The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-19
IRON HARB0R PROTECTION BOAT
FOR NEW ORLEANS.

An iron propeller boat is now being bull
by the Harlan & Hollingsworth Company, in
their iron ship yard at Wilmington, Del, TO,
the Board of Underwriters of New Orleans:
The dimensions are: 1872 feet in length, %
feet beam and ~ feet depth, to base line, the
model being the most perfect of the kind, to
give her great speed. She will be driven by
a high pressure, non-condensing, direct
acting propeller engine, cylinder % by 20
inches, with return tubular boiler, working
under pressure of 100 pounds to the square
inch; and everything about her will be very
strong, capable of developing immense power,
with view of making her the fastest boat of
her class afloat The hull, deck and deck
houses will all be of iron. There will be no
wood work of any kind exposed, the object
being to lay her alongside Of burning boat
to rescue lives, and to lash her to boat
which is on fire and tow it away from the
docks without injury to herself.
The Nautical Gazette thus speaks of this
boat:
After reading the specifications carefully we
are convinced that sucha boat as this, for the |
purpose for which she is intended, has never
been built in this or any other country. Her |
outfit will consist of two powerful fire pumps,
on deck, with two hose attachments to each,
supplied with 1000 feet of hose, and to work
under pressure of 100 pounds to the square
inch; one very large marine pump, of Bake's
patent, having an inlet of Is inches and an
outlet of 16 inches N diameter. This pump
will be used for furnishing water to the Fire
Department of New Orleans Ghe volume
thrown will be sufficiently great to
supply all the fire engines at one
time); also for pumping out sunken ves-
sells, or freeing vessels that have sprung
aleak-in addition, supplying water to the
inhabitants during the dry season, by sending
it from the river along the cutters of the city.
This water will be used to fill the cisterns of
The laboring classes, since the city does not
supply then from the water-works. She will
llso have steam holster for the purpose of
handling with great dispatch the cargoes of
Iunken VESSELS. But the chief popularity of
his boa consists in the introduction of n
3abcock tanks to generate carbonic
'cid gas, with which to extinguish fires P
N board of vessels. These tanks will gen.
rate $4,000 cubic feet of gas, and the lie
apidity with which it is generated the IA
ility for introducing it into the hold of
hip on fire, the certainty of its putting out a
re, BESIDES leaving the cargo perfectly free =
.om injury or damage (Which is not the case
here water is used), and the fact of its
aving an air pump to pump the gas all out
ter the fire is extinguished. makes it not
lily novel feature, but one of the most i'm o.
,rtant of the kind that has ever been con. W
mplated, and, With its successful introduce
IN, there will be millions of dollars saved to
Q underwriters and vessel owners. :"
We congratulate the Underwriters of New
cleans on their sagacity and enterprise, and !"
sh them the success they deserve, as being
Q first to inaugurate SO important feature
saving vessels and cargoes, and affording
Oh facilities for saving the lives of passen.
rs. We hope the Board of Underwriters -
New York, and other large cities, will look
70 the matter, and speedily avail themselves
such appliances as this boat will give for
operty at our own docks.
While the practical use of extinguishing
es by carbonic acid gas in the manner de.
ibed is new in this country, yet expert. GF
'nts have been made in England, which
re entirely satisfactory. This boat is being
lit under the superintendent of Capt. T. NJ
Colburn, whose experience as commander
the fire boat Tyler, at New Orleans. for the w..
It five years, will be invaluable in this con- WI
,tion. He will take command of her when NO
shed. viii