The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-05-18 00:00:00

THE. STEAM-SHIP " ORION."

A beautiful new iron steam-ship, called " The Orion,"
has been added by the Glasgow and Liverpool Steam
Company to their line. She arrived here on her first
voyage, on Thursday, after a remarkably quick passage
of only fourteen and a quarter hours, from Greenock to
the Rock—a distance of about two hundred and sixteen
statute miles, or about fifteen miles an hour throughout.
The ship and engines were designed by Mr. James T.
Caird, of Greenock, of the firm of Caird and Company,
the builders. The following are her dimensions, &c. :
Length over all, 234 feet; breadth beam of the hull, 28
feet; burthen, about 897 tons •, engines, 450 horse power;
diameter of each cylinder, 74 inches; stroke, 6 feet;
effective diameter of each paddle wheel, 29 feet. The
vessel has a fine rakish appearance on the water, and may
be truly termed a beauty. The figure-head is a full length
figure of Orion, the celebrated giant and hunter of the
palmy days of Greece, with his bow and quivers. On the
trail-board, raised in alto in the carving, are representa-
tions of hunting scenery—the hound an stag, woods, &c.
Thestern and quarter galleries are appropriately embellished
with the carvings and emblematical figures—the former
enriched by gilded ornaments on white wreath work, with
a general black ground. The paddle houses are also deco-
rated with star ornaments, the centre one diverging into
gilded rayons. She has a flush deck, presenting an unin-
terrupted promenade. One great improvement is a regular
stair, with strong brass rails, from the paddle-boxes to the
deck. The companion-way, or stair leading to the cabins is
a fine piece of architecture. It is pannelled and ornamented
in oak, with a central circular top light, of one sheet of
glass, representing the sun with gilded rays on the roof,
on a circulean ground, enclosed with florated ornaments
in alto.
The Saloon is a gorgeous apartment, about 40 feet in
length, of the semi-circular and wider form abaft—state
rooms being taken off at the sides of the main body.
The general style of the architecture bears in some re-
spects a resemblance to that which prevailed in the days
of Louis XIV, but from the variety of ornament may be
classed amongst the composite or fanciful. The pilasters,
styles, and general ground work are of solid polished rose-
wood, the upper panels filled in alternately with beautiful
pictorial decorations and perforated-work in rosewood,
backed by plaited crimson silk. Mr. James Ballantine,
of Edinburgh, the poet, and general genius, designed the
whole, and painted the views and figures on the stained
glass—derived from the most approved illustrations of
Grecian literature, and (in the stained glass) impersona-
tions of the twelve months of the year, and the twelve
hours of the day ; as well as two designs illustrative of
the life of Orion. The paintings are on slate, chiefly two
views, within foliated gilded circles, two on each large
upright panel, and surrounded with floral work, and out-
side that by raised work, both gilded, resembling fine
picture frames. The capitals of the pilasters are burnished
gold, and terminate in gilded, rays, shooting down-
wards. There are eight stern windows, and one large
deck light, which is divided into three compartments, the
middle one forming a dome, and all fitted up with painted
glass, containing figures of white enamel, on a gold diap-
ered ground, being illustrations of the Odyssey. The
personages of the month are figures in white and gold, on
a blue diaper ground, as are those representing the hout;s.
In the pictorial ornamental panelling are many beautittil
views in Greece, executed on slate with great beauty of '
colouring and admirable effect. No papier mach6 paint-
ings exceed these in fineness, and the material on which
they are executed is superior, being a resister of damp,
and not liable to be warped or broken. The carved work,
consisting of bows, arrows, quivers, and other implements
of the chase were cut by Mr. Kay, of Glasgow, as well as
a large number of stars, emblematic of the constellation
Orion, and other devises having reference to incidents in
the life of the beatified giant. The furniture is all of fine
solid rosewood, and includes side hoards, mirrors, &c.
The ladies' and gentlemens' retiring cabins are both
fine apartments, also decorated with painting in oblong
ovals. The roofs, which are lofty, are throughout beauti-
fully panelled in compartments with raised groining taste-
fully carved. The state rooms are elegantly fitted up.
All the subsidiary arrangements correspond in taste and
good arrangement, so that the whole vessel may be said
to be a palace afloat.
The Orion is commanded by Captain Hugh Main, who
has been many years on the station, and is universally re-
spected both as a seaman and a companion.

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—About nine o'clock yes-
terday morning, a young man, unmarried, named Patrick
Sweeney, a labourer, was run over by the " Owl railway
engine, on the railway near Wavertree Gate, Edge-hill,
and wan killed on the spot, his body being dreadfully ma-
tilated. No blame was attributable to the driver of the
ehgine. •
INQCEST.—Yesterday, an inquest was held before the
borough coroner on view of the body of John Quick, aged
5V years, who lived with his parents in Gofrs-court, Par-
liament-street. Deceased went to bed opparently well at
half-past eight o'clock on Friday night, with an
elder brother. Julia Quick, his stepmother, soon
afterwards took him up some tea and bread, which
deceased took. About six in the morning, the brother
was awakened by hearing deceased grinding •his teeth.
He was asked what was the matter with him, but
did not reply, and he appeared to be very ill. He
kept getting worse, and died about eight o'clock the
same evening. No surgeon was called until after his
death. Mr. A. M'Clellan, surgeon, said that deceased
died from fever combined with disease of the bowels.—
Verdict accordingly. There was not the slightest founda-
tion for a rumour set abroad in the neighbourhood, that
there had been some foul play.