THE HARBOR DREDGE.

Evening Star, Issue 4256, 17 October 1876, Page 3

THE HARBOR DREDGE.

The launch of the new dredge for the Harbor Board.took place from the f huilding yard of Messrs Kincaid, M'Queen, an*' Cef."at Pelichet Bay this afternoon, and was witnessed by fully 2,000 people !***?&* display of hunting m honor of an event bo imporinterest found use for their flagstaffs. Of the M ***}. > *q and she was ' i? by the Peninsula, fully laden, which landed the Board's guests at the Peliohet Bay jetty, and the launch Vire with the Board's officials. A small space fronting the bows of the dredge had been reserved for the ladies, who mnsteredin strong force. At*MuJ JWjßnfemtertes J» in readiness, orders were given to displace the supT ports, and no sooner was that order complied with than thehull elided gracefully along the ways into the water. By some accident, at the very moment it began to move the blue ribbon attached to the orthodoxbottle of champagne became detached from Ss3£2 S e t»tts d %^d^X| "Vulcan," the unbroken bottie,>ith ribborPaS tached, fell into the waters Thexe was ho help for it but to take the name as having been duly given • and as the hull, which was drawing about 2ft'. floated three called for and heartily given. The builders, several members WpMentatives, i arid of Workmen" were on as our reporter Iras^leaVing 'the towing her to Pehchet Bay jetty. The invitees of tha.Board Battray street wharf. In one of the newly-built ■beds a cold collation was spread, and it having been done justice to there was some spoechmakingr The chair was occupied by the Mayor of Dunedin. ntli™t of Port Chalmers. The principal toasts were-" Success to ?"***** i'SWeeMl to fli*Ba»oi!' : sßoaTd's"opera: 2?°?* „**£ " ?, he Ccwaoowfaaal Interest," to which Jar E. B. CargiU, as Chairman of the Chamber of Owmmerce, responded. His Honor the SuperinW&dent was prevented by illness from being present at either the launch or the subsequent proceedings. Tn accordance with drawn out by the Baard s Engineer defining the principal dimenanona, capacity, and power of the dredge, tenders were invited by the Board-forher coustruction, and that of Messrs Kincaid, M'Queeß, and Co's. having A,pnl,-ig7S the Wter portion onhe mat».al requi|e^bnd ioSfi^mi-boW Great Britain, the work of budding did not really commence until some months later. , The dredge is of the inside double-ladder clajMJ and may be almost looked upon as two vessels combined—this description of huU : -length,lllft; bxeadth, 33ft 6in; depth, 9ft. It is iron, hav! ing two seta or^£etossh ;? or which, workfag in its own well, is capable of lifting 500 tons of mud per hour. Great attention has been paid to the strength of the hull, which has seven keelsons designed to carry the weight of the engines, machinery, and framing, thereby distributing tt~<w«a4a*ge-surface. Th«-bulkheads-three in number—form four watertight compartmente: there are again subdivided, giving accommodation to the crew. The upright framing, carrying the upper tumblers, is made of plate iron, of a form which secures the greatest strength. The * t^^t* 6 0t anlm P roTed torm of beam, and of spoil per hour from a depth of 30ft. The ensffnds are on the compound principle, embodying aU the. latest improvements. They will be capable of indi- < eating a powerrMnal to,2ooLWaes,-but could, if requj-ed, W WdrkW to> «ouW7 that pow. The- i diameter of the high-pressure oylinder ia 21in, that. together arid bedded upon a substantial cast Jron frajnvft is on the surfaVje-coridensing principle, has 440 tubes carries the three main bearings for the crank shaft. The air and circulating pumps are worked by lexers froD ? t ?l.P lßto L n cross-head; the feed pumps are worked from the same levers. The cylinders are provided with fteHneeestery •eWpe valves at top and Dottom; also, stirting valvrs canveniently ar-SS^iiL-r^ 6 awidßfligjwd simul* tdte<4UkW seVot buckets, the power being intermediate gearing. Two suitable diseng-dging clutches of approved construction are provided for disconnecting one or both sets, under the coirbrobof the engineer. The boilers are|two in number, on tho tubular principle, tfibugli made as lSht as is consistent with. safetf t *re necessarily very heavy, and the buildafaSad to add large and heavy tools to their plant ia pr der to «arry on thecon"V^f 10 , 11 "?°o«WIJ-. Some idea of the magnitude lU2* ?*/ 1* £orm «d when it is stated that weighs over four tons. The deck winches will be placed one fore and on»,aT»7<rom which the chains are led by a simple y« effeetiv* arrang«nent of by a pair of high-presaure horisontal engiaes. the * Wm*i» tottn the main boilers, and they are also provided with hand

I . ' ;snc>fr nut.' ,»r> -A vn <mJi/.-son I 'M*ti >,v .'. ■/ * , Uii- r .*/> > j. ■ -wl I ■ ■■:< +.. A ■ V.-l :1 f