TRIAL TRIP OF THE TASMAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 65, 1 April 1903, Page 2

TRIAL TRIP OF THE TASMAN.

\ NEW DEPARTURR IN THE BAY TRADE.

The trial tiip of tho new steamer Ta9inan, built to tha design of Mr. Burford for the Golden Bay and Motueka trade, was made on Monday, returning to town this jnoming, after visiting Takaka, Collingwood, and Tc--1 taranui.

The vessel is far and away tho oest and 1 most n_od?rn of her class now in Now I Zealand waters. Relatively, tho Tasman I has quite as much saloon accommodation as any of the smaller Union Company's boats t lading to this por'-. She is very broad in the beam, and consequently the quarters for passengers are both airy and spacious. Tho ports are the largest procurable, and many of them have been pat into the saloon, while an ample skylight ' gives both air and light from above. Ranged fore and aft are two dinner tables, which can be moved if necessary, and the crimson Utrecht velvet seats lining the sides of the saloon aro so arranged as to be convertible into comfortable berths, each curtained off. There is also provision along the wall space for a second (top) row of berths, while two central seats furnish further bertli3 if needed, by means of an expansive attachment. The dark crimson velvet, the white of tbe Baloon walls, and the artistic electric light shades, together with tbe graceful electrolier group of lights in the skylight, make the saloon most handsome. The portion of the mast within the saloon is availed of to make an ornamental addition, lt is octagonal in shape, in long panels, and each panel is of a different New Zealand wood, picked for its baautiful grain and highly polished. The cabin arrangement s, in addition to those in the saloon already desc ibed,

provide for a ladies" cabin, with a separata companion ladder. It is handsomely fitted up, with plenty of ports and ventilation generally. - Acces3 to tbe saloon is oV tained by an alley way with doors at either end. This alley way is fitted with moveable bunks and a complete lavatory in marble. When required for additional accommodation for hid es tbo alley way can bo shut off from thc saloon, or similarly, if required for additioal male ac commodation, it can bo shut off from tho ladies' cabic lt should be mentioned that tho whole of the fixtures in the saloon and ladies' cabin ejpeeially are of

handsome New Zealand woods, in tastefull contrasts of light and dark, wiih beautiful graining, mounted with bras.; or sil- ] ver plating. Tbe table appointments gencinlly are of the best description, the electro plated w,\ro and cutlery Uiiig --f tbo h'ghest quality. Tbo electric liglt is a feature of the Fa^mau-it is all over the vessel, in the I cabiuf, in tbe saloon, in ihe Voids, at tbe ] masthead, for sid>» light:., flares, ute. A I coil of coloured lamp.! is ii3od on occasions for illumination, and when lit at I Coliogwood and Takaka last night elicited much ndfii iat;on. Tnfact.it should be. statod thai c owds of people v'sited the I'asman at the places named yesterday, and all wore loud in pai oof die beautiful appointments of tbo ves.-el. Tbo cook's galley and stewa-d's depiituiont aro models of couveneuce and Landless. Evoiy provision is made all o?er ibo ressel fur tbe discharge of waste into tbo sea direct, aDd by this moans much labour is saved (.nd uusighlliness a-olded. Tbn lavatories and sanitary appliances are also of tbe host aud most m de n descrip'ioo. \ detailed description (Ff thy engines, etc. of the- I'asman is as follows-. — Bbe is llL'ft l:i:n/, 21ft broad. 7fr. doep, with a tonnage of 100. She has been built on tbe diagonal prnc pie, with three 'thicknesses tho f'amo aud plunk ug bong of kauri, wtb iron dock beam-. Die timbor used is of tbo ve y best, be'ng all well eeas ned. Ti_e eu'/inea are t vin screw, li gb pre su c, la ge rat o compound siiifnc - c udmn-'ing, working at lGulb per square inch, with itid.-per. dent air and ci cul.ting sleam-dti-on pumps. I'lio high p ts« sine cyliudais p. re S^in, and the low» pn ssure 22^[u, with a I2in inch strike. Tbo iO-oliili:.n.. of tho engines a e desigu ed for I- GO a minute, an Ia e expected dereb.p2.sO ndicate. l horse power. The p.-opellor- are . f guu metal and aro of tho c . nigated-iion type aud ve y efficient fo small diameters and bi h spefd. The b"ilur is h ado to the Hoard of I'iade reqiiiieuiont.". aud is i).6ft iu diameter, with a 1 nglh of O.Gl't ; is fiited witb two fur< uaces of the F.ix co iugatt_d type, with sep irate combustiou chambers ; ar>d has boon tested to an hydraulic pressure of 3201b jer square inch lor the required w. irking pressure of IGolb. Tbis work has been cu-of'ully aud well put; together 1 1 th-3 SHtifcfucUi.u of tbo Government Inspector of Machinery. Messr. George Fraser and Son.i are tho coutractora for tbe ongines and boiler, anc" Mr. Logan, ai___i., of Auckland, w».< the bm'.'der. J be oflicers if Ihe Tasman are : Captain Sterens (furoicily of the Tyidy Barkly). Mr. T. Duncan engineer, Mr. Braid wood (who brouglil tbe t amor from AukJand) chief mat.-, Mr. II skin (f vmerly oi the Takapuna) lew-.rd. 'At.heiuvit tit n of the own or, Mr. Bu.fo.d. cpoentati.es of the Ntd-on

