The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-12-16
New Reporter Tackles a New Vessel.

go down to pier AS" said the editor
to the new repeater, and write up the
new English steamer just arrived. Give
q thorough account of her from stem to
stern.
From what?" said the young man re-
GENTLY arrived from far interior State.
and to whom vessel of any sort was a
mystery, and wonder.
From stem to stern, said the editor,
fixing a suspicious and threatening eye
upon him, land tell how many feet Of
water she draws, her breadth of beam,
her tonnage and all that sort of thing"
This was the young mans first mission.
He was eager to distinguish himself. He
had already done so on his village paper
in series of essays on The Cesmogyny
Of the University" But that little town
was thousand miles away. He wanted
. wider field for his aspirations, and had
come to New York.
Yet he went out of the Office anxious
and doubling. II will go to the cap
tain" said he, she will explain to me the
ship and its uses. He will tell me all. +"
Captain" said lie, Il am sent to
write up your ship. Oblige me with
stating how many masts she has?"
Eighteen" promptly answered the
captain.
"Where are they?'
"We have sent them on shore to be
painted
How much water does your vessel
draw"
Three inches
How do you draw it?'
by steam power from the we'll"
o<o .
Never" said the captain.
Are you ever sea-sick?"
lawfully; can't leave my berth from
the time we leave New York till We ar
rive in Liverpool
"Are the rest Of your officers and Grew
sea-sick?"
Always; we're only on deck and
about in port"
why, who steers the vessel at sea?"
The cook he's the only well man on
board"
"Do you sail nights when out of sight
Of land?''
Never; We anchor.
what, in mid-ocean?"
"Of course, you land lubber. There S
docks to tie up to at regular distances all
the way across"
What is that hole for?" pointing to an
open hatchway on deck.
That's where an iceberg ran into us
last trip"
Good gracious. How do you see to
sail dark nights
I'VE send our boats ahead with lam
terms, who light up the road
''Are they there now
Eyes; anchored in line all the way
across the Atlantic ocean
Alter getting much other information
which the Captain said lie was only too
happy TO impart to such an interesting
young gentleman, the reporter returned
and wrote as follows:
The steamer Crusader is splendid
specimen of naval architecture. Her
kneel revolves on hinges, so as to be
readily unshipped in a storm when it is
not wanted The rudder, also, by q
patent contrivance, can be drawn from
its socket and deported Oh deck during
the night and in hurricanes, The Cru
sader has folding decks. which can be
doubled up when she has but little car
go, and her tonnage in this way can be
decreased from 1000 to 1000 tons. The
m1insail can, if necessary, be used as a
skysail or windsail, and the saving OF
canvass effected in this manner reduces
the wear and tear OF her running rig
ging one half The main brace passes
from the end of the bowsprit over the
fore, main and royal masts, thence down
and over the spanker boom to the taffrail
and into the cabin windows, where it is
secured by double banked sheepshank
to the head Of the Captains berth. She
has compound engines. which boil water
at an extremely low temperature. Her
a minute, and can, if necessary, be
brought forward and used as paddle
wheels. The Crusader is also con-
structed on the crab principle, and, by
bracing up every thing sharp on the
wind, and wearing ship frequently, she
can go as fast sideways rs any other way.
The engines are furnished with con
densers, which condense milk as well as
water. Her cabins arc consti ucted on
the French fat principle, there being six
stories with kitchens, etc, for each fam
lily of passengers. The Crusader also
carries her own docks, and thus saves all
the expense Of wharfage when in port.
She olso carries her own quarantine, and
% can never be detained II there is any
malaria OF measles on board. The pilot
pilots her all the way across the Atlantic,
and comes back with the ship each time.
Her comp asses in the barnacle give each
day the direction f tie wind. The
Captains COW is MIXED by the boats vain
in the foretop.
OF the genuine poi;teness of the ma