ARRIVAL OF THE GAIRLOCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5466, 26 January 1885, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE GAIRLOCH.

Tho Northern Steamship Company's Gairlocn arrived irom Glasgow late on Saturday afteriioon, tho passage hating occupied 115 days. She is a fine-looking twin tcrew steamer of 100 tons groos register, and haa been built oxprossly for the ca'.tle trade on the Woat Coast. Tho Gairloch wa3 built by Messrs Blackvrocd and GordOD, o£ Glrtsi?en+. Sho is of steel, and her dimensions &ro:-: Lcngth of keel and forewto. 117 ft.; beam, 23U j dopth ot hold, 9ft. Her engines aro compound aarfaco condensing, tie cylinders being high prtnrarc. 17 incheo; low pressure 31 inches; length cf stroke,.2l inohas. and the horaa power about bOO indicated. Tho boiler, which i 3 of s>«el, is t-'Sted to Mlba nor squaro inch. Tho hold la flttod with stafts and other necessary contrivances for tho conveyance of live stocc, while the ventila'.ing machine travels at tno rate of 500 revolutions per minute, and keep} tho temperature sufficiently low. The vessel U alao well provided with accommodation for passengers. Tho Saloon is situated ainidship, and is provided with uvory convenience for about 50 passengers, while abaft of the enginoroom there is provision for 20 second-class passengers. Altogether the steamer appears to be admirably suited to the tradofor which she is intended, Ol tho 115 days occupied on tho passauo the Gairloch was 70 days under canvas, •which will account for Uie length of time occupied on the t.-ip. On her trial trip, tho steamer accomplished a speed of 11 knots tho weather being uofavonrable. Tho Gairloch is in charge of Captain James Hill, late of tho barque Anazi, and the chief officer is Mr James Allen, formerly of the barque Astcrian. Mr Baxter is in charge of the engine-room, and Mr Wm. McGregor, Bon of Capt. A. McGregor, is second engineer. Tho litter had the parsonal supervision «pf tho steamer while building. Captain Hill reports of tho voyage as fjjlowa :—Lclt Port Glasgow on the Ist ot Octobffjlast, landing tho nilot at Waterf cird on tho sth Oclobor. Reached St. Vincent at 1 p m. on tho 10th, and, after taliinu on board 150 ton 3of coal, tho passage waa resumed at 0 p.m. on tho 18th. Crossed tho Kg uatoron26th October, and passed thomcrldian of Greenwich on loth November, in latitude B(j----south. Crossed tho meridian of tho Capo of Good Hope on the 23rd in latitudo 39" south, and that of Cape Lewin on the 4th of January in 13' S Pa'sed south of Tusminia on January la, and sighted Three Kings early on Friday mominK. From St. Vincent to the Cape of Good Hoao had N.W. winds, voering to S.W. and S S.W., with tho seas occasionally vory heavy. Ran down the castiugs botween the parallels of iV and 13* S. to Cape Lewin, and between -W and 15" 8. to Tasmania. Down tko coast fino weather was mot with. From October 20th to November Ist, from November )3Lh to 20th, and from November 21th to January 13th, steam was dispensed with, which tended to prolong tho vojage.