The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-10-09 00:00:00

THE NEW BARQUE " EMPEROR."

We noticed at anchor in the river, a few days ago, a
fine new barque, called the Emperor; and our reporter,
having occasion to pass along the Prince's Dock on
Thursday, had his attention again drawn to her ; was
politely invited by her commander, Captain E. C. Friend,
to inspect her, and was much gratified by the visit. She
was built at Aberdeen, by Messrs. Alexander Hall and
Sons, the builders of the Pilot Fish, and other crack ves-
sels that now hail from our port, and are engaged in the
trade between it and Bahia in the Brazils, and owned by
Benjamin Darbyshire, Esq., merchant, here. The fol-
lowing are her dimensions :
Length of keel
Do. over all
Extreme beam ..
Depth of hold

Burthen, new measurement 368 tons—old 418 tons.

The model of the Emperor is somewhat peculiar, yet
withal very beautiful. She presents a fine rotundity of
side, with ample top bearings • sharp extremities; and
all her lines beautifully blended,—producing a symme-
trical whole pleasing to the eye of a sailor, no lumps
being observable. She tumbles in a little on deck,
throwing the bulwarks, or top weight, more amidships—
a good old-fashioned principle. One peculiarity is a con-
siderable overflanche of bow, and projection of figure-
head, the object being not only for dryness in a sea-way,
but saving in registered tonnage. She has nevertheless
quite sufficient forebearings to encounter a storm, the
grand secret being, in our opinion, the form of her floor-
ings and general build. We could venture an opinion on
this point; but would not be justifi6d, had we the power,
in disclosing the secrets of the building-yard. The stern
is of elliptic form, which we prefer to the semicircular.
Her masts rake very considerably, and, as a whole, when
seen broadside to the spectator, she presents the appear-
ance of a huge yacht or privateer; and such is her fine
finish in planking, that she has been taken by persons at
a distance for an iron vessel. Her hull is painted, above
the copper, of an olive-brown colour; and a band of
white, with a narrow streak of bright yellow below it,
runs all along the topgallant bulwarks, from figure-head
to taffrail. The head and stern are both chastely orna-
mented. She appears to us to be precisely the kind of
merchant vessel which may, under the new law affecting
shipping, successfully esmpete with foreign vessels in the
rapid transit of goods and passengers. The Government
ought, however, to abrogate all duties on ship-building
materials.

The vessel's hull is constructed of the best hard wood ;
a British-oak frame, and a rock-elm bottom up to the
top of the floorings. The main-deck beams are all of
strong balks of mahogany, varnished ; and the fastenings
are of the most approved description, in hanging and
diagonal knees, with double riders down to the floor-
heads. The lower-deck beams rest, at each side, on
clamps running fore and aft, 14 inches deep and 10 in
width at the top. There is a spacious raised quarterdeck,
which permits space for two elegant and roomy cabins—
one abaft, a private room for ladies (should any be pas-
sengers), and the other a saloon or dining-room. Both
are empanelled in French-polished mahogany, and the
seats, sofas, &c., upholstered in black hair-cloth. The
larger cabin is lighted by an oblong raised deck-light,
the roof and coombings of which are painted in delicate
light tints with foliated scroll-work, within which are
lively pictures of Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, and Bahia,
the last in two views. The beams of the cabins are
of hecmatae, cased in polished mahogany. The state
rooms are more roomy than those of many much larger
ships, and are fitted up in a handsome and most convenient
manner, several ingenious novelties being here introduced
as well as in other parts of the ship. The berths are
eight in number, exclusive of the captain's and mate's
rooms. The whole of the joinery was done by Messrs.
Hall, and, like every part of the hull, is finished with
great care and fidelity of workmanship. It is but justice
to remark that in this vessel, as well as in many others
that preceded her from the same yard, the builders have
achieved the grand desideratum of combining great capa-
city for stowage and carrying with extraordinary speed in
sailing. All of them will carry more than their regis-
tered tonnage, on a comparatively light draught of water ;
and all of them are decidedly clippers. The vessel under
review made a fine passage from Aberdeen round by the
north of Scotland, and took the lead of several of our
pilot boats in beating up, off the Skerrics, even after she
had carried away her fore-yard—there being an unknown
defect in the spar.
Captain Friend formerly commanded the Pilot Fish,
(still in the same employ,) and is a deserved favourite
amongst all connected with the Brazilian trade, as well
as amongst his passengers and crew.
We should omit a main point did we not state that the
forecastle is admirably fitted up for the comfort and
accommodation of the men, as is also the room for the
officers. Both are provided with sleeping berths, and ven-
tilated on an approved principle. In fine, no labour or
expense has been spared to render the Emperor an honour
to any port, and we heartily wish her every success.