The New York herald., 1878-03-07
AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING.

RoAcH's LINE OF BRAZILIAN sTEAMERs-THE
FIRST VESSEL LAUNCHED YEsTERDAy-A
GREAT ENTERPRISE INAUGURATED.
CHESTER, PA, march Q, 1878.
The launch Of = new steamer to-day at the ship
yards OF John Roach the shipbuildsr, is tho be-
ginning OF regular line ot steamships 10 ply ut fire.
quent intervals pctween the Unued States and the
Brazs touching tho ports OF other countries ofthe
South American Continent The Rio do Janeiro the
pioneer ship Of fleet which will soon begin regular
trips between New York and Brazil
These vessels will be provided with cight metallic
lfcboas, whose carrying capacity will be from thirty
tive sixty each and with four life RATS which alto
gstber will carry 700 persons. The four holsters,
vindlass, capstan ana the latest improved steering
apparatus will be all worked by steam. The capacity
OF the coal bunkers is TOO TONS the temporary
shifting bunkcrs VIII carry 700 tons additional. The
machinery proper consists OF Two compound surface
condsnsng engines. $500 horse power, and with sepa
rate engines for working the air and circulating
pumpA The six boilers are OF tho cylindrical return
tubular type. There is also donkey 0olcr Tor hoist
Ing purposes, clearing the bilge, supplying the
r %an TSs sro0so wtS Brass ana Tsan a
patent, having four blades: the diameter
ls sixteen iset. sho wili be brig rggedi the lower
joiner work is The most splendid and elegant put
into snip The dining saloon aft OF the main hatch
spar deck. This saloon Is 1870 feet i0ug by 40
feet broad In The widest part. The maximum passeu-
ger capacity Will be Tor loo nrst class passengers and
400 persons III the stesrage Large and commodous
rooms provided the hurricane deck Tor the
tain and officers; also smoking ROOM ln her equip
mon, tne Rio de janeiro viii De be ono of the most
perfect vessels aaoat this respect she
10 the inventive talent OF the country. Everything
about her being oil American manufacture she IS
really u model American steamship.
DESCRIPTION or THE SHIP.
The following Is description 81 'he new vessel
hold from base linc TO top OF spar DOCK 81 ieet
inchos and she will be Of $500 tons, Custom House
register. The mean low draft will be u feet she
has three decks beside the hurricane deck The spar
and main decks are entirely of iron. covered with
from tho stem the after side OF the main match.
The deck frames are iron; tho deck houses iron,
thoroughly braced ana slnened There six bulk
heads, which divide the steamship into seven waller
tight compartments Connecting with these c0mpart-
nents she has Bulge pumps win separate valves The
first frame ol the Rio dc Janeiro was raised the
9th OF November, 1917. That OF her companion Or
sister ship followed the 22d OF November She is
constructed with u cenre line Keeson, winch runs
from top the solid Keel the oors and
fastening thereto with strong, double angle irons.
THE LAuNCn
Ere the hour OF noon all Chester astir The
launch snip that bustling town the Delaware
means general holiday. When the hour drew near
for tho launch evcry c0ign vi advantage was black
with human beings. me weather beaten deck and
iurrets oi the old MONITOR Roanoke, were thronged
s'ways" there was largo und distinguished party
Among those present wore His ExceIlcncy seior 4.
Ion, With members of the BrazIlIan Legation; from
New York there were Count " Lucca, Consul General
Curds. G ' o,f inc oia Dom,non line; Hon + Kenneth
G. Whhe, Charles DeimonIco, j. L. Mott ana many
prominent merchants aud manufacturers From Bal
timore senior DC Soura Brazilian Consul; Gen.
Of the Board Of TRADE; W. H. rcrot, Mayor Kane and
many Others. Phladciphia was represented by John
Mason, Brpzllian Wee Consul, member OF tue nrm
OF >. Il W. Welsh, Burnham Parry Williams 4 Co.,
Henry Preau Russian Consul; Coun. g. Call, Italian
10
Company OF North america; PHILIP Collins and
maDy Others ds'acnmeht Of cadets from
inIo the yard before the launch took
place and prepared to fire nttlng salute
cIsoy the string piece under tno bows Of tho vessel
was cur The signal gwen ant the Rio dc Janeiro
went Up IRON tho multitude The numerous flags
with which she was decorated waved gayly 70 the
caanon. hen The invtea guests adjourned 10 the
mould room, where an ample iuncn awaited them and
wherc speeches in honor OF tho event OF the lay
IN order Tue RIO dc Janero was brought back 20 the
wharf by couple OF tugs and her passengers soon
)oinod the company IN the mould room.
NIX. RoACH's sPkEcH
Mr.. Roach, being called ON by Mr. Ward, who pre-
sidcd proceeded 70 give history 0f the enterprise
now happily begun. He ALLUDED TO the fact that
steam comm un icat0n, The carrying tradc
being now practically IN British hands The brazilian
merchant had to 60 TO England before
could come to the United States to buy
goods ana the American Minister TO Brazil
lad miles out OF his way 10 get 10 his post
He found luat wne we imported 100000 900 year
goods from Brazil (one,hird ot her entire produc
We could ouly send back $1,000 900 a year IN our
mau uac ures, and the balance 1858 900, 900, had
10 be paid In gold. "rhis was the situation
of AFFAIRS" said Mr. Roach, ''whcn sent
. representative TO Brazil ana found that the
Brazilian government very favorably disposed
10 Americans, ana would be glad to trade with
and receive our goods If they could" Mr.. Roach
Then gave an interesting account OF somc Of the OBJ
siacles no had 10 overcome aud the Gnal OF
his endeavors In securing contract from the Bra
lhe United StaIcs in first class steamers and
10 take our manufactures direct from New York He
concluded by compimeniing The lbcrality OF the En-
peror Of Brazil. Mr. R0ach's speech appIaudcd
most enthusiastically and at IT'S close three
cheers were g!ven for him, the Emperor Dom
Pedro and the brazilian Mnistcr The latter gentle
tlemau made few remarks, aui was followed by
Senator George H Andrews, Of New York; Dr. Rod
riguez Of New York. and Mr.. Frank Stevens OF Bal
timore. Tho company broke up shortly attcr and tho
special trains conveyed The guests back 10 New YORK,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.