A CRUISE ROUND THE WORLD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6441, 5 December 1881, Page 3

A CRUISE ROUND THE WORLD.

The enjoyable cruise round the world taken by Sir Thomas Brassey and his family in the Sunbeam, has suggested to a few gentlemen of position the idea of associating themselves together with the object of promoting a series of similar voyages, but on a more extended scale, both as regards the size of the vessel and the number of passengers. The character of a private yachting party of friends, as distinguished from a complement of ordinary passengers, will, however, be strictly preserved, for the regulations by which the expedition will be governed permit of a certain amount of discretion being exercised in the acceptance of passengers. The first point, of course, was to secure a vessel suitable for the special purpose of an extended yachting expedition, and this point has been met by the purchase from the Peninsular and Oriental Company of the fine screw steamer Ceylon. The exigencies of recent times have caused the company to provide cargo-carrying capacity in all their vessels. This capacity the Ceylon does not possess. She is constructed and fitted as a purely passenger vessel, and is hence uusuited to the company’s present requirements, but eminently suited to those of the pleasure party for which she is now being fitted out. The Ceylon is a screw ship of 2110 tons register, having engines of 450 horse power nominal, and being already well and favorably known to Indian passengers for her speed, roomy, and comfortable accommodation, and excellent sea-going qualities. She has graceful lines, and many other yachtlike qualities. She has a spacious main deck, large and perfectly ventilated saloons, Bft. 3in, in height, and ample and well-arranged domestic offices, which stamp her as a luxurious passenger steamer. Added to this, an elegantly appointed ladies’ boudoir and a comfortable smoking and card room have been erected upon the upper deck, and every detail is being attended to with the view of promoting the convenience of the passengers and the pleasure of the voyage. She has been thoroughly surveyed, andia now being fitted out under the supervision of Sir Edward J. Reed, K.C.8., M.P., and will be commanded by Captain B. D, Lunhatn, who is well known. She will have on board an experienced surgeon. It is proposed to start the Ceylon on her cruise from Southampton on Oct. 15 next, and the route will involve calls at no fewer than 34 sta tions. Her first port will be Bordeaux, and from thence she will proceed to Lisbon, Gibraltar, Malaga, Marsei les, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Constantinople, Alexandria, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama, Valparaiso, Buenos Ayres, Teneriffe, Madiera, and intermediate ports, returning to Southampton, which it is expected will he reached in about nine months from the time of starting.—“ Home News." ,