A LAUNDRY AT SEA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 20 September 1900, Page 2

A LAUNDRY AT SEA.

-v ■ An "ocean laundry" is an experiment first to be tried on the steamship New England, of the Dominion Line. The usual practice with jin ocean liner is to allow its own laundry to assume large proportions somewhere down in the hold, while the soiled linen of its passengers becomes an individual care and trouble until tlie end of the voyage. The passenger will now givo his linen to the steward, and he to tha laundry man below, and in a few hours, it «ill bo returned to him fresh and e'ean. The new plant will handle on an average 7000 pieces of linen a. day, with the capacity for doing the entire washing for about eight hundred' people. It will be as complete as a laundry on shore. The plant has a daily consumption of fifty barrels of soap and twenty barrels of starch. One item is the use of 4000 gallons of water per day, which is condensed on the ship by special apparatus. The machinery of tho plant consists of a large steam mangle, and washing and ironing machines. Napkins and towels can bo "fed" to the mangle machine at the rate of 4000 pieces an hour. There are two largo washing machines, which, by .skilful manipulation, can turn out linen, well washed and wrung out, to the number of 10,000 pieces a day. Washing is the first consideration in tho progress of laundry work, and the successful results from these machines are assured. Appliances include thoso for starching properly and to suitindividual taste. One of the most difficult operations of the lauudiyman is ironing. In the machines which have been provided, however, this part of the work may be done with entire satisfaction. One machine is capable of ironing from eight to ten thousand collars and cuffs a day, to say nothing of other arises.