THE AUSTRALASIAN OCEAN YACHT COMPANY.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1998, 30 September 1869, Page 2

THE AUSTRALASIAN OCEAN YACHT COMPANY.

A meeting of merchants, ship-owners, captains of vessels, and others engaged in the shipping trade, attended yesterday, at 30 Swanston street, for the purpose of inspecting a model of a new class of vessels suitable for carrying on the passenger trade between Europe and Victoria, in a quick, safe, comfortable and economical manner. The model, which was built after the design of a gentleman (Dr Thomson, of South Yarra), who has devoted great attention to ship-building, and to the practice and science of navigation, was on the scale of one quarter of an inch to the foot. A vessel built after it would be 300 feet over all, would have 40 feet of beam, and would draw 24 feet of water aft and 20 feet forward. If b alt according to the ordinary construction of ships, it would be 2000 tons builders’ measurement, but by the exact lines of the model would not be so much. The lines of the model are much than those of the vessels hitherto engaged in the passenger trade, for which alone vessels according to the model would be constructed, and not to carry cargo. One of the principal advantages in the new class of ships is the very greatly increased speed which wid be attained through the improvement of the lines, and their not being deeply laden with cargo. Instead of sinking very deeply into the water, as the ordinary vessels carrying cargo as well as passengers do when fully laden, the line's of the new vessels would prevent them going down so far, and as a consequence they would remain much more buoyant and sail more rapidly. It is calculated that they would be always 14 feet out of the water, and would be infinitely more comfortable and drier at sea than even full-power steamers. As no hold would be required for cargo, there would be great space, 9 or 10 feet between each of the decks ; and as it is intended that all the cooking and condensing should be conducted below, the same as in a man-of-war, the decks would be clear for "the enjoyment of passengers, there being neither poop nor forecastle upon them. Such ships are also considered to be safer than any other class of vessels. With the fine lines forward and aft they would never run the risk of being driven on a lee-shore as the Royal Charter was, but would be able to beat to windward at the rate of seven knots an hour even in a gale of wind. The speed the vessels are expected to attain off a wind is twenty miles ; and in order to overcome the equa-

tonal calms the vessels would be fitted with two engines of 15-horse power each, and hydraulic pump, one nozzle to be fixed in the run on either side. The two engines can, if necessaiy, be worked up to 90-horse power ; and it is expected that this new propelling power will carry the vessel across any calm at the rate of about seven knots an hour, and thus enable the vessels to travel over the calms, which are so serious a disadvantage to sailing vessels. The designer of the model is quite confident that the vessels would make the voyage in fifty days to or from Europe, and that five trips per year could be accomplished by each, the loss of time in load- ■ ing and unloading cargo being dispensed with. It has been ascertained that 60,000 passengers voyage between Victoria and Europe every year, at a cost • of about L 1,000,000, and it is thought many more persons would visit the home countries, and thousands more come here if they could be conveyed with greater speed and comfort than by steamers, and at about one-half the expense, as it is fully believed they can be by the new vessels. The ships, as stated, are intended to be of about 2000 tons each, and capable of carrying fifty saloon passengers in sumptuous apartments, and with every convenience equal to that provided in North American liners, at LSO each, 100 intermediate passengers, at L 25 each and 150 in the steerage, at LI 4. The cost of one of the vessels is estimated at L40,000,-and the profit on it annually, after paying every possible expense, nearly L6OOO. Every requisite would be provided for the passengers at the rates named, so that they would be saved the expense of bringing their own outfit, and would have nothing to do but to walk on board the vesssels. As previously stated, the designer has had large experience in ship-building, and large vessels have been built after his models. The prepresent model was so highly thought of by Captain Shepherd, of the ship George Thompson (recently here) that he wished . to take it home and submit it to Mr George Thompson, of Aberdeen, the well-known builder of clipper ships, but the designer wished to show it in the colony, in order that it might be ascertained if a company could be formed by Victorian , capital. That there is room for . the investment of colonial capital in the home shipping trade is fully manifest from the fact that although several millions are invested in that business, not more than L 150,000 of it is Victorian, and consequently none of the profit is ' realised by the colonists. The model will be exhibited for several days at the office named above ; and if it is found possible to float a company, one vessel will be built first, after which four other’s could be built. The model was exceedingly much admired by those who saw it yesterday, and was pronounced to be perfection by all. A trip in a ship built after it will possess the advantages of a pleasure excursion, as there will be no unpleasant or un- , healthy effluvia such as are experienced . in vessels carrying hides, bones, and hoofs ; no danger from combustion, as in woolships ; no loss of time taking in or discharging cargo, and no loss - through cargo sinking it deeply; but, - on the contrary, a speedy passage of 50 days in a dry, strongly-built, and thoi’oughly safe vessel. The vessels are intended really to do for the passenger trade of this Colony what the clipper ■ ships have done for the tea and opium trade of China—namely, to secure quick, economical, and safe passages.— Age.