Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-01-01


always ready to give to good cause, without
being deferred by sectarian differences.
THE new yacht Liradia, built by Mcssrs.
Elder g. Co.,, for tho Emperor of Russia has
just reached Ferrol, in Spain, having encount-
cred heavy gale in crossing the bay Of
Bscay. This extraordinary vessel was de-
signed by Admiral PopoT, the inventor of the
circular ironolads in the Russian navy, called
after him Popoffkas. She resembles something
like the hull of a ship built on q hollow fabric
oval in section, both vertically and horizon
tally, somewhat like two elongated saucers
or dishes placed edge to edge, one being in
verted and fitting on the top of the other. She
is driven by three screws and with dis
placement of 1920 tons made on the measured
mile mean speed of 5.s6 knots, with q draft
of only seren feet. OF her behavior at sea, Sir
Il. j. Reed, NJ p, late chief constructor to the
British navy who went out in her, writes to
the Times " must say few words upon tho
behavior at sea of this remarkable vessel
In several articles that have appeared in your
columns of late the public have been advised not to
| expect too much from the sea-going performances
of the Lirddja Her extreme lightness of structure
has been pointed out, and the probability of her
sustaining heavy shocks and great vibration has
been mentioned. On the 9th of July you said,
when waves are encountered at high speed, and
|
to that OF the ship, the qualities of the Lipadio will
probably be put to by far the most serious tests that
await them" y" This prediction has been literally
| fulfilled on our passage across the bay of Biscay
| II was fine when we left Brest, but we had
been only few hours at sea when tho barometer
began TO fall and bad weather set in 1t would
have been prudent, perhaps, to have put back into
Brest, considering the very light draught of
ship and the towering heights of deck palaces
which are piled upon her lightly-built upper deck
But the Grand Duke Constantine the Lord High
Admiral of Russia, on board, and considered
the opportunity of thoroughly testing the vessel
too fine one to he losi, and we consequently
steamed away into tho very teeth of bay of Bis
| cay gale. which steadily grew angrier and wilder.
The actual rolling and pitching of the Liradia at
the height OF the gale was exceedingly small,
exceeding 4o for the single roll. 10 for the
double roll, or So for the forward pitch, and 90
steadiness wac most remarkable, and, while in very
agreeable contrast with my experiences of the last
three years at sea in ordinary ships, was full Of
significance as regards the possible steadness of
gun platforms in ships of war.
When we at length had crossed the Bay and got
out of the gale. and steamed into Ferrol, not the
slightest damage of any description had been
sustained with an exception to be mentioned
hereafterl, either to the vessel or to her boats
paaces,, furniture, crockery, or anything what
ever. The dnner-table laid the candeabra
stood upon it, and the mc,.ls served through
out the voyage even during the storm of Wednes-
anchor in port. The broad covered gallery which
extends all round the open deck never reached
by the sea, and it was only during the worst of
| tne weather that even spray invaded IL. Win n
vessel of such very light draught q feet in such
gale, and with such high and lumpy waves, the
blows of the sea under the fiat bottom were at
times tremendous; but the confidence of the
| Grand Duke in refusing to turn back justi-
fed, and both Admiral Sir Houston Stewart, the
Controller of the Navy, who board, and
myself are indebted to his Imperial Highness for
n most instructive piece of sea experience Sailor
| as Sir Houston is, and intimate with the latest
| forms and details of naval construction, it was
impossible, nevertheless, for him not to profit by
this very exceptional voyage on this very excep-
| tional ship.
Before entering Ferrol, one of tho small COM
partments forward found TO be filed with
water, and it was soon discovered that one of the
! bow plates had been stove in, and the plates in
thn neighborhood strained and made eaky. My
own first impression was that the cellular bow
had yielded to the direct impact of the during
one of the most violent of the shocks which
felt; but close inspection of the injuries led
to the conclusion that the bow had been struck by
some ioatna wrncxaga Wo aro temporarily
| repairing the damage, for which, owing to her
extreme subdivision into watertight compart-
ments tho vessel is but little the worse will
reserve for future occasion, should it arise, my
views of the lessons to be learnt and the infer
ences to be drawn from the sea performances Of
tho Lipddia. The Licddia is still at Ferrol."