The New York herald., 1870-09-23
THE IRON AGE.
America at Last Awakening to Iron Necessity
The Latest and Largest Steamer
in tho Iron Line.

Tnere II OF present lying at pier 30 North river
steamer Of the Old Dominion line called the wyanoke
which has Just been completed by the Harlan d
Hollingsworth Company, OF Wilmington, Del, and
Is the largest iron steamship yet built IN America
She Is especially interesting that the question
Of American shipbu'lding Is the subject of general
and gloomy discussion. The recuperation OF our
maritime commerce has been more talked about
and agtated than any other matter which has
occupied public attention since the close OF the re.
hellton. But talk alone viii not replace our lost
mercantile marine Practical men who proceed to
work and show US what resources are among us in
the way Of building vessels for and give us such
evidence as we have In the WyanOke do more to
encourage the hope that we may yet regain our
place upon the ocean and contend with the estab.
lished monopoly on the Clyde. .-. .-.,.
The Wyan0ke is In length on load line 23s feet
length over all 246 feet beam forty feet, depth from
base line to top Of deck beams amidships twenty
three feet six inches The keel is composed of plates
thirty-three inches wide by full inch thick and
not less than eleven feet long. The frames. re-
verse bars, central, interc0stai ana bilge keel
sons, the deck beams, hatch combings, deck
stanohions, bulkheads, mast partners, &C.,
are all OF iron. The bulkheads are three in
number athwartship and watertight. The
bulkhead aft OF the engine has large dOorways each
Side Of the engine and opposite the coal bunkers.
The object or these openings Is to use portion Of
the space alongside the engines not required for coal
for freight room The bul warks to the rail are also
Of iron, which is the rs instance with us Of metal
entering into the material Of that particular portion
o. o vessel. The gallOws frames are OF the best
yellow pine. The rudder Is Of an improved shape and
width and the rudder stock and pntes are so fitted as
TO work with the least possible amount OF friction
The side lights are OF an improved size and pattern
the main deck is composed OF white pine and the
n Oh ON al no rOp uvOr fr,
keel TO gunwale, Is readily accessible for cleaning
aud painting. The spirit tank is ten feet square, en-.
doors to admit general cargo when necessary and
close perfectly tight. There are six metallic llfe-
long. There is an ample leather hose, Tor for
either washing the decks or putting out
fires; amiGshiPs protected against sun and
superior character. The wood in the panneling OF
the cabins Is OF walnut, mahogany and satinwO0d.
white. The kitchen is forward OF the steam CHM
ney and runs across the deck with doors to each
s10ye lifted up
security against nre. She has one Of Richie's
patent liquid compasses and one brass bell CON-
pass, both properly adjusted to cOunteract and
balance the local attraction. Care has been taken
to make all the pipes In the plumbing work Of the
and all rooms requiring It are lighted with prism
lights OF large sze 1t would be q tedious task to
enunerate an the features Of this superb vessel.
Her passenger accommodation is far ahead of that
on board the English boats which leave This port for
Europe. The berths are large, well lighted ven
tilaIed, and the washing and wardrobe con-
venlences cannot be0surpassed in Q hotel.
Her registered burden is 2,067 t0ns, and her cost
has been over $500 900. Her line and model were
produced by William Faulkes OF the shipbuilding
lirm IN Williamsburg. German Winter, construc.
ting engineer. furnished the specifications for the
iron work. One hundred cabin and sixty steerage
passengers can be accommodated. The freight ca
pacity Is over $1,000 barrels $500 bales OF CON-
pressed cotton. The officers quarters are on the
upper deck and are both ample and elegant. In the
steerage one part Is devoted to males and the
other TO females. The building OF the WyanOke was
begun last November. She arrived IN this port last
Sunday on her trial trip, and Will leave Saturday
for Richmond, stopping at City Point and Norfolk.
She is the fifth vessel OF the feet now employed by
ally expanding and important trade which has
sprung up since the war between this City and the
South,
Her officers are-Captain, II. A. Bourne; execu-
tive Officer, Samuel Lawrence; second 0fcer, Will
liam Earnest; purser, William CALDWELL; chief en-.
gineer George w. SOate; steward, James Booth.
OF Captain Bourne IL Is only necessary 10 say
that he formerly commanded the Isaac Bell, OF the
same line, and has proved himself gallant and
skful officer.
has shown in adding this vessel to the feet and
demonstrating what can be done among Us In the
line OF iron shtpbuildtng. The company at Della
ware, Messrs. Harlan Hollingsw0rth have done
their duty faithfully. and IN spite Of tariffs and high
priced labor, have demonstrated what American
enterprise effect In seeing the vessel the repre-
sentatives Of tine press were cordially and efficiently
aided by Captain Hunt, secretary OF the company,
who has been identified with 1t for many years.