The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-07-11 00:00:00

THE STEAM-SHIP " BENTINCK."

We have again to notice—and we do so with pride—the
turning out, at our port, of one of the finest and largest
steam-ships that has yet floated in any sea, the " Ben-
tinck," built by our celebrated townsman Mr. Thomas
Wilson, and owned by the enterprising Peninsular and
Oriental Company. She was launched (as we recorded
at the time) on the 19th of January last. She is destined
to ply, conjointly with her sister ship the Hindostan,
(built by the same parties,) between Calcutta, Madras,
and Bombay at one terminus, and Suez at the other, car-
rying the mails, passengers, &c., to meet the mail ships
of the same company running between Southampton and
Egypt, and thus maintain the rapid steam communication
between this country and India.
The Bentinck is precisely similar in dimensions, model,
and in steam power, to the Hindostan, with some very
slight difference in depth. There are, too, some varia-
tions in her cabin accommodations. She is built of the
best materials that wealth can command, from, we may
add, every quarter of the world. The following are her
dimensions, burthen, and steam-power :
Length of keel
Length aloft (over all)
Beam, within paddle-boxes.. 39 „
Depth from spar deck
Burthen, including spar deck .2020
Engines, (two of 260)
Diameter of cylinders .... .. 781 inches.
Stroke..

She has a handsome bust figure-head of Lord William
Bentinck (whose name she bears) in his robes of office;
a bold and striking likeness. The trail boards below are
carved with the coat of arms of that distinguished noble-
man on an heraldric shield, in the middle of groupings of
armour, banners, &c. The same coat of arms is embla-
zoned in the centre, with, on one side a naval, and on the
other a military officer, (emblematic of the two services)
in a reclining position, as supporters. There are also
carved decorations, pendant between the windows, and on
the quarter galleries. The mouldings and other portions
are gilded ; and the whole of the carved work has a very
chaste and pleasing appearance. It was executed by our
townsmen, Messrs. J. and H. Hammond. The vessel is
rigged in the usual -manner of large steam-ships, as a
three-masted schooner, and her standing rigging is of
patent wire rope. The spar deck forms a fine and unin-
terrupted promenade; and on each side the quarter deck
there are broad seats, with arms, and covered with maho-
ganlydorgegiellnsoraotpsaofo
townsmen Messrs. Fawcett:and
Preston, and the interior arrangements and accommoda-
tions are of the first order. The general plan of dividing
out the ship much resembles that adopted in the Hindos-
tan, but with rather fewer, and, consequently, larger state
rooms, many of which will accommodate a considerable
family, each having a separate bed place. The main en-
trance from the quarter deck is similar to that in the
other ship—roomy and airy, and terminates in a well
lighted and elegant coriVore leading to the dining-room
or saloon, and from which diverge private cabins, with
handsomely pannelled doors, having venetian blinds, be-
tween each of which is a polished pilaster, in imitation of
veined marble, topped by a foliated capital of papier
mache, gilded on a sky-blue ground. The cornicing is of
corresponding richness, and the ceiling in light blue
panels, with French white on the styles and mouldings of
the beams.

The saloon is a spacious and gorgeous apartment nearly
square, and cheerfully lighted from the deck—and also
from 7 stern and other port windows on each side. It is
elegantly panelled in satin-wood styles, between which are
pilasters of slabs of slate in perfect imitation of veined
marble. These are surrounded by composite gilded ca-
pitals. The trusses, or brackets, under the beams are of
a rich foliated pattern, gilded on a blue ground. On both
sides there are handsome sofa seats, with cane bottoms
and backs, and over these, forming the panels, beautiful
paintings, also on slate, illustrative of the recent war in
Affghanistan—the several difficult passes in that remark-
able country, with the troops passing through them, and
a variety of the romantic scenery. They have a fine effect,
but, we must say, are not quite equal in merit to the views
we have seen from the manufactory of Messrs. Jennins
and Betteridge. They were furnished by our townsman,
Mr. Bielefeld, and the painter is a Mr. Steedman. They
are each decorated at the top by a pendant wreath of
flowers in projection, richly gilded, and suspended by alter-
nate heads of the Lion of England and of Neptune. There
are four dining tables in this splendid apartment, running
fore and aft. The mizen-mast is cased, and forms a deco-
rative fluted Doric column. The rudder-case is richly
ornamented with a mirror in front, and on each side with
emblematic groups in relief splendidly executed. Round
the stern windows there is a broad band of beautiful flo-
riated paint-work on slate, resembling the finest porcelain.
At the end opposite the stern, and on each side of the en-

trance, is a sideboard of polished satin-mood with book-
cases over, and between these last are two very large mir-
rors, which have a fine effect. We can easily imagine the
luxury that may be enjoyed in this gorgeous room in run-
ning along the shores of Hindostan, clothed as they are
with the verdure of a perpetual spring.
The Ladies' Cabin, on the larboard side, is at the other
en:l of the corridor, and is fitted up in a more deli-
cate and, ir possible, chaster style.
The Fore-cai);ni.with its wide approaches, is quite equal
in convenience and Olmost in elegance to the after cabins.
There is a lobby on the starboard side, close to the outer
wall of the ship. by which the passengers may go from the
fore-part of the principal corridors to the forecastle.
On the lower deck, below the saloon and upper cabins,
and also forward, there is what may be called another
story of state-rooms, or dormitoriss, with wide passages,
all well lighted by side-lights, ventillating hatchways, &c.,
and fitted up as handsomely as those above.
The subsidiary arrangements are on an equal scale of
costliness and efficiency. The ship is divided by iron
bulkheads into five compartments—giving her great safety
in case of accident—and there are large cisterns for water,
approved pumping apparatus, &c. &c. Coolness and ven-
tilation have been especially studied, and in every depart-
ment the marine superintendent of the vessel, Mr. Sbaw,
who has had long practical experience, app jars to have ex-
celled even his, former efforts.