The British King.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 91, 24 March 1883, Page 2

The British King.

I The British Kins; is a steel vessel of 2278 tons net reg ater.and is we believe, the largest merchant ship which has ever entered Wellington, and certainly is far the longest, her length being no j less th*n 425 feet, as against the MU j kado's 398 feet, and the Australia's ! 375 feet. Her beam is 39 feet, against their 35 feet and 37 feet respectively. The British King is not intended so j ranch for fast passenger-service as for all-round work and chiefly cargo, at moderate t>peed. Her engines work up to 2400 h.p. indicated, and this is found sufficent to propel her at an aver~ age rate of about twelve knots. Her gross tonnage is 3559, and she is stated to be able to carry 5500 tons of cargo. She is supposed ordinarily to be able to take 900 to 1000 persons, and m May last she actually conveyed 1100 from Queenstown to Philadelphia. She was built according to the Admiralty requirements, and can carry 800 soldiers , with 48 officers, if required to be used as a troopship. As regards the ship" herself, and the mechanical appliances with which she is fitted, it may be said with truth that m many respects she is much ahead of any other yet seen m Welling'oo. One prominent advantage is the " turtle-back" or convex iron covering, shaped like the shell of a turtle, which extends over her deck both m front and rear, and which promptly gets rid of any heavy seas she may ship, either forward or aft. This enables her to " carry on" m weather when it would otherwise be unsafe to con tinuo running, ghe has also unusually high combings, and is prepared m all respects to stand the worss weather. Her steam steering apparatus is extremely handy and effective, bhe has refrigerating apparatus, and can carry 250 tons of meat m her cold-air chamber. The freezing machinery was used all the way out, and enabled meat, &c, to be kept fresh to the last. {She has sir W. Thomson's patent compasses, and all sorts of mechanical improvements m the way of working ihe ship. It may be added that she is foar»masted, her ' tore and main masts bing equare^ rigged, the mizzen and jigger luasts having fore and alt sails only. She is said to be a capital seaboat.