THE UNION COMPANY'S NEW STEAMERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10595, 12 September 1896, Page 4

THE UNION COMPANY'S NEW STEAMERS.

RETURN OF 23R JAMES MILLS. (F*s United Press Association.) Auckland, September 11. ■ ,' Mr James Mills, Managing director of th« Union Steam Ship Company, is a past senger for Aueklaud oa the steamship Monowai. H« brought more details about the new steamship now being built by Denny Bros., of Dumbarton, which will in a few months succeed the Monowai oa the run between Sydney ant! San Francisco, via Auckland and Apia. While Mr Mills ir«s attending to business in England his wife ancl dsiighters,'; who return with him, made a tour of the interesting points of Europe. His visit to England has been important, in that ha purchased one large i«'.*amer, let contracts for two more, and advertised for bids for the cony Btructiou of a fourth one, which will allow of the returu of the Moaowni to thn colonial trade of the Union Steam Ship Company. The Monowai's successor a now building, and is expected to make h<!r first visit to San Francises • next March. She hxa already bean christened theMoana, whichintts^;Haoritonguemesns'lthe i sea." She will be 3l»f* !>y Mfl and 34ft deep, with a burden capacity of 4700 tans, 1000 tons ■ more than that of th/Monowsi. She will out- ■ strip the Monowai *a 'no speed, running 16j : knots on her trial trip. Sbe is calculated to.:' average 15 knots an hour loaded all the waj, t between Sydney aod San Francieco, and tc cover the distance bei-ween the latter port anc Auckland in 17 days, where now, as a rule, i l requires 20 d»ys' time for the Monowsi to makl the voyage. The (KtiEgs oi the ftloana wil surpass in elegance those oi any sicanifbip Baft ing the Pacific, and fee; 1 machinery will be all j the very lntast inversion Sbe will have salooi accommodation for 200 passengers, nearly hai of whom may ocecpr deck cabius suitabl; arrauged for psrfecli ftc.mfort in kopicil as wel as colder climates. The best force blast boileri will be pat into the vessel, and ell her salooi will Have ventilators worked by powerfu' electric fan motors. The ship will bi strictly up to da'«j its all her appointments. The ship purchased by Mr Millf is a cargo steamer of 5000 tons capacity, built by Doxford and Si>««, of Newcfsstia-on-Tyoe/ She is faut in her eSftss, and trill run in the Fiji Island local and eagnr trade. The othei ship contracted for will be called the Waikare. She will have 3500 ions cupasßy, and a speed or 15 knots on trial, &sd will v?a;k also in the colonial trade. MacmiUan, of .Dumbarton, it building her. Ths vessel for which bids havt been asked will be a 3000-ton steamer t< consort with the Stuxxoa and Monowsi in th( intercolonial freight and passenger trade. She will run 15 kuots, end accommodate 270 csbin and 130 eteeroge passengers. The bnsinees of the Union Steam Ship Company has come tobs enormous. The company is now operating 55 ships, aud irfsiz months the number will hard reached 59.