THE ARMING OF SWIFT OCEAN STEAMSHIPS. Some Interesting Records of those Chosen by the English Government.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 98, 18 April 1885, Page 3

THE ARMING OF SWIFT OCEAN STEAMSHIPS. Some Interesting Records of those Chosen by the English Government.

A recent cablegram informs us that the English Government aro arming the fast Atlantic steamers Oregon, Arizona, Alaeka, America, and others, in view of hostilities with Russia, for use as fast cruisers. These vessels are four of the fastest and most magnificent steamships afloat, and as the part which they may play in the anticipated struggle would be an important one, some particulars concerning the capabilities of each which we have collected should prove of special interest : —

The Oregon. This vessel is one of the most handsome and speedy ever launched. She was built by John Elder and Son, who also built the Arizona and Alaska, .and particulars of her dimensions and performances arc as follows :— Dimensions, 500 ft x 54ft x 3Sft ; prohs tonnage, 7,250 ; probable displacement, 11,000 tons ; draught, 26ft; grate surface, 1,575 squaro feet; probable horsepower, 15,750 ', consumption offuelat2lbsper hour, H37 tons per day ; consumption between Queenstown and New York at recorded speed, 2,155 tons; recorded speed, 17 92 knots ; time occupied in steaming, 6 days 9& hours to do 2,750 knots.

The Alaska. Tho Alaska, like the Oregon, belongs to the Williams and Guioo Line, and has made some remarkable voyages in her time, as will be seen from the following record .-—Dimensions, 500 ft by 50ft by 38ft ; gross tonnage, 6,932 ; probable displacement, 11,400 tons ; draught, 26ft; grate surface, 1,180 square feet; probable horsepower, 11,800; consumption of fuel at 21bs per hour, 253 tons per day ; consumption between Queenstown and New York at recorded speed, 1,736 tons ; recorded speed, 16"8 knots ; time occupied in steaming, 6 days 22 hours to do 2,790 knots.

The America. This fine vessel, one of the National Line, wa& recently built by Thomson and Co., of Glasgow. She was constructed with the hope that she would do the trip between Queenstown and New ¥ork in Bix days. How far this was realised can be ascertained from the following, which includes her dimensions and record ap to last year : —Dimensions, 340 ft. x 61ft. x 36ft ; gross tonnage 6,000 ; probable displacement, 9,500 tons ; draught, '26ft. ; grate surface, 900 square feet ; probable horse power, 900 ; consumption of fuel at 21bs per hour, 182 tons per day; time occupied in steaming (Queenstown and New York), 6 days 16 hours,

The Arizona. The Arizona also belongs to the Williams and Guion line. In 1881 she astonished everybody by making the voyage from Queenatown to New York in 7 days 8 hours 32 minutes, and her fast trip, which was made subsequently, was accomplished in 7 days 7 hours 48 minutes. She was, however, eclipsed by the Alaska about a year later, when the latter made the homeward voyage from New York in the remarkable time of 6 days 18 hours 37 minutes. The best daily run of the Alaska was 447, which was made in November, 1882.

Hon. Mr Stout declined to promise that the telephone would be extended to Whangarei Heads unless the settlers guaranteed that it wuuld pay,.