Daily Republican., 1882-07-27
LAUNOAa AT HARLAN's.
Tho Iron Bteamah1p ''ExccIs1Or"
gl1des gracefully from the Wages
An Immense crowd Present,

Eltdes gracefully from the WAye A
| AN immense crowd Present.
| Precisely at 800 o'clock this morning
the iron sore steamer Excelsior con.
structed by the Harlan q Holdings
worth Company glided gracefully
from the ways into the Christiana,
amid the blowing Of whistles and loud
cheers from the immense number OF
people present. The boat was taste
fully decorated with flags and bunting
while numerous flags we're hoisted
around the yards. Several thousand
people were in the yard, while the
banks of the creek and other places
were lined with people anxious to see
the launch.
Among those present from distance
we're Mr.. Charles A. Whitney, of New
Orleans, one of the owners of the line,
and of the firm of G. A. Whitney s.
Co., New Orleans agents of the line !;
S. G. Bogert, of the firm of Bogert &
Morgan, New York, agents of the line,
Mr.. Shortwell, the Philadelphia agent
of the line; Charles w. Copeland, con.
sulting engineer of New York Mr..
Herman Winters, of New York, super
intendent of the line and constructing
engineer of the ship. A number of
representatives of Philadelphia, New
York and Baltimore newspapers were
present, among them being Mr.. b. s
Osbon of the Nautical Gazette, New
York, and MIR. Chambers OF the New
York Herald. Miss Isabella Bogert,
daughter of Mr.. S. G. Bogert, broke
the bottle OF wine on the bow of the
boat and christened it the Excelsior
as she glided into the water.
The launch was one OF the finest
ever witnessed and everybody was well
pleased. The boat shot from the ways
like flash and went across the creek
into the mud, where she will remain
until the next flood tide. Just before
the boat started one of the workmen
was severely injured by being struck
with piece of timber, but his injuries
are not considered dangerous.
DESCRIPTION OF THE STEAMER.
The following is general description
of the Iron Screw Steamship Excelsior,
now being built by the Harlan & Hol-
lingsworth Company, Wilmington,
Del, for the Morgan, Louisiana and
Texas Railroad and Steamship Com
pany, to run between New York and
New Orleans, on the regular line as a
freight vessel.
The boat Is being constructed under
the inspection of the New York Ship
Masters Association, by their rules for
highest hrst-class rae. Yhe general
dimensions are Length over all, 351
feet beam 4219 feet depth, 32H feet.
The boat will have three decks and an |
orlop deck Tor MALT the length OF fore
hold. Two decks are OF iron. Nine !
iron athwartship bulkheads. .
Intermediate between these are webb !
ed frames, spaced every "a feet. There
will be two independent water ballast /,
at different parts of the
ship, to be filled or emptied by inspira.
tors and centrifugal pumps. The ship
will have four masts-three of which |
will be If iron and will serve as venti~
lating tubes to holds. The other will bs |
q wooden jigger mast. They will be |
pole shaped and rugged for mHtton-leg
sails with arrangements 20 work them
by steam.
The ship steering arrangements will
BE- arranged to stser from pilot house
by steam engines and by after wheel
house by The Napier screw gear, whom
necessary to steer it by hand. There
will be five freight and two coaling
ports on each side OF the ship, all of
which will be reinforced SO as not 70
effect the ships strength or security in
The least.
The ship will have five steam wencheS
or handling freight, coal, sails, &c. A
and capstans will be operat-
ID BY steam. The Tulder swim on
teel pintles, encased III brass and work
II gudgeons, liRnum-vitae, pushed
throughout, including neck OF rudder
md supported on a regular collar,
hrust turface on transon bed, with
support provided for same.
The machinery consists of Compound
Dgines, 80 and rs inches in diameter;
FLINDERS A. feet stroke; steam pres 1
ure, So pounds per inch; Boilers
our main ones, cylindrical, with three ,
cylindrical furnaces, each 48 inches di- {
meter, made of best American steel;
nd one large donkey boiler. This de.
'artment is literally fitted up complete {
With steam pumps, centrifugal and
anitary pumps, and to fully comply =
With all the requirements of the United
hates regulations, including the re-
uirements for extinguishing fire, in
ny part of the ship, by steam.
All the enclosures are made of iron to
insure complete safety. Ventilation is
imply provided for in all parts of the
hip, by means of the masts, ventila-
ing bits and direct ventiators. The
PROPELLER is II feet in diameter with
djustable blades When finished she
Iill be one of the finest and the largest
reight steamers ever on lit in the
United States.