THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 18 September 1888, Page 4

THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

An Extkaoedinaey Vessel. . .- "7. .Liverpool, July 24.—1 n many respects tho finest specimen of naval architecture now alloat is the City of New York, which arrived in the Mersey last night alter a trial voyago from Greenock round the coast of Ireland. She had left Greenock on Saturday evening, at about half-past five o'clock. In her trial mile over a marked course on the Clyde, on the previous day, she attained a speed of twenty knots an hour without working under full pressure; and on this voyage,'though only said to have been worked at three-quarters of her power, which is that of 20,000, indicated horsepower, she.attained several times a speed of between eighteen and nineteen knots ap hour. At other times, in consequence of fog and for other reasons, sho was only worked at half-speed, and hence her arrival here was later than had beon anticipated. She proceeded on the tide into tho Albert I Dock, Birkenhead. Here she will to-day !be on view to the public at a nominal ' charge, the proceeds of which are to be j given to local charities. She will in a couple of days be docked on this side of the river, and will again be thrown open to I the public, when a similar chargo will be j made. She is to leave Liverpool on August Ist for New York, and her special suite of rooms and passenger accommoda- | tion generally are all booked up to the I uttermost extent, although the charges to be made for a voyage in her to New York run as high as £125 for some of her magnificent suites of rooms, ope of which has been reserved for Mr Blame, and henceforth tb be called the Blame Saloon. ■ ■ The City of New York was doing some preliminary sailing about the Clyde |on Thursday and Friday last, and _on tho < latter day, when the measured mile was llried at high pressure, she was credited with doing it at the rate of over 20 knots, or about 23 mil_s per-houn Thej officially gross registered tonnage of the! City of New York is 10,498. She is iiow parrying a crew of 320, but her full complex mentwillbe37o Vail told." She will be able to carry passengers as follows:—6so first-class, 300 second, and 500 steerage, total (with crew) 1,720. The officers are. Captain Watkins; Mr Barff, chief officer; Mr Cavanagh, purser; Mr MpDougall, i chief engineer; and Mr M'Leod chief "steward. " . . '.', Special attention has been .paid bo as to make the vessel adaptable as an armed cruiser, the promenade d6ck being specially fitted, strengthened^ and arranged to carry fourteen 5-inch guns of the swivel breechloading type. A cruiser of this kind would have great advantages at long range, which would be her only chance, of coping, with her antagonist, from her great height and steadiness, and in her superior manoeuvring capacity and speed.. A_arger rudder than usual is-fitted below the water line, and the steering apparatus is also below .the watep line, bo as to be safe from gun fire. Big as the ship is, she,can turn a circle in less than five minutes, whereas a vessel with an ordinary rudder would take from twice Or thrice that timeto make tho evolution. Arrangements aro made for the vessel's protection; in- tho event oi her becoming a, cruiser, by sur-! rounding the engines and boilers with blocks' of coal from 10 to 20 feet thick, whioh would afford considerable protection. • She carries sixteen lifeboats of the ordinary type, which are capable of holding fifty: persons, four Berthbn collapsible boats, and ten of Chambers's Semi-ooliap-sible boats-—in all. thirty boats, which will accommodate 1,500 passengers. There are ton miles of electric light wire on boards and.l,loo incandescent lamps. , The decorations which have been referred to are probably the most artistic and beautiful* that have ever; beep fitted. Special artists were engaged by Messrs TroUope and Sons; art furnishers, London, to design new fo.ras of beauty and colour, apopially adapted to the exigencies of such a steamer. The saloon is surmounted fay a magnificent dome, or cylindrical vo'ult, and the decorations in plaster.Repre- vsenting friezes Of the G reek type, are extreuiely chaste 'and beautiful.; The Whole woodwork is decorated by a^hew process in imitation of inlaid woods!; The library, which is superbly furnished, has convenient writing tables and easy chairs, and a magnificent selection of books of all classes. The drawing-room is also a sump--tuously furnished apartPient, which dotes credit to the artistic taste of Messrs Trollope and to their manager, Mr G. T, IfyobhK |eon, F.S.A.. It contains some rich I^fersi^h i embroideries and Indian carpets.