Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1880-11-20
A Visit to the British Ship Macmillan.

Through the courtesy of Captain Grey,
Lieutenant r. N. r., we had the pleasure
recently of going on board this vessel,
without exception the most magnificent
and well appointed of all the fine ships that
have entered this bay. On stepping over
the rail we were nstonished Mt the great
expanse of deck which is evidently kept in
splendid order. The vessel was built by
her owners, Messrs. Archibald Macmillan
u Sons, of Dumbarton, and halls from
Glasgow. She is 1865 feet long between
perpendculars, 800 feet over all, from taft.
rail to jibboom end 80 feet 5 inches in
breadth, and 81 feet depth of hold ex-
elusive of the latter she has a doube bot.
tom, 3 feet 8 inches Deep between which
there are three compartments capable of
holding 400 tons of water, and she is, we
believe, the only sailing vessel fitted in this
manner. She was towed to Vallejo with
her royal yards crossed and not n sack of
wheat on board. This new idea of
double bottom and water ballast has proved
great boon to the charterer, Mr.. Robert
Sheeby, as it saved him sending down 400
tons Of stffening to the vessel, andeventu.
ally we expect all iron sailing ships to be
built in this manner, as it is by far the most
economical. After taking on board couple
of schooner loads, her donkey engine was
set to work, and the water ballast which
was taken in at Shanghai was pumped out
Of her, taking IL hours, and she proceeded
with her loading. She was then down to
her "Plimsoll mark" having on board
242l tons of wheat, besides so tons of dun.
mage, wood, ships stores, etc. and as she
Leo, Oh b<
sidered u good carrier. Her store rooms
and fresh.water tanks are all aft, and the
Dos suns store rooms all forward, thus leav-
ing her hold from bulkhead to bulkhead
perfectly clear with one exception, where
her pumping gear is arranged, which &C.
cupies space about a feet square. The
Macmillan has four boats on the skids
abaft the mainmast. She is full rugged
with nothing above the royals and carries
crew of 90 all told. This may seem
small for SO large vessel, but it must be
remembered that she has two steam winchcs
on board, and she gets up her anchor by
steam and sets her topsails and gallant
sails by the same means. She flies the blue
ensign by virtue of her captain and part of
her crew being in the Royal Naval Re-
serve. The officers and crew are all in uni
form, and the discipline on board is nearly
the same as on man-of-war. All hands
were pped to dinner Mt the sound of the
bosun's" whistle. She presented a very
neat appearance tween decks, on deck and
aloft Besides the blue ensign at her peak
she flew at her main royamast head the
house flag of her owners, and at her how
spirit the merchant jack. Captain Grey,
who has commanded several of the Mel
bourne packet ships, including the Loeb
Lomond, Loeb Mnree and South Esk, we
found most polite and untiring in his ex-
ertions in aiding us to inspect his fine ship,
and more than one load Of casual boating
parties came on board by his invitation
during the day. We hear that on her next
voyage it is intended that she carries two
steel steam launches at davits, SO that in
case of prolonged calms they can be lower
ed and tow her. That the ship is a clipper
may be judged from the fact that on leav-
ing Greenock she was 10 days to the equa.
tor, and passed AMER on the 18th day out
Easiest passage on record), reaching
Shanghae on the 18th day. She was A
days from Shanghae to this port, and went
to sea, being only three weeks in our port
We earnestly wish Capt. Grey and his fine
ship MacMigon rafting passage home
and speedy return to this ports. +. E.c