Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-30
AN ODD OCEAN STEAMER.
No Massss she Deck Covered with q
Domes and 90 Cross the Atlantic
la Six Days.

A dome covered and mastless vessel is
being built at NYack, New York, at the yard
OF James E. Smith, for the American Quick
Transit Steamship Company. Ii is the in
Venti0n OF Captain Moreland, for forty
years connected with the Cunard Line. She
will be launched about the middle Of JULY.
but as 1t will take at least a month to put
In her boilers and machinery, she
VIII not be ready for her trial trip
before the latter part OF August. If she re-
aliEes the expectations of her inventor she
viii be put In the West India fruit trade,
and other vessels will be made for the
freight and passenger transatlantic service.
All OF her timbers are in position. her
planking is about completed, and a large
force Of men are hurrying forward the
work. The best materials are used, and
she viii be stronger than the ordinary ves-
sci to sustain the strain of har.ssSr. "a
which will be double the usual poee ar. ::6e
The vessel Is $50 feet long, 81 bens ~tssHe
10 extreme breadth. She Is sharp forward,
and has long, clean run afr. The speed
promised is about 25 miles an hour, go that
the voyage across the Atlantic may be
made in less than six days The model Is
different In every important respect from
the ocean steamers low In use. First, she
has about 3S per cent. more beam, and In
stead OF the straight sides going deep down
into the water, there will be graceful rise
from the keel to the load line. Il is
claimed that the hull will be more stable
without ballast than the present type of
vessels. The s'turtle back,n or dome
deck, Is distinguishing feature,
as 1t will afford enlarged
space on passenger vessels for saloon ac~
comulodation, and on freight vessels. for
the comfortable housing of cattle. ri can
be used as promenade deck in fair weather.
The whole upper deck will thus be covered
In, and the space usually exposed to the
weather will be entirely utilized. 1t will
thus be light, airy and well ventilated.
Abaft will be the main saloon. spacious
apartment, furnished in mahogany and
black walnut. Large staterooms will open
from the main saloon. Directly forward of
the main saloon will be the engine room.
then the mess room and officers staterooms.
Sill further forward will be the quar-
ters for the crew. Greater safe
tV is claimed for the turtle-bsck.
1t will tie the vessels sides together. thus
making her stronger; no sea, no matter
how large, can strike at right angles. and
the conclusive force from boarding seas is
avoided by the perfect shedding of them
on the curved surface. The wheelhouse.
smokestacks, ventilators, and flags and sig
nal staffs will be the only things rising
above the upper decks. There will be no
sPars or masts. Among the advantages
claimed are the absence of all top weight.
which strains the ship In heavy weather. the
avoiding OF great outlay for sails and rig
ging, and the dispensing with a large
crew OF practical sailors. Another claim
Is that, In a straight course on the
ocean, taking the wind as 1t blows, the at
mospneric resistance against the epare.
masts, and rigging of a vessel driven by
steam power is so great that the gain bv
their removal will more than compensate
for the loss OF the advantage OF sails in a
iaVoring breeze. To meet the emergency OF
arrangement to the main shaft, screw or
machinery at sea, pair of auxiliary screws
are placed one above the other in the dead
wood Just forward of the rudder post, and
independent OF the main shaft and
screw. When not in use they will be en-
closed by large shutters flush with the wood.
Ii the ordinary steering apparatus should
become disabled, the arrangement OF these
shutters is such that they can be used as a
.ort OF double rudder, one for port and one
'or starboard.