The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-02
PREPARED TO CARRY GRANT
LUXURIOUS QUARTERS FITTED UP FOR
HIN IN THE RICHMOND.

Ulysses VIII he Made Ensy at the Peoples
Expense-To Join the Vessel Mt bombay.
The brisk northerlies and westerles that
have prevailed since the United States sloop-oi-
war Richmond quilted the Navy Yard several
weeks ago. have. in the opinion Of naval officers
given the veteran Capt. Benham. commanding.
nm opportunity to fly all his kites. The mis-
sion upon which his vessel is bound 1t is clear,
smells rank in the nostrils OF the majority Of his
brother officers.
The Richmond. Brooklyn. and Hartford"
they say. are the most seaworthy OF our de-
crepit fleet. and why. therefore, should one OF
these be assigned to q private citizen as a
pleasure yacht2"
From Dec. 81. when the Richmond arrived
from the Charlestown Navy Yard made fast to
the Farewell buoy. and saluted the Admiral's
flag. up to the time she swung gracefully out
into the stream from the Long Dock,
she was regarded with curiosity by
the yard officers. Over $4,000 has
been expended on the ship in the past six
months in new machinery. boilers and plank
ing. Part Of this sum went toward altering and
sumptuously Furnishing her cabin to receive ex-
President Grant and wife. Col Fred Grant and
others OF his suite. Some OF tho long list OF
officers that have been assigned to tho Rich
mond have II is said, long boon accustomed to
what is known ns fancy duty Owing. how
ever. to the number Of these Young gentlemen
aboard. the wardroom was found to be too small
for them. and part of the number are compelled
to bunk in the Storage with the midshipmen
and petty officers.
The Richmond's cabin has been thoroughly
overhauled. What was good enough for
plain John Rodgers Rear Admiral United
States Navy. was not in the opinion
Of the department. suitable for the ex-
President Naval Constructor Pook OF the
Charlestown yard was given carte blanche in the
establishment Of the same. II the cabin was
intended to be magnificent. Mr.. Pook was sue
cessful. As cabin il is regal. The main en-
trance TO the ship. when at anchor. is on the
starboard side whence a broad and ele-
gantly fitted companionway leads 10 a sort
OF grand saloon on the main deck.
This saloon is divided into three suits
OF Observation-Disclosures dining. aud recep.
ton rooms. On state occasions these may
be thrown into one spacious apartment. Be
side these there are large state rooms ahut-
ting upon the forward and after bulkhrad. The
painting and decoration OF all nre essentially
bright; the woodwork being Of light colors.
having panels and stiles picked out with orange
and green. The curnicps and pilasters are OF
delicate hue, Sage green silk blinds and lace
curtains enbellish the ports and deadllghts.
The sides o. the ship and the bulkheads
forming the drawing and reception rooms are
hung with mirrors framed in oak and gold. tn,
wooden fittings in some cases being OF polished
mahogany. When in the tropics tho tempera-
ture Of these apartments will b. coolcdhy means
Of clay punkahs or monkeys. which. filled with
water. will depend from the interior OF the
poop-deck.
In the bedrooms-for they are too largo to be
called staterooms-tull sized feather beds rest
on brass bedsteads, suspended by gimbals.
Thes" work in upright standards. In seaway
the motion OF the bed j. like TINT " Il compass
being disturbed slightly 10y either the rolling
or the pit hing OF the siiip. The dining room
Is surrounded bv rude trtnsOms covered with
silk; There are four bathrooms. with pipes
Leading To- wells in the waist which are kept
filled with water by the crew. When hot bath
Is desired. another pipe. loading to the TUBS
from the engine heats the water hy steam.
The reception room contains n large library.
and the walls are covered with choice pietures.
The two stern chasels that were wont TO look
frowningly from the after ports have been re-
moved altogether from the ship. On the gun
deck proper are twelve s-inch hroadside
guns, siX on each side. In the waist are a long
9-inch riled pivot gun and two Calling guns.
and 2OO. FOUNDER Parrot adorns the to'gallant
io'castle.
Beside the five boats thnt belong to the
Richmond-one launch. three cutters. and a
gig-thr ij-iOOt steam launch belonging To the
Brooklyn. after thorough overhauling has
been sus pended from her davits. \ large brass
canopy has been built over Il. which in very
warm weather may be covered with canvas.
Although merchant ships OF the same ton
mage are bundled in a mnst"ry manner by fiity
men. the Richmond has crew Of $50.
chors is new. OF the latter there are Ave. each
| Weighing near 1000 pouAds beside unnum-
bered hodges aud graphing irons.
The Richmond carries forty five officers. line.
staff and warrant. and the petty officers are I'M
| usually numerous.
Naval officers say that surh an excursion
| party ns this never before quilted an American
port in Government ship. except the late eX-
petition Of Capt. Shufeldt with a rowing com
| mission in the riconicroga. directing him " to
Ot.'u up trad" generally.
The eX-prosdent At first expected 10 board
| the Richmond NJ either Spez.a or Mnrseillrs
| in the Mediterranean. Tn" route first chosen
for Gen. GrHnts excursion WIS said TO have
been from the Medlt'rrauenn 10 Bombay.
| Thence u" was to travel through the Western
| 10 AhmeiahAd. Again joining the ship ut Bonn
| bav, whore u was 70 await him, he would
sail down the Malahar Coast. visit Beypoor.
| md proceed across 10 Madras. passing
| Counhaioor. and Seringapatam. From Madras
| h. was To- visit Cry' n. and thence to Calcutta.
| through BenHres. patna. Cnwnpore. Agra, Del
| hi aud Lahore. From Lahore thu capital of
| the Punlauh. he proposed visiting the Munura-
| Jah 81 Cashmere at Jummoo
| Such WAS the programme arranged for Con.
Grant by the men IN this country who are I'M
| lican nomination, and 20 be- payngt the eNpens "s
Of his foreign tour with that object IN view But
! when the statement was first published that the
| United States vessel Richmond WIS TO bee de-
tailed to carry him over the last part ot the triu.
| and protests began 10 come in from all parts of
| the country, these managers became alarmed,
and wrote 10 Gen. Grant that II was hest for him
! tOgO to Indin IN one ~ the mail steamers. and by
! the time the Richmond reached Bombay the
| peoule here wonld have gotten over their first
| burst OF Indignation. He could there Join the
| Richmond. in the mean time having followed
| out the programme above given. and sail IN her
to China and Japan.