UNION COMPANY'S FLEET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13575, 31 December 1914, Page 8

UNION COMPANY'S FLEET.

M'EiiilEß ' UND^R' CONSTRUCTION

In keeping with past traditions, and in order to maintain the progressive standard of the. Red Funnel fleet, the Uiiioii. Company- has now under construction three large steamers — one for "the, Vancouver mail and passenger ser;vice,ian<s; two -large cargo vessels, simiJar to the. ill-fated Tyrone, one of them being, designed -to replace that, and the bthor being built : tdiineet the expansion which is taking; plac« in the Home trado, in which "the ■> Rosoomnion, Liniori«k,' dnd >\Vestnieath fire no.w engaged. The Union Company's annual report gives the following interesting details concerning the vessels now uu,der construction -.—'A; contract was let to the Pairfield s- Shipbuilding Oonipanx 7 ; for the Vancouver- steamer. She will be esjsentif Uy a high-class mail steamer, with a sea speed of 16£ knots, and in view of the growing trade in dairy produce, meat, and fruit between Australasia and Vancouver, she will be speciallv fitted for refrigerated cargo. She will have accommodation for 458 first and second-class passengers, aud permanent accommodation, for 247 thivd\class passengers, which can "be extended as required. Her public rooms and appointments will 'place her in the front; rank of passenger liners. . After with the .builders, it was decided to adopt what is ■ known as the cruiser stern, which possesses distinct advantages ..over the older type. In her engine and 'boiler room, advantage has been taken of the. latest improvements. Her water-tube' boilers are designed for use of either oil fuel or coal, and tho steam, which will "Itoe superheated, will drive two' sets of geared turbines. Delivery of this vessel was to have been given in April next, ' bat on. account of (Pressure rto icomplete "wai'shipsi, it is not likely she Will leave;' the -builders' hands before the following >Tune," Tlie cargo steamers are being : built in ihV yards .of Swan*- Hunter, Wigham, Jtich.- --• ifimoxu, Wa&hend-on-'Ty ne, and Sir Raylton Dixon and Co., Middlesbro'. The » one building ; toy the former company, will be' over 12 ; 000 tons gi'oss register. Her deadweight will be : nearly 16^000 tons, and her sM' speed will be ; l4i knots. She will have large refrigerating engines, aud her insulated holds will accommodate 130,000 carcases of mutton, with space for extei\sipn if necessary. She will also be available to carry a large number oi third-class passengers. The steamer building at Middlesforo' will be somewhat smaller, aboiit 10,000 tons gross j register, a deadweight of 10,600 tons, and a capacity for 115,000 carcases of \ mutton.. - Both "these shipsfr will have ■oruisoi- -.sterns , and will be . driven by J turbines fc) super-heated steam being •ueed. They will differ from the passenger steamer building by Fairfield's m.lia,y ing Scotch; "boilers, and bejing designed -'-to burn coal only. Delivery of the steamer under construction at Middlesbro 1 was to be given this month, while the one building on the Tyne will be 'completed by July, 1915. Unfortunately, both wilL probably be delaVed for the same reason that applies to the Fairfield steamer."