ARRIVAL OF THE s.s. MIKADO.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 38, 17 January 1874, Page 8

ARRIVAL OF THE s.s. MIKADO.

TitE unexpected appearance of a large steamer off Otago Heads late on the afternoon of the 10th inst. excited a great deal of surprise and curiosity, no vesse l of the class of the stranger being expected. She loomed up over the Spit, and showed four masts and a huge smoke stack, and was altogether different in appearance to any boat that had ever visited these waters. She was the Mikado, one of the line of steamers for the new European mail service, via California. The Mikado had a considerable cargo, and 536 Chinese passengers from Hong Kong for this port. They have arrived here the one in preramed good condition, and the other healthy, and, to all appearance, nnie the worse for their voyage. Only three European passengers arrived in her — one being the son of the Hon. John Bathgate, of this city. The Mikado is a magnificent vessel, bran new, having only left Liverpool on her first voyage on the 31st of August last. She belongs to Mr John McGregor, of leith, from which port she hails. The Mikado has proved herself to be a fast boat by makiDg the quickest run on record between Liverpool and Hong Kong via Suez, doing the distance in 36 days 8 hours, her average speed being H£ knots. The Mikado is a steamer of 1992 ton» register, and 3034 tons gross measurement. She is 386 ft long over all, and 36ft main beam, with 26ft depth of hold. She is of iron throughout, even to her 'tween decks, which are laid with that metal, and is fitted up with the latest improvements vn gearing,- fittings, &c. She is fitted with one pair of compound vertical direct acting surface condensing engines, nominal power 400 horse, but capable of working up to nearly 1500. She has accomodation fo- 108* saloon passengers, 87 second-cabin puseengers, and 666 froe-cabin p&seugers. She is provided with 1 1 boats — two of which are fife boats. The engiaeer's staff numbers 31, viz., the chief engineer, three sssistant engineers, a boiler maker, and 26 firemen. The engines are ponderous pieces of machine-y, and yet by the aid of skilful contrivances are managed with wonderful ease and exactness. The telegraph by which orders are conveyed from- the deck to the engine-room, is so constructed that an order from above can be replied to, so that if an order to stop her or go ahead,, as the case maj be, is misunderstood, the mistake is discovered at once, aqd the order repeated. The ship is fitted with Brown's patent hydraulic steeriag aparatus, which so far as the ships movements are concerned, it worked by a tiller no lorger than that of a ten ton yacht. The steering house is situated at the fore part of the huricane deck, and is elaborately fitted up with compasses, barometers, and other instruments. The consumption of coal is from 24 to 30' tons per day for 10^, knot speed and from 38* to 40' tons for 13 knots. She cju cany 900 tons of coal in her bunkers-. She is also provided with a patent windlass capstan, worked by steam, and the main shafiing of her engines is 13£ iuches diameter. The Mikado, which while in porb was visited by large numbers, has left for Sydney.