THE FERRY SERVICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3995, 7 October 1930, Page 75

THE FERRY SERVICE.

DETAILS OF NEW VESSEL.

DELIVERY IN A YEAR’S TIME WELLINGTON, September 29

Further particulars of the new steamer being built by the Union Company for the Wellington-Lyttelton ferry service are available. The vessel will have a length of 419 ft 3in, a breadth of 56ft, and a speed of 21| knots. Accommodation being provided for 700 first-class passengers, 594 accommodated in cabins and the remainder in public rooms; 221 second class passengers, 161 in cabins and 60 in public rooms. The crew will number about 100. The vessel will have five decks, and will be subdivided by water-tight bulkheads, and to meet the full requirements of the Board of Trade fire screens will be fitted Twelve lifeboats, worked by the WeliuM'Lachlan gravity lowering davits, will be provided. There will be a handsome dining saloon entrance, a lounge and smoke room for first-class passengers, and a dining saloon and smoke room for second class. Provision is being made for the carriage of a certain amount of cargo. Large spaces ’tween the decks are provided for carrying motor cars.

The vessel will have twin screws, each propeller being driven by an electric motor supplied with alternating current from alternators, which will be driven by C. Curtis turbines, to which high-pres-sure super-heated steam will be supplied from the Yarrow boilers, oil fired. The new’ vessel will have two masts, two funnels’, a raked stem and a cruiser stern, and will be ready for delivery in a year’s time.