The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-02-19 00:00:00

THE MANHATTAN,

The island of Manhattan, on which stands the pros;
perous city of New York, has given birth to the title of
another magnificent liner packet. Her name is certainly
appropriate, for she is one of that class of vessels, which
in size and accommodation present not only space but
capacity to entitle them to the appellation of Floating
Islands. Old legends say one " Ben Bowers" built ships
by the mile, cutting them off, and turning is the ends to
suit them to the rig of brig, barque, or schooner; but
while in the western world " Uncle Sam" seems to ains
at the dimensions of the carpenter of old, he is evidently
studying the great essentials of naval architecture, the
combination of bearing and capacity with speed. We had
the pleasure on Saturday of a cursory glance at the Man-
hattan, and cannot withhold our admiration of her pro-
portions ; indeed, they would, we judge, meet the approval
of those whose perceptions form the climax of the beau-
tiful. She is a fine stately looking ship, of enormous
length and breadth, but still particularly clean fore and
aft. Her lines are easy, graceful, and well rounded.
Her stem is ornamented with a billet head, and her counter
decorated by a boldly carved bust of Washington, sup-
ported by the British and American flags, gracefully fold-
ing amidst trophies of war, and symbos of commerce—
unwer—and—peace. She is neatl) sparred, and tautly
rigged. The fore and mainmast are built, but the mizen,
which is " no small stick," is grown.
The Manhattan is by measurement, in
Length over a 11......
„ between perpendiculars 180
„ on main deck

Beam .
Depth of hold ..
Tonnage (carpenter's) .. 1500 tons.
(register)
She was built at New York, for C W. Marshall, Esq.;
as one of the Old Black Line of Liverpool packets (the
first line of vessels permanently stationed in the trade), by
Mr. W. H. Webb, whose celebrity in the nautical
world is established by the Yorkshire, the Fidelia, the
Guy Mannering, the Ivanhoe, the Marmion, the Al-
bert Gallatin, and other clipper transatlantic traders of his
drafting and construction. As no expense has been spared,
there is no scarcity of timber or fastening in the Manhat-
tan. Her deck beams are complete balks ; the lodging
knees being long in the shanks, are overlapped and bolted
through ; the hanging knees under every beam, are " mon-
sters.” and would certainly do credit to the naval yard of
her Britannic majesty. They are from 22 to 24 inches its
the throat, and average 12 inches in thickness, and each is
fastened with no less than 16 bolts. The stem framework
of the Manhattan, and the dead wood fore and aft, are of
live oak. The keel and kelsons are 8 feet in thickness,
and as an addition she has sister kelsons and heavy bilge
pieces, running the full length of the craft, and thoroughly
bolted through. Breast hooks are plentifully used, and
are well formed and lengthy. The waterways of yellow pine
are 18 inches thick, and the clamps of white oak, 8 inches.
The floor timbers are 22 inches up and down. The plank-,
ing is ofJersey•oak, commencing with the guardboard shark
at 8 inches. The floorings are 51 inches, varying up to
the bends, where it is 7 inches in thickness. The ceiling
of the lower hold is heavy planking of white oak, the be-
tween decks Georgia pine. All her minor timbering is
proportionately great in size, and from the manner its
which she is fastened, she is one of the strongest ships that
ever entered the Mersey, and could vie in strength and
quality with a seventy-four.
The Manhattan was constructed expressly for the transit
of passengers, and in her is combined all the improve-
ments that past experience has suggested. She is a three-
decker. The lower deck is, with the exception of a store-
room, classed as a steerage. The main or middle deck is
so arranged as to form a second cabin, an intermediate
cabin, in which permanent private rooms are formed,
and the captain's cabin, the latter being ".chock aft."
The height between decks is nearly 8 feet, and she is ven-
tilated fore and aft, as well as between the inner and
outer skin. In a sanatory point, she will present to the
emigrant no small desiderata. On the upper deck there
are eight hatchways, which aro either covered to form
skylights or used as entrances to the lower decks. In the
houses there is excellent accommodation for culinary pur-
poses. There is a hospital, so as to separate the sick
from the bulk of passengers. An extensive wheel-house,
in which the officers of the ship have rooms, forms a
capital entrance to the cabin.

The capacity of the Manhattan is as follows :
Superficial feet. Passengers.
On the lower deck 5367.. which a110w5.... 383
, „ upper deck...— 4827.. 111 •• •• 344
State-rooms on poop 136.. ~ •••• 8
Deck-houses .... 211.. ~ •••• 15

The number of passengers she willthough
iacarry is .s.u.b7sst 0a
The cabin of the Manhattan,
tially fitted up in beautiful mahogany, is not decorated in
the gorgeous style of some, for there has been evidently
more 'attention paid to substantial comfort than pleas-.
ing ornaments. The state-rooms are very large and well
lighted.
The Manhattan is commanded by Capt. W. G. Hack-
staff, who, since the year 1824, has commanded one or
other of the liners from this port to New York, and
whose urbanity of manner, and knowledge of the trade
in which he is engaged, have gained for him an apprecia-
tion that he richly deserves. She is consigned to Messrs.
Baring Brothers, and Co.: Messrs. Harnden and Co.
managing the passenger department.

IRON V. WOOD.—It is worthy of remark that the stea-
mer Diana, of Waterford, an iron vessel, after striking on
the Great Burbo-bank on Wednesday morning, in tkei
late severe gale, rode through it., till Saturday, whifri4
she was towed off, and escaped from her perilous posit*"
with comparatively little injury; whilst the J. P. Whit-
ney, having unfortunately on the same morning, stria*
upon the bank at the entrance of the 'Victoria Charatc%
to pieces.