The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-12-04

THE COMING STEAMER The following account Of
the steamer Mei-foo, which will follow the Ho-Chung
from Hongkong, and will probably bring q large
number of passengers from the Central Kingdom. is
taken from the North China Daily Ns0S -" She
is the first steamer that has been, if not exactly
built, at any rate re constructed, for trade with Ior-
eign ports, under the auspices of q Chinese Com
psny. She was formerly an iron barque called the
Benclutha, and was towed down TO Shanghai 10
July of last year, having been bought az q wreck by
a representative Of the firm Of Messrs. 8. C. Farnhsm
& Co. She then went into the dock belonging to
that firm at Tung-ka-doo, and it was decided TO con-
vert her into a screw steamer for Chinese passenger
traffic. Accordingly on Saturday, the 18th OF
April. after having been cut through about the
centre. the forward part was drawn 81 feet 9 inches
away from the other, "a considerable number OF
visitors Witnessing the operation. To this extent
she has been heightened. and tilted with compound
direct-acting inverted cylinder engines of $50 horse
power nominal, supplied by the firm of Messrs W
B. Thompson & Co, Dundee. Her dimensions are
Length of main deck. 271 feet ; length over all.
Pos ; beam amidships, 33 depth between deck 8, z
feet 3 inches depth of bold, II feet 6 inches total
depth, 26 feet 3 inches. Her tonnage is 1,284 net,
aud / ,745 gross. The saloon is aft. on the main
deck, and is roomy and r~astefully decorated ; four
SI6Ie-TOOmc . IOEcIBu pdSecuBcio u VI ~ u
q bath room and other convenieDces are close al
hand. The store-room. sail-room and pantry are
lust forward Of the saloon. A house IL feet 4 inch.
es in length, by Is feet 4 inches in width, with q
a height of 6 feet 6 inches, has been erected on the
upper deck for the special use of Chinese passeu-
gers who wish to smoke opium. We have not heard
Of anything of this kind on q steamer before. Or
the large steamers that cross the Pacific Ocean, 4
space is divided of on the main deck for their use
but there is no other provision made. There is &C
commodstion for about 800 Chinese passengers, witt
q hospital and Doctors quarters. The officers rooml
are on the upper deck forward. The galleys ar,
large and fitted with every convenience ; there il
one for the cabin. one for the use Of the crew, ant
another for the Chinese passengers this latter con
tains t~ o steam boilers for cooking rice and also TIVE
ranges. The carrying capacity Of the steamer viii
be about $4,000 piculs. We understand that th,
steamer, whose name was selected for her by II. E
Ii Hung-chang. 10 at present owned by Mr.. C. p
Blethen, and will sail under the American flag. thu
agents for the vessel being the China Merchants
Steam Navigation Company. Capt. Cunningham
late OF the C. NJ. 8. N. Co.'S steamer Nell, takes tn
command, his place on the smaller steamer beinl
taken by Capt. Warwick. Mr.. Pomquist. recent,
second officer on board the Haeting, will be chic
officer, and Mr.. Banfeld, late Of the Kiangpiau. ha
received the appointment Of second mate. Mr.
Clements, late chief engineer on the Haeting, vii
take charge of the engines. The Mee-foo lie to rul
between the Southern ports, Honolulu and Sal
Francisco"