The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-18
THE BIRMINGHAMS TRIP.
TIE NEW BOSTON STEAMER IN
PORT FROM NEW YORK

PORT FROM NEW YORK.
Capt. Burg Makes a Successful Inau-
gural Voyage-The Vessel Hailed by
Crowds OF People Along the River
Frontier Officers and Crew-Presi-
dent Alexander Pleased With the
New Ship.
The new steamer City of Birmingham ar
rived yesterday afternoon, and as she
steamed up the river she saluted all the
water craft from Tybee roads until she
moored at the Ocean steamship wharves at
$3.50 o'clock. The whistle is not considered
altogether satisfactory, and Capt. Burg
says it will be replaced by one of tett r
tone and more distinct The passage from
New York was made with strong south
wind and smooth sea.
Capt. c. S. Burg, the Birmingham's COM
mander, went to Chester July 5, where he
remained to superintend the steamers ap-
pointments. They left Chester at o'clock D.
IN. on Aug. s, arriving at New York on Aug.
10 at q. N. Gen. Sorrel was on board
from Chester to New York. Aftar loading
with 400 tons of steel rails, 400 tons
of cotton ties and general NOR
chandise the steamer, with only about one
third OF a full cargo, slipped her moorings
at New York last Tueeday morning at 10
o'clock, and stopped Off tho sea buoy off
Tybee at II 30 o'clock yesterday morning,
where for two hours she awaited the turn
ing OF the tide, starting up the river at / 80
o'clock. She handled very nicely in the
river, and her apparently slow time is ac-
counted for by tho fact that she is new, and
low pressure Of steam was carried the
steamer not making more than ten miles an
hour, although her speed is twelve miles per
hour. Her future trips will be made in
much better time.
THE VESSELS CAPACITY.
The vessels hull is of iron. Between
decks she has two iron decks, the other ships
Of the line having but one; she is entirely
OF iron underdecks, the other steamers
having wooden decks. She is about the
same length as the City of Augusta but
with greater carrying capacity, and can
carry 1000 bales of cotton The capacity
of her tonnage deck is 1,60753 tons, and be-
tween decks, above tonnage deck, is 900. 80
tons; amidships house, 321.29 tons; fore
castle, 292l tons; making her gross tonnage
2,S67.35 tons, and her net tonnage 2,153 A
tons. She has three decks and two masts
and hurricane deck. The length of the new
steamer is 301 feet on the keel, 800 feet over
all, that is from stem to STEM Her breadth
is 26 feet; depth of hold 16 feet from
lower deck; "a feet from upper deck
to hold. She has a condensing engine
"A 80 and 63 inches diameter of cylinder;
80. II feet stroke. She has four boilers IL
feet long and 126 inches i'll diameter Her
boilers are of steel, and upon which the
steamer Is allowed 100 pounds pressure to
the square inch. She is provided with the
latest storage improvements and one of the
latest wndlaSs and capstan engines. neither
of which are on the other ships of the Ocean
steamship line She has three cargo ports
in side for unloading freight, whereas the
other steamers have but two. The follow
ing is the roster of the ships officers.
THE SHIPS OFFICERS.
Captain, c. S. Burg. Capt. Burg is an ex-
perienced seaman, about 40 years of age,
and was first mate of the Nacoochee for five
years, and has been III the employ of the
company for sixteen or seventeen wears.
He commanded the Nacoochee for three
months during the absence of her COM
manding officer
Chief Officer A. T. johnson was chief Of
flcer of the Dessoug. He has served as
second officer of the Nacoochee, and acted
as chief officer for three months last win
ter.
Chief Engineer Pennington was formerly
chief engineer of the Gate City. He has
been i'll the employ of the line for fifteen
years, five of which were spent as chief en-
gineer of the Gate City.
The second officer is w. A. Nelson, quar-
termaster of the Nacochee for four years.
The assistant engineer is Mr.. Pierce,
father of Purser Pierce, who will come on
from New York soon.
Mr.. u. l.. Coggins is the steward, and was
promoted from the Dessoug.
The crew numbers thirty-fve men.
THE OFFICERS QUARTERS.
The officers quarters are handsomely ar
ranged In the captains room hangs the
white silken banner containing the pretty
couplet spoken by Miss Pauline Caldwell
when she christened the steamer at the
launch:
CITY OF BIRMINGHAM.
Go good ship, City of Birmingham,
Proud princess of the sea;
Another bond twixt south and north
OF trade and amity.
Yesterday afternoon the steamer was
visited by Gen. z. p. Alexander, president
of the Central; Maj. N. s. Belknap, gem
eral manager; Maj. w. F. Shellman,
traffic manager; I. NJ. Cunningham,
cashier of the Central bank and treasurer
of the Central company, and many other
gentleman and ladies, all Of whom were
highly pleased with the new vessel She
will load pig iron for Philadelphia, and
while she will make occasional trips to Bos-
ton and Philadelphia when needed, she is
intended for the Savannah and New York
trade. She cost about S300,000.
The word Buffo means q good smoke, buff