Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-03-03
TIE OCEAN KING.
Description of One OF the Largest ssilin.
Vessels AiiGat,

est sailing ship, with the exception of
the Great Republic, which has ever
been built in this country, and which is
probably the largest American ship now
afoat, except the Three Brothers. The
latter was originally the steamer Van
derbilt, and was altered to sailing YES
sci after the wa. The Ocean King was
built at Kennebunk, by Mr. Nathaniel
Thompson, who has succeeded III keep
ing his yard IN operation during the
dull times, turning out a few vessels
each year; but this last is the largest
ship by far that he has yet built. Sne
is owned by company, including the
builder, ]. Henry Seers & Co., of Bos-
ton, and others. The Boston firm is
the ships husband and manages her
business. She comes to this port IN
ballast, consigned to Messrs. Sutton &
CO., and will be at once consigned to
Messrs. Sutton & Co., and will be at
once placed upon the berth for loading
in their San Francisco line. The Ocean
King is what is termed medium clip
per, and rather full of her class, though
she has a fair entrance and a fine run.
She has a flat floor car
ried well forward and aft, her great size
necessitating this form in order to pre-
vent too great draught of water, and
even as 1t is she will draw, when laden,
twenty five feet, which is within one
foot of the largest draught that can safe
ly be carried out Of Sandy Hook Her
frame is of white oak and hard pine,
with hackmatack knees and oak breast
hooks Her main keelson is fully eight
feet in height above the floor, with very
heavy scutcheons all the way to the
upper deck. Besides this she has d
bridge-keelson on each side, Sanctioned
through the lower deck and up the
'ttwiteh1deck beams, giving her the back
bone required by her great length. Her
knees on both decks are of eXtraordina-
~ size and thoroughly fastened, being
bolted through and through. Upon the
upper or. main deck she has half-poop
about four feet high, coming forward
half way between the mizzen and main
masts, and on this is built trunk cabin
extending across on either side to with
IN about three feet OF the rail. ~ This
gives a2height IN the cabin of the half
poop and cabin combined, the cabin
floor being on a. level with the main
deck. The s5rrargements Of the cabin
are exceedingly tasteful, being finished
off in hard woods OF various kinds. It
IS divided into two parts, the after
part being the cabin proper, and
furnished with carpets, lounges, mirrors,
etc, while the forward portion serves as
a dining saloon. Abaft the cabin, upon
the starboard side, in the captain s
room, communicating with the deck by
the after companion way, as we'll as
with the cabin forward Of it. Upon the
the port side is an extensive store room,
bath room, etc. There are two large
staterooms for passengers on each side
Of the cabin and opening into it, and
several rooms opening into the dining
saloon which are at present used for
storerooms, oil-room. pantry, ate,
Forward of the main hatch, Oh. the
main deck, is house extending to the
foremost, In which are arranged the
quarters for the crew in the separate de-
partments, one for each watch. with
commodious berths and stove in EACH
The forward part of the house is used
for the galley, and this, also, is larger
than ordinary, the great amount of
room on deck giving all the quarters,
both of crew and petty officers, an extra
size. Forward Of this, again, is the
top-gallant forecastle, which is not III
closed, and contains the windlass,
which is worked by the capstan on the
forecastle deck. The chains pass from
the windlass direct to the locker below.
which IS built between the two upper
decks
The extreme length of the ship is
$50 feet, with 49, feet beam and 309
feet depth Of hold, and she registers,
by custom house measurement, g.
SIC 1900 tons. Her upright spars are
short, with very square yards, the
main yard being eighty-six feet long
and fully two feet in diameter in the
sings. The other yards are in proper
ton, the main-royal yard being forty
two feet, with standing skysail yard
above that Upon the fore and mizzen
she carries nothing above her royals.
Her boEsprit IS very short, and her jib
and fying-iib booms are in ore, and
are also short; her main spars, that is her
three principal masts being SO far forward
that she will not require much head
sail. She has fourth, or jigger, mast
abaft the mizzen mast. which is only
furnished like the after mast of a bark,
with fore-and-aft sails. She has on her
other masts double top-sail yards, and
her canvass is cotton throughout. The
standing rigging is all of wire and is
very neatly fitted. Her steering geer is
the patent screw, operated by very
large wheel which is placed abaft the
trunk cabin, the helmsman standing on
the poop deck, and without shelter save
screen built up abaft him. She will
be commanded on the present voyage
by Captain Freeman, who is favorably
known In the California trade.
The agents of the vessel estimate her
carrying capacity at 1000 tons weight
and measurement. The ship has been
built throughout under the inspection
Of the agents of the American Board of
Underwriters and the French Lloyds,
and has a first class rate from the latter