THE S.S. ATRATO.

Western Star, Issue 31, 13 June 1874, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE S.S. ATRATO.

The long-expected steamer Atrato arrived at the Heads on Monday, and, with no better luck than the other Plymouth ships, had the signal flying for measles on board. Her passage occupied sixty-three days. The Health and Custom Officers proceeded down in the p.s Peninsula, the representatives of the Pr ss being kindly invited to accompany them The .ti'n.to was brought up under the charge of Phot KXly and anchored in the Quarantine Ground. Her report is as follows : —Left Plymouth on the sth of \pril; experience! variable winds till off Funchal Roads, Madeira ; requested to be reported, and left the island on the 10th ; pas-ed Santa Cruz on the following day ; from thence to the equator, which was crossed on the 19th in long. 949 VV., had a flue run ; at noonoa the 4th of May anchored in Table Bay, after a pleasant run of twenty-nine days ; she put in (.here for coal, but could not get as many as required by 200 tons ; took in water and left again oa the afternoon of the 9th ; experienced strong gales, with heavy weather, the greater part of the trip ; not having enough coal to steam the whole way, took advantage of the fair wind and disconnected the engines ; arrived at the Heads at 10 a. m. to-day, and steamed up as above. We ascertained that there were now five or six cases of measles on board, all which, were v ry mild. There had been a great many cases during the voyage, but not one of them proved fatal, and no ease lasted o>'er five or six days. The invalidwere separated at first, but on account of there being so many cases, this was found impossible. There were thirty-three deaths on the voyage—six from convulsions from teetning, nine from consumption, one from erysipelas, and seventeen infants from croup and congestion of the lungs. There were two other cases of erysipelas, but they are both recovered. The clothes and bedding have been fumigated. The Atrato brings 762 souls, 289 of whom are for Oiago, and the remainder for Canterbury. The immigrants are under the charge of Dr bills. There are no invalids among the passengers for Otago, and probably they will be landed soon. The vessel has been placed in quarantine, pending the decision of the Board of Health.

Tag Atrato, some years ago, was reckoned one of the finest and fastest vessels in the Royal Mail Company’s fleet of West India steamships, and in so far as model and machinery arc concerned, she leaves very little to be desired. From the circumstance ot'iher possessing beautilul lines, quite adapting her for speed under steam or canvas, and moreover, from the fact that she had been recently fitted by Messrs Boulton and Watt with compound engines of the newest and most approvedjdesign, it was anticipated that she would accomplish an unusually rapid passage. The Atrato has an imposing appearance, aud some idea ®f her size may be formed from the fact that she is larger than the largest of the P. and 0. Company’s steamers going to Melbourne. She is a Clyde-built vessel, barque rigged, aud ranks in the highest classificacion at Lloyd’s, and her dimensions are as follows: —-Length, 335 ft Din ; beam, 42ft 4in ; and depth ot hold, 34ft Gin. She is fitted with com pound engines, of 356 horse-power nominal, but capable, of course, of going to a much higher figure. Her boilers are three in number, with four furnaces in each, fed at both ends, and the consumption of coal is from 22 tons to 25 tons daily. The diametjr of her cylinders is 9l)in and 57in respectively, and herscrewis somewhat formidable in size. The engine-room, which evidently has not been sacrificed for want of space, is nearly 60ft iu length, and is in beautiful order. The vtrato is essentially a passenger ship, and her accommodation is of the highest order. The salrwiTxji* wi-itb of the vessel, thing similar, to that of the s s., Royal ■■standard, aud with this disposition comfortably seat 100 passengers at the halfdozen tables which traverse the apartment. Her ’tween decks are lofty and well vcuti.ated, ana the discernment of the authorities iu selecting her as a vessel for the conveyance of immigrants is at ouce apparent on a examination of her berthing accommodation. I’he trato is owned by Messrs John -viorrioou and Co., of Loudon, and is commandea oy Captain J. B. Husband.