THE P.R.M.S. ZEALANDIA.

Evening Star, Issue 4047, 15 February 1876, Page 3

THE P.R.M.S. ZEALANDIA.

Wo take the following description and report of the voyage of this splendid steamer from the ‘ Age ’ of the sth inst.;— Yesterday the Zealandia, the first of the new line of steamers to run the New South Wales and New Zealand mails across the Pacific to and from San Fjauci-co, arrived cn route for Sydney. She is a magnificent ship in every respect, and has given evidence of steaming qualities by the excellent passage she has made, which has only been exceeded by that of the St. Osyth. The time taken by the Zealandia is forty-six days three hours rom Plymouth, which, allowing for difference of time, brings it to forty five days seventeen : hours, and' this may be reduced further to forty-three days fifteen hours by giving the one day twenty-two hours she was deta!nea coaling at St. Vincent’s ; and it may also be 'dated that during one week she averaged 315 knots per diy. The whole passage, however, is a grand success, and gives further proof that a mail service via the Cape of Good Hope is quite practicable, and would prove highly satisfactory to”the travelling public, as well as to the mercantile community. Che following is a import of the Zealandia’s passagfe out:—Left Plymouth.at l.p.m, on the r 19th of December, arrived at St. Vincent’s at 8.15 a noon the 28th; left again at 6 a.m. on the 30th, and arrived in' Hobson’s Bay at 4 p.m. yesterday, having experienced head southerly gales from Plymouth to 87i deg, N., strong south-easterly trades from latitude 20 deg. S. to 35 deg. S., and strong head winds from long. 96 E. t£ arrival at Port Philip Heads. The passage throughout has been a most enjoyable one, and the passengers liken it to a yachting cruise, for the vessel is, oven in heavy weather, very steady. They are laudatory in their praise o! Captain Perries and hip officers for the kind way in which they did ail in their power to amuse them, and it may be men! tioned to such an extent was this carried that at a concert given a few nights prior to arrival, in aid of the Merchant Shipping Orphan Asylum, L2O was collected. The number of passengers brought » nir ves3 ®l was 136, viz., seventy-two tor Melbourne, and sixty-four for Sydney. There was one death, th t of Mrs, Charles Morrison, from dropsy. All the rest have enjoyed excellent health! The Zealandia is officered as followsJ. S. Ferries (late of the steamer Tartar), commander; Mr F. Bi Thomson (late of the P. and 0. Company’s steamers) 2 first officer; Mr R. C. Ghest, second; Mr S. Denton, third; and Mr B. W. Palms, fourth. Mr A} Marshall has charge of the engines, Dr Rickards of 2?? C. M’Donald (late purser of the P. and 0; Gvs service) the purser. The foil lowing is a brief description of the vessel: She was bunt expressly for the service of the Pacific Mad Shin Company to carry the ffiails between Australia* New Zealand, and San Francisco, by the well-known firm of Messrs John Elder and Co., Glasgow, and is constructed on the most approved lines, thereby ensuring the utmost possible comfort to the pas? sengers, combined with a yery high rate of speed when under steam. She has been classed 100 A 1 at .Lloyds, her capacity being 3,000 tons register; the length being 876 feet by 38 feet beam/ The ship has accommodation for 165 first-class, 24 second-class, , and' 85 steerage' passengers; the various cabins and berths having been furnifhed m a manner which must afford satisfaction to all who travel m the vessel, the state-rooms and nrsu-class saloon i being decorated in the most elegant .style, and situated forward of the funnel. Her engines are of the new compound three-cylinder Fo iSv and oE horse-power nominal, working up to 2,400 horse-power. They take three grips of the crank shnit (instead of two as usual in marine enginos), and this peculiarity gives a movement almost inaudible in the saloon, even when, the engines ore ' waking at a high presstufe; the stroke is 4ft 3in: which Las been found on a consumption of 32 tons of coal per day to give an average speed of 114 knots.* i; ro P e } ler is four-bladed, with 25ft pitch and f/ft diameter, and when at full speed gives 65 revolutious. She is also fitted with steam-reversing gear, Which is considered a great'acquisition. The’ eugiuos are so fitted that in case of a break-down the vessel can be worked with either two or one of them. The Australia is to be the next vessel of the lino to come out. She is a sister ship to the Zoalanaia. ; SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. _LJ)ndon, November 26.—Sailed: Oxford, for Dufiedin. Passengers: Messrs Charles Davenport. O Donnell, Brockhaok, James Ellis, Edward Os win/ Oswin, T. Bourdon, Warden, Johnson, James White, Thomas Casbon, James Putlock, George Hester, Jacob Bellamy, J. Newell, H. Segers, E. Jeffard, H. Jeffard, J. Swan, J. Jones, Mrs Martha Jones, Mrs E, Oswin, and Miss E. Jeffard : November 27.—Sir Lanncelot, for Otago. Passen--gers: E. Redman, Mann, A. M'Gregor, W. Kerle, ! Mr and Mrs R. Francis, Mr and Mrs Philips, Miss M. Conway, P. Levy, H. Watson, C. O. Briscoe, Miss F. Paley, C. Braithwaite and wife, and J. Neil.