The New York herald., 1879-09-30
ONE OF THE FINEST AFLOAT.
NEW HAVANA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.

A NEW HAVANA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. o.
THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
By invitation Of Messrs f. Alexandra & Sons. pro-
prietors of the New York. Havana and Mexican
steamship line number of the representatives OF
the firms engaged in the Southern trade. we'll 40
steamboat men generally and members Of the press.
yesterday inspected the new iron steamship City Of
Alexandria. at pier North River. The steamer ia
of about 5000 tons burden. will be attached to
Alexandra 81 Sons line and be commanded by Cap
tain John Deakin. who has been in the service some
eleven years. The City of Alexandria completed
in the yard OF John Roach Il Son. Chester, Pa. and
was launched on the 9th of July last She Is S33
feet long over all. 80 feet inches wide. Is
feet deep from the spar deck and 33 feet deep from
the hurricane deck being ten foet longer. SIX inches
wider and two feet shalower than her sister ship,
the City of Washington, which in other respects she
closely resembles, with the exception that her
chinery has been constructed upon different
principle. the object Of her owners being to test the
merits of the different modes of propulsion. The
hull of the new steamship is of iron. with plates
from veeighths of an inch to one inch in thickness,
which riveted in boiler style. The deck houses
around the galley and the boiler and engine
rooms rooms sre uoa also , Of iron; a.. but in other
length and breadth of the vessel is Of iron covered
with wood. and the lower deck abreast OF the ma
chinery, is of iron. The engines . compound
pair with high pressure cylinder OF AZ u inches
and low pressure cylinder OF Is inches diameter.
and with a stroke Of 81 inches. Steam is furnished
at so pounds per square inch by four boilers each
10 feet long by IA feet inches in diameter aud each
having four furnaces The total CRATE surface is 3AS
feet. The propeller is 16 feet inches in diameter.
with pitch OF 25 feet. The vessel has water ball
last tank. and fresh water condenser capable Of
producing $50 gallons per day. She carries as part
Of her general equipment. which is thorough In
every department a steam launch.
THE ACCOMMODATIONS.
The Joiner work is marvel of beauty and taste
The main saloon is finished In ash. mahogany. black
walnut. butternut white holly and aInaranth or -
it is called in South America, "blood WOOD all
highly polished and arranged in an exQusitcly
artistic manner This saloon is located in the sec
ton where the least motion is felt and where the
greatest amount of light and breeze be attained
at The first cabin accommodations are for $50
passengers There are five spacious bridal cham
bers. The berths constructed with cane bottoms
for use in warm weather aud swinging berths in
readiness tor seasck passengers. Each room u
neatly furnished and supplied with every con-
necessary to make the occupants comforta-
bic. In the matter of life preservers and lieboats
the City OF Alexandria cannot be surpassed by any
other steamship ahoat.
The difference between the machinery of the City
OF Alexandria and that of the City OF Washington
consists irst in that the formers displacement ts
less second her style OF boilers and the proportion
between diameter and stroke in her engine are moro
favorable to the development of swift steam
ing the power OF the two vessels being regarded
relatively equal and, third the wheel is in all
spects bctor than that OF the City of Washington.
There has boon much discussion In steamship circles
whether the City of Alexandria will be swifter than
series Of voyages to decide that question. Il
will be remembered that the City of WASH
ington made the quickest passage from Havana
to this port record. The distance run was l. 80
nautical miles, which sho made in IS hours II
minutes. average per hour of about l9sx miles,
which was slightly faster than tho famous run Of
the White Star steamship Britannia, some two
years ago, OF 1000 nautical miles in GO consecutive
hours, or an average OF 1G 2-3 nautical miles per
hour.
RUN FROM DELAWARE cAPEs.
The course of the City of Alexandria from the Del
aware Capcs to New York was longer than would
have been necessary IL the weather had not
been thick and threatening From Chester IL was
about 2G0 miles, and tho time 10
hours. For 60 miles out of 10 the
Delaware River tho tide against the ship, and
from Barnegat to the dock in New York the wind
and tide were both az ainst her. From Sandy Hook
lighthouse bearing west, to Castle William, Govern
or's Island bearing east the time was 10 minutes.
The course there by the ship channel. and tho
distance is IL nautical miles. The draft of water
arrival II feet inch att and 10 feet inches for
ward. The mach hnory worked as smoothly ~ that
of an old ship, otherwise the fast time made in
ming up the bay would have been impossible.