The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-25
THE STEAMER CITY OF BRUSSELS.

Extraordinary Passage from Queenstown.
Description of the Latest Splendid Addition
TO the Inman Line.
At midnight Saturday the magnificent screw
City OF BRUSSELS the latest addition to the
Inman Atlantic mall service, arrived here from
Queenstown after her first trip sea- and under the
command OF the veteran navigator Captain Ken
nedy. She left queenstown at eleven in the lore
noon OF Friday, October l5 ana anchored In the
North river at midnight Saturday, October %,
making the passage IN eight days and thirteen
hours, including five hours detention at sea.
She had ITO cabin and full complement
OF steerage passengers. Her machinery being all
new it was found necessary to make delay OF about
five hours to place it in perfect ana satisfactory
ming order. There were alternate days OF strong
southwestery Winds but the behavior OF the vessel
through the voyage was all that could be desired.
Captain Kennedy expresses his belief that he can
eclipse, with the City OF Brussels the pest time made
by the Cunard boats by sixteen hours. Judging
from appearances, IL Will not be difficult 20 accom-.
plisn that supassng feat.
The City OF Brussels was launched from the ship.
building yard OF Messrs. Tod Il McGregor, at Par
tick, Glasgow, ON the 18th of August last. She IS
400 feet in length over ALL 40 eet In beam. % feet
inches IN depth, and her tonnage Is 5000 She has
four decks, divided by waer-tight bulkheads having
sliding water-tight DOORS worked from the upper or
spar deck. The forecaste, round house and poop
decks are in line fore and aft the saip's length and
are constructed with iron framing ana substantial
woodwork. In the way OF the boilers on the
purpose of creating current OF refresh
ing air in the stoke hole below, and in the
immediate nelehborhood, on the spar deck. the
house is completely sheathed win iron plating rem
dering the steam and ships galeys, bakers shop.
butchers shamOles, &C., freproof. All the deck
beams are on the patent principle OF the BUTTERFLY
Iron Company, aud 1t may be remarked that the In
man Company were among the first TO recognize the
advantages OF that form OF beam in the construction
OF iron ships The spar deck is covered with heavy
steel plates across It's whole breadth and all fore
and ait. They serve TO increase the longitudinal
strength Of the vessel to a degree NOT surpassed II
attained by any vessel In the mercantile marine.
the keeison and sringers in the lower parts are dis
posed In the best manner adapted to secure the full
benefit of the extra strength above.
Under the poop deck Is lifted what is a novelty in
merchant service, viz, steam steering gear, the
patent as that on board her Majesty's steamer
Northumberland and the Great Eastern. by this
arrangement 1t Is intended to pat 1t In the power OK
the officer on duty, by Simply turning handle TO
control the course OF the ship although stationed
at me captains Th bridge eighty yards from
viii be realized when iC Is considered that
the ordinary manual labor system OF steer
ing vessel OF this class frequently requires the
united efforts OF from six 10 eight men to do what
by the application or steam will be accomplished by
a simple movement OF the hand. Ii should be added
that as precautlon no modification VIII be made on
the steering gear as usually fitted To the steamers OK
the Iuman line SO that II any deranQenent In the
SPECIAL machinery connected with this Improvement
should take place. tue steam engine can be instantly
disconnected aud the old established mode Oh steer
ing by hand can De reverted To.
Tie accommodation Tor first class passengers 10
very spacious aud includes every convenience ac-
There is accommodation Tor about 600 second and
third class passengers OF the same description as IN
the other vessels OF the Inman line Inc dining
saloon Is ut the after end and is capable OF dining
about 200 nrst class passengers wnile ample accom-
modatlon Is provided on the main deck Tor dining
the thlrd cass passengers. Large Ice houses are
fitted up In the forward part OF the vessel, ana
under the forecastle deck comfortable quarters are
found for the crew and hrenelS
In the machinery department. this vessel Is finished
ON scale take the lead OF the fastest vessels OK
tile luman line In point OF speed and efficiency. Her
engines constructed on the horizontal trunk prlnci-
pie are OF 600 nominal horse power, capaoe Of
indicating $500 horse power having the latest
improvements in surface condensation, feed heaters,
&c. Her boilers are SIX In number ana have twenty
eight furnaces They are arranged lore and aft on
each side OF the snip. and fired athwartships.
In the boiler space provision Is made for the
extinguishng OF fire. by the utting up OF centrfu-
gal pump capable OF lifting more than 1000 gallons
OF water per minute; and there also the engine
room one large pumping engine, to which steam
can be applied from the man boilers as well as from
the donkey boiler on the spar deck. lnere steam
wlnches on the roundhouse deck. 1tted with ali
recent improvements, and connected TO pumps hav-
ing access TO the lower cargo holds.
III WIN mus be OBVIOUS that ample provision 10
maue lot such contingencies as would eldanRer tho
safety OF the vessel IN the event OF o. any SUDDEN
inflow OF water arising from collision or LEAKAGE
IT IN any cause. Water-tight sliding DOORS cOn-
sructed on very simple principle ana suitable Tor
easy management are fixed at all the points OF COM
munication ana around the spaces allotted 70
machinery and fuel. the cargo holds are weu
supplied with pumps and steam IRE annlhllators.