The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-01
THE VANCOUVER.
Full Description of the Dominion Conn
pany's New and Elegant Steamship.

Messrs. Charles Connell & Co., gWhiteinch,
GLASGOW, Scotland, on March 14th last,
launched the sixth steamship built by them
for the Mississippi and Dominion Steamship
COMPANY, the Vancouver.
The Vancouver has length of 430 feet,
breadth OF beam 45 feet, depth of hold SO feet
inches, gross tonnage $500 tons, and is built
OF Consett iron under special survey of the
Admiralty and Lloyds. She is exceptionally
strong, has four decks, besides bridge deck,
with eight water-tight bulkheads carried up to
the main deck, with water-tight doors. The
steerage tween decks are eight feet high and
divided by water-tight bulkheads into four
compartments, each Compartment having
separate entrance in q spacious house on deck.
The married couples are berthsd in the CEN
tire, single males forward and single females
ait, the latter in charge OF an experienced MAJ
tron. The steerages are well ventilated and
lighted. There is accommodation in the ship
for 100 saloon passengers, Sc second cabin, IS
intermediate, ana 1900 steerage. Every de-
partment of the ship is lighted by the Swan
electric lamps.
The grand saloon is amidships, is the full
width of the vessel, and seats 100 people at
nine tables. Revolving arm-chairs and sofas
are richly upholstered in crimson velvet. The
cabinet work of the saloon is in panels and
pilasters of t ak, maple, planetree and walnut,
decorated with designs of fruit, flowers, game,
&c. The grand staircase, five feet wide, leads
from the saloon to the music room and prone
made deck. The music room is forward of The
bridge deck, with an elliptic opening into the
saloon. 1t is we'll ventilated and lighted. con-
tains we'll stocked library and grand piano
The state rooms are in single line along the
sides OF the ship, airy, light and cheerful, and
unusually large, some of them fitted with fam
lily beds, and all possessing patent wire-woven
mattresses which easily adapt themselves to
the sleeper's form and are most comfortable.
Close by the saloon is the ladies' boudoir with
adjoining bath rooms, lavatories and closets.
There are number of commodious state
rooms on the forward end of the bridge deck,
and barber's shop near by. Aft of these are
the second cabin staterooms, and cabin, officers
and engineers staterooms and messrooms, the
surgeons quarters and surgery, and at the ex-
IRENE aft the hospitals, in front of the tur-
te-back, fitted with every requisite.
On either side the bridge deck are folding
doors, opening on hall, or entrance to the
saloon, u feet wide: while passengers are re-
celVed at one side their baggage can be re-
ceived at the other. They are thus not brought
into contact with the other passengers. The
saloon and steerage galleys, bakehouse, bakers
and batcher's shop, scullery and boot room
are grouped near each other, and out of the
way OF passengers; the former communicating
by hoist for dishes and joints with the pantry
below, in which are steam tables, coffee aud
tea vase, and everything necessary to ensure
service of meals in N appetizing manner. The
promenade deck is 1873 feet long, without OBJ
structions, and the Fidley casing Carrying off
all dust or heat from the boilers. On the
main deck is ample promenade space for the
intermediate and Storage passengers. The
smoking room is on the bridge deck, coZy lit
tie room with lots of fresh air. The chart
room, forward wheel-house and captains room
ars on the front of the bridge deck.
The Vancouver is square-rgged on the two
forward masts aud schooner-rigged on the
two after masts She will carry q very large
cargo, and has six patches and six steam
wipehes. The lifeboats are fitted with Hill &
Clarke's patent lowering apparatus. The shin
is steered with Harlison's patent steam-steer-
ing apparatus, which is perfect and noiseless.
She is good model and ships little water in bad
weather. The engines were built by Messrs
John aid james Thomson, Glasgow, and are
OF the three-cylinder type, with all the latest
improvements. The comDssses are supplied
and adjusted by MIR. Thomas Bussnett and
there is also Sir William Thompson's i'm.
proved mariners compass Mr.. William
Glover supervised the construction of the hull
and engines. Capt G. j. Lindall the fayorite
commander of the Sarnia, will command the
Vancouver.