send a hospital snip for use in connection with'> its forces operating in Europe, How that proposal, was received by tho Government and taken up by the people is now history. It started, the sewing machines whirring frorh Whnngarei to tile' Bluff; it opened the purse-strings of tho well-to-do, and. kindled generous impulses in every 'Community and class. It was, therefore, not surprising to find that tho arrival of the transformed turbine steamer Maheno should havo created enormous interest among the citizens of Wellington, most of whom had dope something . towards helping to equip the. vessel-in ono way or another. Tho appearance of the liner as she steamed slowly ccross tho harbour to a berth on the north side of the King's Wharf created a 'most favourable impression. AVe are not, fortunately, used ■ to. seeing hospital ships in our harbours, and when the Maheno, gleaming white from water-line to truck, poked her bow round Point Halswell, she resembled some beautiful dream ship that had floated into this prosaic and- sadly-troubled world out of some lovely-fairy story. Her masts, funnels, top hamper, boats, and rigging, were all clearly outlined in the whitest of white, paint, whilst half-way between the bulwarks of tho main declc and the water-line extends a . broad green band, broken tore and' aft on both' port and starboard sides to take iii the great* red crosii (on a white -background) of St. John of Jerusalem.' Tiie only other break in tlie even white of'everything is tho continuous lino of strong green-glazed box lanterns,".which run fore and aft flush with the bulwarks of tho promenade deck, fitted with elcctric bulbs, which when switched on at night time in the war zone will intimate to'any'other vessel tho proximity of. a hospital ship. During the five weoks and a half .work of alterating tho Maheno for her new mission, the whole interior plan of the vessel hasbeen changed. Cabins on the main and 1 lower deck have been ripped Out, and in their place are white-painted wards, each of which has 'its identification letter. Where formerly existed -alleyways, flanked with cabins on either., side, one. comes .upon wards st.. intervals, each of them fitted with iron fixed and swinging , cots, as yet unfurnished with bed linen or, mattresses. . Tlie cots aro roomy and stroug with bottoms of steel lath. Accommodation is provided in tlieso wards for 351 men, but it is anticipated that' room could be made as well for another -hundred convalcscents if it found necessary to do ' so. In between , the wards cabins havo been left as quarters for the attendants or for stores essential to the. work. -With tho crowds who visited tho ship between noon and 6 p.m. yesterday. tho centre of interest-was the. saloon, only idciitifiable now through the stained-glass skylight. This, will later on bo used by those who require the-attention of the surgeo'ns. The . ante-rooms, formorly the servory and tho stewards-room are subdivided, and now hear above the doors such reminders of the work ahead as "Surgical," "Anaesthetic,'.' paration- Boom," "X-Ray 1100.m,'.. and "Operating' Boom."' -Most of these rooms aro now bare of fittings, but tho operating-room has its geared table, etc., as. reminders of.-tiie- sohoob Hussion of tho vessel. Opening .'off the. operating theatre is the steriiising-room fitted with a complete sterilising plant, bearing.the trade namo of the Hospital Suppty'Company, of "Now. York.'. Here is also a hot-water bos, whero a' permanent supply, of boiling water will be kept for. the use of the surgeons.. ■

Two Electric Elevators, Electric lifts are common to tho bigAtlantic liners,', but until yesterday wo had never seen a vessel fitted with elevators. , The Maheno' has 'two,'. one' amidships and the other aft, each large enough t9 tako a' stretcher, and itsoc-' cupant with attendants. ■ On the main deck are tho ofiicos and cabins of the medical staff, and right.aft on the same deck is a perfectly equipped, laundry, with patent steam washers, , wringer; and a wonderful steam-driven' mangle' with lift, rollers. Everything appears, to have'been .arranged ; with foresight, as to convenience and economy of space. Even the beautiful smoke-room on the promenade dock has been converted into a cot-hung ward, and every other recreative space has been utilised for..some useful purposo.. 'In the X-Ray room tho walls are of zinc, in ordor to prevent the rays expending their force onwooden , walls. Special; attention has been given to. ventilation throughout the ship. New ventilating shafts have been installed to convey'a plentiful i supply of fresh air to the wards under, deck, and electric air fans are conveniently placed■-for the same i beneficent purposo. The ambulance men, to the number of sixty, who- are to accompany tho ship, have been accommodated in one of tlio vessel's^holds, :which. has been comfortably appointed for the purpose.' • ' ' . The Medical Staff. i Tlio medical staff .of the Maheno consists .of the following officers: —Officer Commanding, Hon. Collins, M.L.C., of Wellington; second in cokmand, Surgeon-Captain Inglis; staff, Surgeon-Captains Tolhurst (Wellington), M'Cawy Simpson, . and Spedding; Quarter-master and. Adjutant, Captain Dunbar Sloan. The Maheno will also carry ten nurses on the permanent staff, and 70 other nurses are ■ proceeding „to Egypt by, the "Hospital ship. ■ ■ : " The Ship's Staff. The officers,of tlio Maheno will bo as follows Captain, D. M'Lean; chief officer, Mr. F. W. Jackson; second officer, Mr; A. Reed; third officer, Mr. J. Duder ; fourth officer, Sir. M. W. Lano. The fifth officer had not been signed on yesterday.. Tho engine-room staff will be as follows Chief, Mr. J. Basire ; second, Mr. W. Aimers; third, Mr. H. A. Reed ; fourth, Mr. A. L. S. Cassie; fifth, Mr. C. Buchan; sixth, Mr. D. Dalgleisli; seventh} Mr. H. P. Tucker;.eighth, Mr. W.; G.Scott; electrician, Mr. W. J. Maskell ; cliief steward,' Mr. J. O'Brien;,wireless operator, Mr. D.'C. Lane; launch engineers, Messrs. E. Knewstub and Andrews. Work Well Done. The plans for tho refitting of tho Maheno for hospital purposes were' prepared by Captain M'Don.-ild, mariiio superintendent of the Union Steam- Ship Company, who was assisted by Mr. Constable, the naval architect, and the ivork was done under the supervsiion of Captain Post, of the Tutanekai, and Mr. M'Pherson, engineer of. the same vessel, both members 'of ; tho.Transport Board. Those w'lio , knew the Maheno six weeks ago will best bo able to judge of the- amount of work that 'has been done, and tlio manner and speed with which, it has been executed. Everything is built just as solid as though tho liner was to bo a. hospital ship for tlio rest of her days, and every attention has been given to the minimising of. opportunities for tlio accumulationof'ilirt. Tho Maheno was' visited bv some eight thousand people yesterday, including many from the country, and tho students of the Girls' High School. All will wish her well oil her compassionate..voyagings, accompanying that wish with' the devout hope that her ..wprlc will be light and her return to. these shores a speedy one. . Members of Parliament aro to visit the Hospital Ship on Thursday morpiyg 11 A'docls. v ~'