The morning call., 1893-04-19
A MARINE BEAUTY.
The Sir Robert Fernie of
London.
"MIDsHIP ACCOMMODATIONS. "
The City of Panama Sails With a
Rather Light Cargo for the
Southern Ports.

No finer vessel ever entered the harbor of
San Francisco than the four-masted iron
bark Sir Robert Fernie, which is locked at
Lombard-street wharf with a cargo of gen.
eral merchandise for Meyer Wilson & Co.
Tie Fernie to the nautical eye presents
more than one interesting and novel feature.
The most prominent is that she is steered
from a wheehouse amidships, which is
situated on the tcp of what Is known In
marine parlance as the "midship accom-
modations," or, in other words, instead OF
being built with the officers quarters aft,
the Fernie is constructed with her cabin
arrangements in the center-a new de-
parture in marine architecture with big
vessels, eontriyed with a view to keeping
ships from being swept from stem to stern
when a heavy sea is shipped. When sea
breaks over the Fernie aft. her forwasd
deck is still free OF water and sustains no
pressure, likewise with the after deck when
a cOmber curls over the bows.
The Fernie's "midship accommodations"
are worthy Of mention, as there is nothing
like them among the shipping in the harbor.
This house is divided into four compart-
ments, consisting of the saloon, the cap
tain'S, Ulcers and mems quarters.
The saloon is a handsome. well-lighted
apartment. which looks more like COM
Portable dining-room in private house
than a ships compartment.
a handsome tiled fireplace gives cheer to
the ships company on dreary nights at sea,
and lends a home-lke aspect 10 the place.
The caHtain's quarters open into this sa-
loon, and are much more commodious than
those OF most sailing vessels.
a large bathroom adJ0lns the COM
mandeT's stateroOm, which Is fitted with all
modern cOnyeniences, from porcelain
WaShtub 10 a shower bath.
= The officers rooms are separated from
the saloon by IN iron bulkhead, a. are The
mems rooms on the port side.
Between decks the roof and floor Of the
upper and lower holds are braced by triple
rows Of iron stanchions in place of single
row, as in other ships. These serve a
double purpOse-to brace the vessel strongly
and 10 keep the caEgo from shifting.
In the center of the forward deck is set
OF pumps, steam winches and a saltwater
condenser of $50 gallons per day capacity.
The boiler of the steam winches operates
all the machinery on board, raises the
anchor and works the pumps. The mechan-
zeal arrangements aft are similar to those
forward.
Captain P. F Cannon stated yesterday
that the FeTnie is a splendid vessel in
heavy weather, and can stand up with
very few tons of ballast in her
She spreads II, 600 yards of canvas alto
gether. Aloft she carries single topgallant-
sails, royals ana skysailS in three mRsts,
the jgger mast carrying fore and aft can
vas.
The vessel was built four years ago by
Messrs. Russell & Co. of Port Glasgow, and
her dimensions are S25 feet by A. by %
This is her I'M tial tTiD to San Francisco,
and considerable mention was made of her
in the Liverpool and London papers prior
to her journey for this port
Captain Cannon is justly proud of his
vessel. he is a gentleman Of vast expert
eDce on the sea, and betting commander
for such a splendid specimen of marine
construction.
There is an air of subdued mystery about
the Pacific Mail dock. and promises by the
company's employees that something is 60
ing to drop very hard"
IL has not vet been stated whether this
some hing hard" is the freight rates or ths
few small bundles Of merchandise which
the steamship City OF Panama, which sailed
yesterday morning intends depositing in
the town Of Panama.
Among the waterfront people the City OF
Panama has justly earned the sobriquet OF
''the lightweight champion of the Mail
line, which IS matched to meet the heavy
weight champion OF the North American
Navigation COmpany-the Keweenaw.
The Panama will leave the Isthmus for
the north about The same time that the OPP
position steamer sails for the city, and mar
liners will have an opportunity of seeing
how unfairly matched as regards weight
the two steamers are.
The Panama took goods for South and
Central America and Mexico in small
quantities
TIE captain of the bark Melrose, which is
dischaIglng coal at Paciic-street wharf, had
an experience with nOn-uniOn crew shipped
at san Francisco on the Merose's last trip
north which he does not care to have re.
peated.
He signed crew of negroes out of tie
ship S.. Mark, which was here from New
York.
When the heavy weather set in the entire
crew took to tfeir bertbs successfully COM
planning OF being unwell. The captain dis
covered that the Illness was all put Cd and
applied his fists as treatment He made a
positive cure in very few hours, aud
reached port without any further complaint
from his sailors.
Two new narrOw-gauge cars were loaded
onto the steamer Santa Cruz yesterday
after a great deal Of hard work by the
stevedOTes who undertook the job. The
cars are for the branch road from Por
Hartford.
Two cases of cholera are reported on the
brigantine Helena, which arrived at Mazat
Ian, Mex, a short while ago.
The vessel was ordered into quarantine
Immediately, but slipped away to Acapulco.
As this port is touched very often by cOas
vessels bound TO San Francisco, precaution
will be taken TO prevent infected ships en-
tering the harbor from Acapulco.
The steamer st. Paul will sail for Panam
on the 29th at Pm.
The passengers of the steamer City o
New York were released from quarantin
yesterday morning.