THE UNIOS COMPANY'S NEW STEAMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2220, 17 September 1896, Page 14

THE UNIOS COMPANY'S NEW STEAMERS.

EETUEN OF MR JAMES MILLS.

Auckland, September 11.

Mr James Mills, managing director of the Union Steam Ship Company, is a pas* se&ger for Auckland on the steamship Moaowai. He brought more details about; the new steamnbip now being built by Denny Bros., of Dumbarton, whioh will in a few months succeed the Monowai on the ma between Sydney and San Francisco, via Auckland and Apia. While Mr Mills was attending > to business in England his wife and dtngbt-ers, - who , return with him. made a tuur of the interesting' "points of Europe. His visit to England has been important, in that, he ; purchased one large s tenner, let contracts ' for two more, and advertised for bids for the con- < struction of .a fourth one, which will allow of • tho return of the Monowai to the colonial trade of the Union Steam Ship Company. Tho Monowai's snecesaor is now building, and is expeoted to make hfr first visit to San Fr*.nci«oo • next March. She has already been christened theMoana, which in the Maori tongue mesng "the sea." She will bo 360 ft by 44ft and 34ft deep, with a burden capacity of 4700 tons, 1000 torn more than tbat of tha Monowai. She will outstrip the Monowai as to speed, running 16$ knots on her tri&l trip. She is calenla'ed to average 15 kno s an hour loaded all tbe way between Sydney and San Francisco, and to cover the distance between tho latter port and Auckland in 17 days, where now, as a rule, it requires 20 days' time for the Monowai to make the voyage. The fittings of the Moana will surpass in elegance those of any steamship nailing the Pacific, tnd her machinery will be all of the very latest invention. Sbe will have saloon j accommodation for 200 pa?sengers, nearly half of whom may occupy deck cabins suitably arranged for perfect comfort in tropical «.t> well aa -colder climates. The best; force blast boilers will be put into the vessel, and all her saloon will have ventilators worked by powerful electric fan motors. The ship will ba strictly np to date in all her appointment!. Ilia sh ; p purchased by Mr Mills is a cargo steamer of 3000 tons capacity, built by Doxford and Son», of Newcastle-on-Tyoe. She is fast in her clas9, and will run in tho Fiji Island local and sugar trade. The other ship contracted for will be called the Waikare. She will have 3500 tons capacity, and a speed ' or 15 knots on trial, «nd will work also in the , colonial trade. Macmillan, of Dumbarton, is building tor. The vessel for which bids have ' been asked will be a 3000"ton steamer to ■ consort with the Mararoa and Monowai in the intercolonial freight and passenger trade. She will run 15 knots, and accommodate 270 cabin > and 130 steerage passengers The business of the Union Steam Ship Company has come to be enormous. The company is now operating 55 ■ •hip?, and in six months the number will hare reached 59.