THE R.M.SS. AUSTRALIA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 134, 29 May 1876, Page 2

THE R.M.SS. AUSTRALIA.

Of this splendid-steamer the Post says : — ."She is'.by farthe most magnificent specimen . of the .Bhip-builders' art ever yet seen in the .Australasian waters, and fitted; with every v possible modern improvement, coming us she dues fr^sh from the yards of her builders, 7 Me jsrs*"Jdhn iElder and -Sons, ot Glasgow, on . - : ..whom she reflects infinite. credit . ; ;Her , chief dimensions are, as -follows : —Length' * overall, : ..;VB'94i'tj- kee\7;376ft;: beam, 37ft 6in ; gross measurement, 2737 tons; register, 1714 tons. Her engines' are of 'soo horse power nominal, i and cari,w.ork'oup:to nearly! Booo. . They are ; ; superb spVcimens. of. machinery,. and are sup-" ."Xplied with a^ host* "of appliances for economising labor and increasing efficiency She has three Cylinders,; one high and two low pressure? j -The boilers are tubular,* two in 7 number, heated bys.l2 <furnaces. t-Her daily - consumption of coal at an. average speed of 12 knots: doing 56 revolutions per minute, is only thirty-Hye tons. .She maintained a mean speed ' of 12J knots for . it ' diys "on her vpyage to Melbourne; and did 354 knots in one day. being at the rate ot 15 knots per hour fdr; 24' hours: Working heir engines atr' '. ; full pressure, doing 65 revolutions, she can steani 16 knots with ease. More than a score of subsidiary ; engines assist in working the ~vessel, : raising anchor, hoisting siils, &c. The steering is done by an hydraulic engine, so skilfully balanced that the immense ship is '-'.-.:,- steered., by a wheel only 16in in diameter. ,: The pilot'house, 'captain's' 'cabini bri-fges (of 7/ which ! here are.two), and jobber, arrangements * 7 fer7working the vessel, are all di- posed with j^'ei'jelljiij judgtpent.t The main deck is of v, 7 iron,- plahked^oyer. / There.are no bulwarks, 77 thus ;the r'vesTel lbdks^yery.ittw in the water, f; althbugb^hjr-^dr^;; is; only .- 19ft. . She., is >V, j rigged 7 aß7a7fouriniaßted, schooner, with jib- •-"/-; headed trysail a running up to the masthead, light square topsails and courses on the fore and -gaaia ; masts^and.otaysails on the mizen

andjigger] .masts.'also a fore-staysail and jib running down to the stem, which is straight, and without bowsprit, j The accommodation for .first- class passengers is entirely amidships, andtis of Sthe^highest degree of excellence^ s The decorations are less gaudy th*m in the American*built boats, but,. while there is leas show/there'' is infinitely 'greater coin? fort. "1 he saloon is a nob'.e apartment, nearly square, admirably lighted and. ventilated by a, vast dome skylight, which is one of the fear s tures of the ship. There are ten tatte^ and each passenger has a cushioned easy chair to himself, fixed to the floor, the seat being on a swivel. There is a fine forte by Collard, and an extensive library. The sleeping-be>ths are delightfully spacious, airy, and comfortable, and there are u -limited . baths and other conveniences. The roof of the deck-house forms a splendid promenade ! The ship will accommodate 15* passengers in the saloon. 80 second-class (which iB better than the first-class of most steamer-*;, and 78 steerage (also very fairly .provided, for),, or 263 passengers in all The., second-class is abaft the sa'pon, -and- tbe steerage furthest of all. close ''tb 4 the stprn .The kitchen; -pantry, s •" Ac., are thoroughly in keeping with all the rest, i There are numerous smoking-rooms, special cabins for married couples, &e. 'The stairs' are cover ad with india-rubber t matting to prevent slipping. Altogether, the Australia is Iss fine a ship as we are likely. to see in Wellington harbor for many a year." /,