new-papara i cjompaniod Lite Ta man on

lio trial trip ou Tuo.Jay, roi.urnii.jj to the c.iy after an uuf.irtunato dct-nti-m at Collingwood this moiniug instead of

yesterday afiuinoon, at oiiorinally a'rai._rtd The trip wa -. hardly a test of the c_pn,b;li_io-i of the new re sol, a; she 1. ft Nel on with only half hor heavy cargo from Wellington unloaded, and that from the after nolo. Tho consequent iva-i that the vo ol whs badly trin„cd, and down by the head, and thus steerfid' w.ldl . Sho lot lonie time on tho tr p to Takaka, yawing c.iii iderably, but alter dischaii'iu;r unic t ns of the carpo from ih»f re hold at Takaka the trimmed mure c -mfortably and did the j'->urney from Takaka to tho out r en borage at Collinp W(!od within the hour. She entorod <"ollingw..od with Ihe tido m tho morning, aud di. charged cargo with the

object of catching the tide at Takaka, Hi t it wa. blow ug rery heavily from tha wo t, bioad.ido ou to (ho '.''a man, pi-e---venting he: fiom turning, e paciatly a? her ttem w.v jambed a.aiu_t Riley's ivharf. Ai n. con.-equi-nce Ihe only thing Captain Slev..t_> c_uld do ivas to kt tbe teal di if L atain t tho mud at Pah Point aud tv arp her back to Ihe ivbaif. This wa.done with considerable difficulty owing ,o the fieiee wo lerly wind, and by the time tho Tn ma i was at Ibe wharf again it was t,.i. 1.-.te f.,j tho i i Je at Takaka.. It a-a. therefore deoidod to stay till tbo n> xt lido at L'oll ngwood, aud opp .rtunity iva; taken by lho Coll ing w-fcjd p oplo lo thoroughlv in peut the new vets 01. Crowds riited the st.amer all d y, and iu the eroning tLe illunuLalions with the electric lip.ht were very effective A slart for Takaka, Tolaranui. and home was made at about S.SO'lasfc evening, and. Nejson was reached without further ad-

voa l uro at about da> light this morninjr. . The la man, when properly trimmed, has a great turn of speed, aud her ttvm scruws are of tho utmost value to ber both for power and steer iitf. Altogether sho i-. u vessel far superior to anything in her lino and tbe bost of bet- kind that has yet been put on tho Bay trade. 'lho U3»ppnpei representatives, who ware the glints of Mi. Biitfurd, thoroughly enjoys rd their trip. Mr. Hr.skius, formerly of tfie Takapuna, is steward of tha Tas'mau, and is a gro.it aoouisitiun, beiug most alten'ii-o, and * having bis department in the very best irder.