Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-09-03
MONSTERS OF THE DEEP.
HOW MODERN OCEAN STEAM
SHIPS ARE BUILT.
Models OF safety and Elegance onder
full Progress in Half II Century oy
observation-disclosures
of the Future.

nave OF late years reduced the vast
Atlantic Ocean to little more than an
Anglo-American lake. Take, for in
stance, any one of the most recent adj
dltions to the splendid fleet of ocean
greyhounds. " it hardly seems possible
Tor even the most brilliant Imagination
to conceive of a human structure more
perfect in all those details that to-
gether constitute the acme of safety
speed and luxury. If other steamers
may with sufficient accuracy be called
iloallng hotels. this one might with
equal pippriety be termed Il floating
club house as we'll as hotel of the
highest class. For the purpose of this
article brief survey of the dimen-
sions and equipment OF such Il steamer
will make a good starting point.
Her length is. say $50 feet; breadth.
% feet depth. 40 feet She is, in fact
one of the largest vessels in the world
her displacement when fully loaded.
being not less than l6, 600 tons, "A figure
surpassed, if 1T all, only by one or two
OF the huge Italian ironclads recently
launched. 1t is not easy to give any
Just conception of what the above di-
mansions mean, or to help those who
have never seen one of these floating
palaces to realize the enormous amount
OF constructive talent, adaptive skill
and artistic feeling. as well as money,
that they represent. In the words of
the Engineer it is, perhaps, because it
seemed almost impossible to do so gi-
gantic subject justice that the litera-
ture, ii we may use the word, of Attain
tic passenger steamships is deplorably
meager.h
Nothing that art and science can do
to render the ship beautiful without
and within. luxurious. safe and swift
Is left out OF account In addition to
being infinitely subdivided by athwart-
ship bulkheads there is Il longitudinal
bulkhead running fore and aft and
forming a mighty backbone that gives
additional rigidity to the whole struc-
ture. greatly increasing the security in
event of accident. Furthermore the
doors closing the different compart-
ments can be shut instantly from the
flying deck by pulling small wire ropes
while there are automatic arrange
ments by which these doors will close
of themselves if the water rises unduly
in the bilges.
AS to the fittings and furnishings
that contribute to the ease and com
fort of the fortunate passengers it
would require columns to describe
them. The chief architectural feature
in such steamers, of course, the sa-
loon which becomes banqueting hall
OF almost awesome brilliancy. The
length often exceeds sixty feet. and
the breadth is but little less. Fancy
SO vast an apartment being at ones
command in mid-ocean. Standing
under the lofty dome of many-colored
glass and gazing about at the multitu-
dinous mirrors the golden figures of
tritons nymphs, and mermaids dis
porting in an ivory sea, the richly
Carved cabinet work in English oak
and the great round ports in their
elaborate setting OF rich brass repousse
work, one can not quickly grasp the
idea that all this splendor is simply
part of vessel-of ferry boat play
ing between the old world and the new
1T seems to belong more properly to
the palace of some mighty monarch.
The same feeling is produced by the
sumptuOus state-rOOms with their wide
four post bedsteads of cleaning brass
the spacious library Astounding in
books, the gorgeous smoking-room,
tit for a princes use, and the other
departments of this ocean monarch on
board of which the population of
good-sized town might stow away
comfortably. for her normal CARRYING
capacity is 800 saloon passengers,
175 second class and S55 steerape,
making up with the 1913 engineers,
ETC., in the engine-rOOm, the 40 sailors
in the fOrcastle the % cooks in the
gallery and the go stewards in the
pantry. nearly l. 900 souls; 5000 tons
OF coal and 1000 tons of cargo being
carried besides.
Here then we have excellently illus
trated the utmost that man. so far at
least, has achieved in the line of naval
architecture for the passenger service.
Competing lines will no doubt make it
their business to see the latest addition
W. SAAS HSSo ehu ~ VIC DCUJcI. hey
will. perhaps. succeed in effecting some
further improvements, but it is not
likely that much antecedent to Bella
my's A. ID. 1000. at all events, we will
have any such marine monarch as that
outlined in the following words: She
will be over quarter of mile in length,
and will do the passage from Sandy
Hook to Liverpool in thirty hours,
being one night out She will be
driven by electricity. and in such a
fashion as to keep railway time, de-
spite fog or storm, Passages can be
secured by fash photograph. .Edison's
patent and the ticket will include an
opera stall, or a concert ticket, or q
seat IN a church pew-the opera
house, concert hall, and church being
all on board. A covered ring for horse
exercise will also be provided. and a
racing track for fast trotters. A base
ball ground and tennis courts will also
form a portion of the attractions. For
business men stock exchange will be
operated, the quotations being posted