The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-07-20
The Steamer Pacific.

TIVE Of the above named ocean steamer
from the intelligent correspondence Of Mr.
Eads, the gentleman who wrote the letter
IN our last from Ayr, Scotland, There are
lew persons who have an idea Of the immen-
slty OF the ships Of Collins line:
"Tlic outside planks of the Pacific are
eight and half inches thick. This con-
sttutes what the sailors and ship carpen.
iers term the skin d the ship, and they are
fastened 10 the ttaiberS which are twenty
one inches thick. These latter are placed
side by side solid, and bolted together in the
ifmest marncr, and caulked thoroughly, so
i that if the cute, plank were taken off, the
ship would not leak. Inside OF the ,imbers
j the ship is planked with eight inch plank,
and like the outside plank, they are thor
/ eughly caulked. You will therefore under
stand that the hull ofthe ship is over three
] feet IN thickness, Of solid oak, independent
i OF i've immense nelson's. fastened on her
lioor 'imbcrs, which run from one end ofthc
ship to the other, Upon the three middle
nelson's rest the boilers and bed plate ofthe
enormous engines which drive the vessel
Sixteen feet Of the bow Of the ship is per-
tectly solid timber, boited and Sc cured in the
strongest manner both ways, with bars Of
iron OF one inch thickness and five inches in
width, placed three feet apart. Her beams,
or deck frame, is secured in the firmest pos
sible manner and braced and stayed SO that
j it would seem impossible to make it strong
or.
TIE Pacific is 2sl feet in length, - feet
beam, and 80 feet in depth of hold and of
2,1o7 tons register. No expense has been
spared in making her the strongest ship ever
built; and She is undoubtedly unequaled in
this respect, unless it be by the other three
ships of the same line. The copper bolts
alone, used in her construction, cost $685.
600! Enough TO purchase thousand ton
steamboat on our river. Some idea OF the
justice Of the claim which the Pacific has to
the proud title of being the best sea-going
vessel atloat, il to BE- found in the facts fol-
lowing: She has made in four years, (Which
is her age,) filty-one trips across the Allan
e; encountered the worst storms OF the aw-
fully disastrous winter just passed. and has
never damaged a single package of goods,
or had her hull recaulked. She has made
four consecutive trips to Liverpool in less
than ten days; and the testimony Of cap
tain in Her Britanic Majesty's navy has been
freely given in Ha,per'S Hagaeiae in favor
OF her superior model for encounterHg the
waves in storm; her bow rising and riding
upon them, instead Of plunging into them
and receiving them and receiving a vast
quantity of water upon her decks, as is the
case with all Of the Cunard line.
the Pacific has four enormous boilers Sc
cured in the bottom ofthe slip forward of
her engines Some idea oftheir size may
be formed from the fact thatthey are placed
two abreast in the vessel, one pair forward
ii the other, aud contain six thousand tlues.
One immense smoke pipe answers for the
Whole. This large pipe rising from the CEN
ire nt the ship with It's top painted red, is
quite striking feature with these steamers
The Pacific consumes about seventy-tve
tons os coal per day, aud her engines ave
rage about fourteen revolutions per MN
ute Her crew consists of one hundred
ana liI'y men and officers, sixty Of these are
employed in the engineers department a.
lone, aud about fifty i'll the stewards The
ship cost about 100000 No expense has
been spared in providing every comfort and
luxurv, consistent with a sea voyage, which
$ ierce, art and ingenuity could devise Or
discover. As an evidence OF her stewards
care and talent in his line, ! close yon bill
of fare of the laS, dea cut. The ladies' cabin
and PRINCIPAL saloon are finished and iur-
nishcd II style unsurpassed III elegance
aud beauty; although the magnificent cab
ms on the Mississippi cannot be approNi-
mated here, ON account of the. peculiar con-
structiun of ocean steamers. These sa-
hons are beautifully finished with rose and
satin wood. Mirrors Of magnificent dimcn-
sions ornament the ends and sides, while
upon the paunels between them are repre-
scented the various coats Of arms OF the prln-
c;pal nations OF the earth. Each stateroom
is provided with wash-stand and all the
conveniences Of little bedroom, besides
having bell rope which is promptly an
sHerpd by polite servant: six or eight OF
whom are employed for this particular pur-
pose Fruits, nuts, lemonade, tea, &c,
were furnished at all hours at the state room
when called for, free of charge. Wine H.
lone was an extra, and this was furnished
at less than hotel prices