TRANS-ATLANTIC STEAMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2379, 8 October 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

TRANS-ATLANTIC STEAMERS.

Tukuk are many people who go down to the sea in ships who never know how much that is of interest surrounds them. In fact, not a small percentage of ocean travellers are too much disturbed about their interior a (fairs, to take much notice of what goes on about them. The following facts and figures regarding any one of the large ocean sfnam-’rs that run between Liverpool and New Ymk, may be interesting to any one of your readers. Leaving out of consideration the passengers, there are in all about 287 persons comprising tin: crew, including lid firem ■». For a single passage to New York, one of the most noted steamships, with oil cibin passengers, and a crew of 2liS persons, bail, when leaving Liverpool on the 2Sth of August la-t, the following ■ quantities of provi-ions : -12.330 lbs fresh beef, 790 ibs corned be i, f, .''.920 IPs mutton, 830 lbs iamb, F.Vlms veal, 830. bs pork, 2,000 lbs fresh fish, 000 fowls. ;li Hj chickens, 100 ducks, 30 geese, SO turkeys, 201 brace grouse, lb tons potatoes, 111 bainoers vegetables. 220 quarts ice cream, 1(H) quaits milk, and 11, bOO eggs, in groceries alone there were over 200 different aitides, including (for the round voyage, of twentyone days) libO lies tea, 1200.bs c >lfee, loOOihs white sugar, 280011)* moist sugar, 7-30,’bs pulverised sugar, 15001b* cheese, OCOOlbs butter, SjOOlbs ham, and lOOOlbs bacon. In spite, however, mf this seemingly overwhelming equipment, but very little was left of the provisions enumerated when the steamer arrived in port. The quantities of wine, spirits, beer, &c., put on board for consumption on the round voyage comprise 1000 bottles of champagne, 830 bottles of claret, 0000 bottles of ale, 2boo bottles of porter, -IbOO bottles of mineral waters, ObO bottles of various spirits. The amount of crockery destroyed on a voyage is enormous. The average breakage is about 900 plates, 2Socups, 408 saucers, 1,213 tumblers, 200 wine-glasses. 27 decanters and 03 water bottles. When people complain that it costs a great deal of money to cross the ocean let themstudy the above statistics in regard to breakage, and they will sec the voyage of a steamer is a costly matter for a company, lint to return to the subject of food consumption. One of the large steamship companies uses in its various rlepartmeuts annually 11 tons of mustard, I;,’ tons of pepper, 7910 bottles of pickles, 8000 tin* of sardines, 30 ton* of salt cod and ling, 4192 four-pound jars of jam, lb tons of marmalade (for the Englishmen), 22 tons of raisins currants, and figs, 10 tons split peas, lb tons pearl barley, 17 tons rice. 34 tons oatmeal, 400 tons flour, 23 tons biscuit. 33 tons salt, 48,902 loaves *f bread (Ribs each), 53 tons bams, 30 tons bacon, lb tons of cheese, 930 tons potatoes, 24.075 fowls, 4230 ducks, 2200 turkeys, 2200 geese. 31,212 tablets Pears’s soap, 3481 lbs Windsor soap, 10 tons yellow soap. The heaviat item in the Hue’s annua! expense account is for coal ; 330,704 tons is the yearly requirement, or almost 1000 tons for every day in the year. The consumption of engine oil is 101,018 gallons; of burning oils, 23,020 gallons ; of paint oil, 9290 gallons ; of waste, 90 tons ; of lead, bl tons ; of red lead, 12 tons.