Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-24
WASH iKaTOE NEWS AND GOSSIP
A Trip to the Vanderbilt .-Yesterday O.

A Trip to the Vanderbilt Yesterday eve
ming, by invitation, party consisting of mem
bers~of the Washington press and various
other gentlemen, (among which we noticed a
distinguished Indian chief paid a visit Of
inspection to the immense steamer which took
our citizens so by surprise by its appear anOe
In our waters on Tuesday last, and is now at
anchor of the Arsenal The company left
Browns hotel shortly after FIVE clock, p. m. -,
and were conveyed in coaches to the Arsenal
wharf, where the steamers boats were found
In readiness to take US on board. On ap
preaching the Vanderbilt, the Commodore
was observed standing on the hurricane deck
In company with some ladies and gentlemen,
aud the visiting party rising in the boat gave
three hearty cheers, which were gracefully
acknowledged by the recipient
The Vanderbilt, We learn, was launched last
December from the builders yard, jeremiah
SimonsoD, Green Point, New York. She was
not built by contract, but the timber was pur
chased by the owner, ard she was constructed
by days work entirely.
Her extreme length on deck is 1876 feet, and
the length at the water line is 32S feet; the
breadth of beam ia 46 feet; the depth of hold
Is 81 feet inches. She is 5, 100 tons burden.
carpenter computation, or 4, 900 tons register.
The water lines are nearly straight, and the
centre OF displacement amidships; the centre
Of weight and the centre of buoyancy fall
within distance Of eight feet fore and aft.
Owing to the fulness of her lines the main
deck IS OF great capacity. Her lower decks,
OF which there are two beside the boiler deck
are OF the same character. The decks are COM
posed Of solid white oak, moulded 81 inches.
DOTTED together lengthwise of the ship with 1t
Inch bolts feet long; so tons Of these bolts
are used The frame timbers, which are prin-
clpaily Of white oak, are placed unusually
close together, and are strapped diagonally
by $50 wrought iron straps, each 40 feet long
inches wide and Of an inch thick These
straps are fastened with 1 inch bolts in every
timber. The second and third futtocks are
OF white oak, the fourth futtock and ton tim.
bers are OF live oak and locust, in nearly equal
proportions. The timber-room, from centre to
centre, is 81 inches, and sided ii inches. She
mas rows OF white oak nelson's extending her
entire length. The biIge nelson's and ceilings
are OF yello" pine, commencing the bilge. IA
Inches thick, and continuing to the unner
deck where it diminishes to inches
She Is planked outside with white oak,
seven inches thick, fastened with copper bolts
and locust trenails in the most substantial
manner Her inner planking is of yellow
pine, eight inches thick and bolted through
and through. There are five decks, three Of
which extend through the ship. The four
lower decks have white oak knees, and the
hurricane deck yellow pine knees The hold
is divided into sixteen water tight compart-
ment', by double diagonal planking, six in
ches thick, Hanged at top and bottom in thick
india rubber packing These compartments
communicate with each other by sliding doors.
which are securely bolted after the cargo is
slowed The bulkheads are Set against heavy
Fancheops, bolted through the upper and
lower decks with heavy iron bolts. On put.
ting to sea the hatchway coverings are bolted
down, and the sea ms all caulked water.tigbt
By this means, and the engine room being
Water-tight, the vessel is conceived to be a
life boat, on gigantic scale.
The dining saloon on the main deck is va.
neered oak, highly polished, and the chairs
and sofas are Of solid oak, cushioned with
rch green plush. The dining room is los feet
long, 70 feet wide between the state. room nan
els, and 8 feet high. 1t contains 70 state
rooms; s berths in each These omen int,
each other, 80 as to admit Of ample yeptiIa
ton. The state rooms are feet 10 incb.
wide, feet long, and feet high, with tv
washstands in each. There are also toiIs
and bath rooms for ladies, furnished in tn,
richest style. These, together with pautries
kitchen, wine closet, pantry and bakers
rooms, and FIVE state rooms, are situated O,
the larboard and starboard gangways leadip,
70 the forward dining saloon, which contain
- state-rooms with 1873 births. The house O,
aeck' including the upper saloon, above tn
nrst cabin, is 2iS feet long and 30 feet wide
furnished in the Same style as the dining 50
loon save that the material is of rose wood
fof"ard' there are IA state-rooms. and aft q
rooms with A berths The nansls ~. -.
heered with satin, zebra and rosewood AZ
OF THIS saloon are the quarterma sters, an,
smoking rooms. The Vanderbilt can sccon
modats about four hundred passengers.
Inc machinery consist of 2 ordinary h..u
engines, 4 tubular boilers, each 30 feet Lon.