Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-11-26

THE LARGEST IRON MERCHANT VESSEL EVER BUILT
IN THIS COUNTRY.

ihf u ihtEol iispN MithtiANI VESSEL EN IR BUlI1
IN THIS COUNTRY.
Another splendid iron steamship has Just been
completed at the yard Of the Harlan IL Holdings
worth Company, in this city. Her name is ille
COSTA RIGA, aud she is built for the Panama Rail-
road. She halls from New York, but will run
between Panama and ports on the Costa Ricab
coast.
We have not time or space 10 give the yesse.
the thorough description she deserves, but must
attempt to convey To our readers some idea
OF her size and appearance. She is the
largest iron ship ever built in this city, and the
largest iron vessel ever built in this country for
other than war purposes. The vessels Tonnage
l. not so great as TINT of some river steamboats,
built here, but OF course sed-goipg vessel can
not have the raitlikc decks of these river boats
The following are the Costa Rica's dimensions /:
Keel 233 feet. length over all $50 feet. breadth nf
beam 80 feet, lower hold II feet, between decks
$ feet inches, betwc' saloon and spar deck, ;.e
height OF saloon $ icct u Riches. total depth ~
feet.
The hold is devoted to freight aud machinery,
except Tue forward portion, where there Is large
water tank, an ice-hOusc and II store room, Be-
twecL decks is also mostly devoted to freight aud
machinery. Forward, however, is the baggage
room, stewards store-rOom and steeragc passen-
gers berths, while aft is bathroom and gentle
mems water closets. On this deck, also are three
hoistlng engines, for loading and unloading the
cargo.
The saloon deck has the sailors and ireInens
quarters forward, then the officers quar- tiers and
the main saloon, with passengers state-rooms.
Back OF this saloon Is an open deck for smokers.
On the upper or spar deck where the vessel is
worked, are three houses the forward one con-
!aining the pilot-house, chart room and compan-
ion-wnysi That midships, the scullcry, pastry
room, Kitchen and ventiating apparatus; and that
The vessel Is schoonef.rigged, but sdnare-iigged
forward, and carries six ~ feet boats, and the
full legal complement of buckets, ife-preservers,
&c She is II screw propeller, direct acting, and
her euginc has a As inch cylinder and &C inches
stroke. Her wheel is IA feet in diameter, with %
feet pitch. She has two tubular boilers, with
over 1000 square feet of heating surface. She
has two smoke stacks, one ahead Of the other.
According to the common method OF estimating,
the engine has 1000 horse power. The capacity
of the vessel, Custom House measurement, Is
1859 tons.
The Costa Ricd las accommodations for about
yiding for greater number, as large passenger
will run.
The saloon is fitted up in the most elegant man
ner, but is not yet furnished The floor is COM
posed Of alternate strips OF walnut and ash and
of course is not intended to be carpeted. Being
Intended for region Of perpetual summer, this
is much preferable.
The state rooms nre large and airy apartments,
fitted up with the utmost elegance In the most
convenient manner, and the arrangements are pc
cnlinrly adapted to securing the comfort of the
passengers.
The vessel l. the product OF the skill and con-
stant labor of hundreds of men for many months
and is worth t300.00O. she sails for New York
to-day.