CABLE STEAMER IRIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 99, 27 April 1903, Page 3

CABLE STEAMER IRIS.

TO BE STATIONED AT

AUCKLAND

The new cable 1 steamer, Iris arrived at Sydney on the 17th inst. from London. The following particulars concerning this unique steamer (unique because built by the joint Governments of England, Canada and Australia) will be found oi" interest. She is a twin-screw steamer of 2550 tons gross and 984 tons net measurement, and has a speed at sea of 15.0 knots, while her boilers have a working pressure of 1901b of steam iq the square inch.

The Iris was launched early last year, and was taken for her official speed trials in October last. She wa3 built for the Pacific Cable Board of London by Messrs David J. Dunlop and Co., Port Glasgow, and her principal dimensions are: Length on water-line, 286 f t; breadth moulded, 40£ ft; and depth moulded to spar deck, 25ft. The vessel has been fitted with four cable tanks — two forward and two aft of the machinery space. The tanks have accommodation for 400 nautical miles of deep-sea cable. The cable machinery' consists of very heavy gear forward and a lighter gear aft, suitable for paying-out and picking-up purposes, supplied by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, Limited, of Greenwich. The propelling machinery, which consists of two sets of triple-expansion ongines, was designed with a view to secure the • least possible vibration. Stored in the forehoM are large quantities of appliances such as grapnels, mushrooms, fete. Four immense buoys, each weighing 31cwt, are carried on the spar deck, and are supplied with, patent platforms for launching them. The accommodation throughout is excellent, and great attention has been given to the subject of ventilation, the ship having been specially constructed for hot climates. The officers' and electricians' quarters are on the snar deck, and the navigating officers' quarters are on the navigating deck. The accommodation for all the officers is amidships, which is a new departure in cable ships. The petty officers are quartern! aft. The quarters of the crew are situated forward, while the Chinese firemen are provided for forwnrd. The vessel is spotlessly clean throughout.

The vessel had a sensational experience in a terrific cyclone, through which she passed a few days after leaving Colombo. The sprny Avas so thick that it enveloped the entire A'essel' giA'ing the appearance of a dense fog. Boisterous Aveather continued until within a few days of Adelaide. Tho Iris' will establish her headminrters in Auckland.