The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-11-22

Arrival of the First Steamer Of the Season.

/
| The Allan. steamship Hibernian, Capt
watts, from Liverpool 9th inst, arrived at hel
oock III Portland at noon on Tuesday, bringing
| Y hrst cabin, % intermediate and $50 steerage
| passengers. Among the former are Mr.. and
Mrs James R. Ellison of this city, who have
been sojourning for several months in Liver
pool. Purser Sampson, to whom we are in
debted for files of English papers, reports rough
weather and heavy head seas, with much fog
| The steamer was detained thirteen hours on ac-
count of fog. No vessels were spoken on the
| passage.
| Among the numerous steamship companies
which are engaged i'll the freight and passenger
traffic of the two continents, probably no one is
entitled to higher rank than the Montreal
Ocean Steamship Company This enviable po-
sition they are entitled to hold from the skilful
persevering and rapid manner in which they
have developed great and still increasing
trade, at first with the British North American
colonies, but latterly extended itself to the
whole of the North American continent. and
incidentally spreading its connections with the
Pacific Ocean with the other great trading
countries of the southeastern hemisphere To
meet the requirements of so extensive and still
growing trade, Messrs. Allan Brothers who
represent the company, with characteristic en-
ergy, have provided fleet of twenty noble
steamers, all of first-class excellence as to ac-
commodation and speed. Two others are in an
advanced state of construction, and rllmor
states that still more are in immediate contem-
platon. Our present purpose, however is not
so much to call attention to the new vessels by
which the fleet IS to be augmented as to offer
few remarks on the Improvements just made in
the Hibernian, one of the favorites of the line,
which, since her last appearance in our port
has been submitted to such thorough over
haul, and has been SO greatly improved and ex-
tended as to be entitled to the designation of
an entirely new ship. The Hibernian has been
heightened 81 feet amidships and now meas
ures 365 feet in length over all. She is SO feet 6
inches in moulded width of beam, and is 81 feet
8 inches in depth from the upper deck to the
kelson. Her gross measurement is $500 TONS
and she is OF 800 tons net registered tonnage.
Besides being heightened to the extent named,
she has been supplied with four new boilers
her cylinders have been newly bored and refit-
ted, and she has patent surface condensers SUI
perheaters, and all the latest improvements
have been supplied to her engines, which are
to $500 From the exceedingly fine lines ON
which the Hibernian is built and the great
steam power with which she is supplied, there
is no doubt that she is a very fast sailer and
capable of attaining an average speed of Is knots.
under circumstances of an ordinary character
Like the other ships belonging to the Mon
treal Ocean Steamship Co., the Hibernian is
very strongly built, having deck and other
stringer plates all through her length. She is
divided into seven Yater-tight compartments,
by six iron bulkheads, which run from the
kelson up to the main deck, and secure the
ship from filling more than one compartment
with water in case of accident, and also from
the far more serious danger arising from
fire, as should such hazard unhappily occur,
the fire could be prevented from reaching any
other portion of the vessel than the compart-
ment in which it originated while steam
pumps and ample hose appliances are at all
times ready to encounter and overcome the
danger. 1t may not be out Of place here to
state that, with the prudence which character
ICES the arrangements of this company, to
guard as far as possible against the chances Of
fire. the whole of the heat diffused through the
ship is supplied by steam, steam pipes and
heaters being placed in all parts of the vessel,
by which regulated temperature is ensured all
over. The only fires allowed on board are those
under the steam boilers and in the cooking gal
leys. The Hibernan besides her propelling
engines, is also supplied with auxiliary engines
for working the subsidiary machinery employed
in loading and unloading cargo, pumping and
otherwise assisting in the general work Of the
vessel. She is fitted with Pauls patent steam
windlass for working her anchors, and has a
Normandy's patent condensing apparatus suffi
GENTLY effective to distil $500 gallons of fresh
from salt water per day, and also compile
ment of ten boats with all their requisite ap-
planes on board. Her carrying capacity is
large and of the most comfortable description,
every part of the ship being fully lighted, and
supplied with regulated ventilating shafts and
openings. -N
The saloon Of this magnificent vessel is an
exceedingly elegant apartment of large size
sufficiently extensive to accommodate 100 first
class passengers. 1t is lofty in the ceiling, CO.
piously lighted, and supplied with everything
conducive to comfort and convenience. Among
these latter may be mentioned commodious
carving-table on which the dishes are placed
and from which dinners are served a Ia russo
Under this table there is an extensive cham
ber heated by steam to such extent as to |
keep tho various dishes hot all through the |
meal. Tasteful and recherche bills of fare are |
supplied, daily changed, to each of the saloon |
passengers, from which they can make selec- |
tions of the various choice dishes which are |
regularly served up. The state rooms foEs the |
passengers roony, well ventilated
and elegantly furnished. ---. rs-, s.sf
The Intermediate passengers are aecommo-
dated on the forward portion of the tween
decks in dornitories replete with comfort and
convenience. They have also commodious
and well supplied mess room, and all parts of
their accommodation are lofty, roony and well
ventilated.
The steerage is fitted up for the conveyance
and accommodation of 1913 passengers. The
sleeping spaces are large, and so judicously ar
ranged as to admit of full light, perfect yentila
ton, and to ensure thorough cleanliness in all
respects. All classes of the passengers on board
the ship are amply supplied with lavatories
closets, and other sanitary accommodation. In
short, nothing which experience could teach,
and skill, combined with the liberal expendi-
ture ensure for the comfort and safety of all on
board has been neglected or carelessly executed
and this care and attention has resulted in the
construction and fitting up of one of the finest
steamships which run across the wide Atlantic.