The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1877-02-14
The New steamer.


By the steamer Zealandia, Hon. S. G. Will
der, the energetic agent of the Inter-Island
Steam Navigation Service, returned from San
Francisco, where he has Just completed a con-
tract with the Risdon Iron and Locomotive
Works for new steam propeller to take the
place of the old Kilauea.
The contract and specifications, copies of
which we have read, were evidently drawn
up with the greatest care, and combine all the
experience Mr.. Wilder has gained in his long
connection with the steamer Kilauea, with the
information he obtained abroad from the study
of similar steamboat contracts, and the advice
of experts in the business. The new steamer is
to be of six hundred tons, and is to be ia
feet in length, by 81 feet in width, and IL feet
depth of hold. She is to be built of the best
quality Of well seasoned Puget Sound pine, and
fastened with bolts of galvanized iron Her
main saloon will be very similar to that of the
Kilauea, containing the same number Of sleep
ing berths, but in the place of the ladies'
cabin aft, there will be an apartment separated
from the saloon by curtains, and lined with
linen lockers, which will be devoted to ira
velers' luggage. Forward of the saloon, on
the starboard side, there will be a commo-
dious dressing room for ladies, containing
sofas, which will accommodate two passen-
gers, if necessary, a table with large mirror,
and couple of marble washstands. On the
opposite side of the vessel there will be a
similar apartment for the use of gentlemen.
The house on deck will be about amidships,
and will contain the wheel room, captains
and officers rooms, and four very good-sized
state-rooms. Over this there is to be hur-
ricane deck extending aft to the stern of the
vessel, which will act as permanent awning
for the main deck and will add much to the
comfort of passengers.
The machinery is to combine all the latest
improvements the engine is compound, indi-
eating, when making speed of eight and
half knots, 224 horsepower, and at a speed OF
nine and half knots, 800 horsepower. 1t is
guaranteed that the consumption of coal for
speed of not less than eight knots per hour,
shall not exceed six and half tons per
twenty-four hours, and at speed of not less
than nine and half knots, not above eight
and half tons. A failure in one or both of
these items of half knot per hour shall cause
the forfeiture on the part of the builders of
$4,000, and in case the speed falls below the
above figures by one knot per hour, forfeit
ure of 81, 900 shall be the result
Before entering into contract Mr. Wilder
advertised for tenders for the job in the San
Francisco papers, and received seven re-
spOnses, ranging all the way from Ss4, 100 to
100000. The lowest tender was accepted,
and as the construction of the hull is to be
under the direct supervision of Mr.. Sorrenson,
a practical shipwright, and the building of
the machinery under that of the chief engineer
of the Pacific Nail Company, there can be no
doubt but that the contract will be faithfully
executed.
According to the terms of the contract the
steamer is to be ready for delivery in San
Francisco on the first day of July next, and
should she not be completed at that date, |
forfeiture of $50 per day may be deducted
from her contract price for each day in ex-
cess.
Mr.. Wilder will proceed to San Francisco
early in June, taking with him crew, for
the purpose of bringing her down, and her
arrival may be looked for in the latter part of |
the month of July. Hnr name will not be an
nounced till it is flung to the breeze on the
penant as she rounds Diamond Head. So far |
as we can see Mr.. Wilder has taken every
possible precaution for the proper fulflment
of the contract in all its minutest details, and |
we doubt not that the result will be a marked
travel.