The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-09
LAUNCH or TINE STEAMSHIP CELESTIAL EMPIRE.

The Second Vessel Of the New Line Between
Asia and California-Onc Of the Largest
Wooden Merchant Steamers Ever Built In
tho Neutrality-suspicious. Of the Vessel, &c.
The mammoth steamship Celestial Empire was sue.
oessfuIy launched yesterday morning from the shiard
of VIM n. Webb foot Of Sixth street. East river The
launch witnessed BY a concourse OF between two
and three thousand PERSONS many OF whom awaited
themselves of the opportunity thus offered and remained
upon the vessel during the launch At precisely half
past nine O'Clock the last keel block knocked away
and Immediately afterwards beautiful steamer SET
tied down upon the smooth and slippery ways and amid
the shouts and hurrahs OF the spectators the wooden
eviathan glded majescay into the water The Celes-
tial Empire is the second vessel Of the line,
tended to ply between San Francisco Kanagawa Japan
and Hong Kong China; the Great Republic, which was
launched few weeks since from the shipyard OF Henry
Steers, at Greenpoint being the FIRST and Of precisely
| the same cimcn sions the Celestial Empire. The
steamships In question were built for the Pacific NAL
steamship Company, and are the largest wooden
merchant vesses built In this country and perhaps
the largest Of this particular class butt the world
Both vessels Is expected. will DO ready for early in
the spring. and will be Immediately placed on the regu.
lar route They will each have cost when ready for ser
vice, over one million Of dollars The round voyage
from the time OF leaving San Francisco until returning
TO the same, will occupy about two months
DIMENSIONS or THE CELESTIAL EMPIRE
The Celestial Empire is a sidcwheel steamer OF four
thousand tons, BURDEN three hundred and seventy
feet in extreme length breadth Of BEAM afty feet and
thrtyone feet six nches She divided into four water
tight compartments, and strongly braced with
running diagonaly throughout the entire length OF the
vessel She has three full decks and win be fun ship
rugged, and is principally constructed Of yellow pine The
timbers are first braced with iron bars which the
nrst pankng Of yellow pine s laid this planking also
bsced with iron bars, and this again Ia laid
pankng Of pine and oak. two-thirds Of the bottom
Besides the three full docks she has an orlop deck
a. each end, extending to boiler and engine
bulkhsads; also platform in lower hold to receive
a In nah md
the sides OF pitch pine. Each on the ORION deck
has knees securely fastened 70 the timbers thosc
on the berth deck three and the main deck the same
number. They fastened with sixteen bolts to each
knee driven on iron bevelIed rings through the beams
Is Of white pine and inches thick the guard fac
ngs OF oak fastened to the beams and the sanchons Of
are Of white pine, and asnidships the frame timbers
run up 10 the rail, whore the buwarks OF yellow
buikhesds are located a. follows sbaft The cham
locker one forward OF fore end Of boiler aba the
engine and one forward q baggage room an and each
built OF two thcknesses Of two aud q half inch pine
with arred felt between, and fastened thoroughly to.
geber with tree nails and bols and firmly
70 bottom and sides Of vesse and All the wen
canlked.
rHE MACHINERY
- The machinery Is being built ~ the Novelty Iron
Wcrks and Of the following dimensions a beam en-.
gne Of One hundsed and ave inches diameter Of cylinder
anu WE'VE feet stroke OF piston, 10 be fitted with bal
anoed pope. valves aud illans adjustable cst-on
surface oondenser with compressed wood packngs for
ne tuee Joints and supplied with condensng water by
independent rotary pump, driven BY pair Of inverted
drect setting engines, placed betweon air pumps and
cfsnke Ihe feed pumps will be arranged 40 that
escn VIII have its own suction pipe from tank and dis
charge pipe TO boilers The horizontal tubular boilers
VIII % placed forward Of the engine tore and al the
ship, and upakes connectng into one smok eplpe The
mssmpumps with donkey boiler complete, viii be lifted
with all the necessary valves aud connections
The paddle or wMe wheels are TO be en- npliea with
wheel They viii be forty feet In diameter by twelve
feet face zach wheel win have thirty -four buckets o.
oak, three and half inches ihck by twentyfour wide
with plates each side OF buckets OF an inch
thick BY sx inches wide The engines will have cylln
ders fifteen inches In diameter BY twenty feet stroka
The four feed pumps, sx and half by scvepty.tvo
inches stroke viii be driven from pump crosshead
and the bilgs pumps seven and half by sevcniy.twc
inches stroke, viii BE- driven from air pumpe