The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-13
PREPARED TO CARRY GRANT.
Bow tho Future Wanderings Of the Mod
ern Ulysses VIII be Made Easy ut tho
Peoples Expense.

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bow tho Euture Wanderings Of the Mod
ern Ulysses viii be Made Easy ut the
Peoples Expense.
From the Mc,o York Sun.
The brisk northerlies and westerlies
that have prevailed since the United
States sloop-of-war Richmond quilted the
Navy Yard several weeks ago, have, in
the opinion of naval officers, given the
veteran Capt. Benham, commanding, an
opportunity to Ay all his kites. The
mission upon which his vessel is bound,
it is clear, smells rank in the nostrils OF
the majority of his brother officers.
The Richmond, Brooklyn and Hart
ford, they say, "are the most seaworthy
of our decrepit feet, and why, therefore,
should one of these be assigned to q pri-
vate citizen as pleasure yacht 2"
From December 81, when the Rich
mond arrived from the Charlestown
Navy Yard, made fast to the Farewell
buoy, and saluted the Admirals flag, up
to the time she swung gracefully outinto
the stream from the Long Dock, she was
regarded with curiosity by the yard Off
GERS. Over $l40, 900 has been expended
on the ship in the past six months in
new machinery, boilers and planking.
Part of this sum went toward altering
and sumptuously furnishing her cabin to
receive ex-Presiclent Grant and wife, Col.
Fred Grant and others of his suite.
Some of the long list of officers that have
been assigned to the Richmond have, it
is said, long been accustomed to what is
known as fancy duty. Owing, however,
to the number of these young gentlemen
aboard, the waldroom was found to be
too small for them, and part of the num-
ber are compelled to bunk in the steer
age with the midshipmen and petty
officers.
The Richmond's cabin has been thor
oughly overhauled. What was good
enough for plain John Rodgers, rear ad-
miral 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. If the cabin was intended to
be magnificent, Mr.. Pook was successful.
AS cabin it is regal. The main en-
trance to the ship when at anchor is on
the starboard side, whence broad and
elegantly fitted companionway leads to q
sort of grand saloon on the main deck.
The saloon is divided into three suites OF
apartments-drawing, dining and recep-
ton rooms. On state occasions these
may be thrown into one spacious apart
ment. Beside these there are large state
rooms abutting upon the forward and
after bulkhead. The painting and deco
ration of all are essentially bright; the
woodwork being of light colors, having
panels and stiles picked out with orange
and green. The cornices and pilasters
are of delicate hue. Sage green silk
blinds and lace curtains embellish the
ports and headlights. The sides of the
ship and the bulkheads forming the
drawing and reception rooms, are hung
with mirrors framed in oak and gold, the
wooden fittings in some cases being of
polished mahogany. When in the
tropics the temperature of these apart
ments will be cooled by 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
large to be called Observation-Disclosures
feather beds rest on brass bedsteads, sus-
pended by gimbals. These work in
upright standards. In seaway the mo-
tion of the bed is like that of a compass,
being disturbed slightly by either the
rolling or the pitching of the ship. The
dining.room is surrounded by rude tran
SONS 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, leading to the tubs
from the engine, heats the water by
steam.
The reception room contains a large
library, and the walls are covered with
choice pictures.
The two stern chasers that were wont
to look frowningly from the after ports
have been removed altogether from the
ship. On the gun-deck proper are twelve
S-inch broadside guns, six on each side.
In the waist are long 9-inch rihed pivot
gun and two Gatling guns, and 200
FOUNDER Parrot adorns the to'gallant
fo'castle.
Beside the FIVE boats that belong to The
Richmond-one launch, three cutters,
and gig-the 45-foot steam launch be.
longing to the Brooklyn, after thor.
ough overhauling, has been suspended
from her davits. A large brass canopy
has been built over it, which in very
warm weather may be covered with cam
yass.
Although merchant ships of the same
tonnage are handled in mastery man.
ner by fifty men, the Richmond has g
crew of $50.
Nearly all the ships rigging, chains
and anchors are new. Ofthe latter there
are FIVE, each weighing near 1000
pounds, beside unnumbered Hedges and
graphing irons.
The Richmond carries forty-fve Off
GERS, line, staff and warrant, and the petty
officers are unusually numerous.
Naval officers say that such an excur
sion party as this never before quilted ar
American port in Government ship
except the late expedition of Capt. Shu
faldt with q rowing commission in The
Ticonderoga, directing him "to open uI
trade generally"
The ex-President at first expected K
board the Richmond at either Spezia o.
Marseilles, in the Mediterranean. Th'
route first chosen for Gen. Grants excur
sion was said to have been from the Med
iterranean to Bombay. Thence be wa
to travel through the Western Ghauts II
Poonah, Mahahaleshwar, and perhaps II
Ahmedabad. Again joining the ship at
Bombay, where it was to await him, ht
would sail down the Malabar Coast, visi
Beypoor, and proceed across to Madras
passing Counbatoor, and Seringapatam
From Madras he was to visit Ceylon, ant
thence to Calcutta. His course Themes
was to be northwesterly, through Be
mares, Patna, Cawnpore, Agra, Delh
and Lahore. From Lahore, the capita
of the Punjaub, he proposed visiting til,
Maharaioh of Cashmere at .JummoO.