The sun., 1893-04-14
DOLPHIN READY FOR GUESTS.
TEE rAC8T OF THE NAVr HAS BEEN
REF1TTED sUPERBLI

the Fittings and Chn.ges-Coi. johnson OF
Norfoik-Psrt OF the Fleet Return..
FoRTREss MoSnoE. April 13.-Uncle Sam has
at last got a yacht such as It becom es the first
and richest OF the nations to possess She Is
the despatch boat Dolphin that John Roach
| built for the Government some year ago. but
she is so changed that II Roach was alive and
could seeher he would not recognize her. She
was finished to-day. She has become float
| ing palace. such as we may not be ashamed to
use at the naval review and here In Ham pton
Roads for the official entertainment OF the
Princes. Admirals, and yice-Admirals who are
to command some Of tho foreign squadrons
that will take part in our international cele-
bration. Neither the Czarswitch nor the Duke
| OF Edinburgh has a finer yacht than this and
neither William X. nor Fred W. Vanderbilt has
one as fine.
The Dolphin has been made over In flve
| weeks. and when all things are considered the
| cost OF her transformation has been very little.
She Is steel schooner 214 feet long. with
2.24O horse power and 1900 tons displace-
ment She used to be considered very elegant.
and as matter OF fact she really was good
enough for President or q Secretary OF the
Navy to travel In when upon official duty on
the water. That degree OF fitness is differ
ent thing from what is required now that we
are to impress the great nations with our
power. our wealth. and our good taste. aud it
Is on that account that she has been recon-
structed. As she was at first she had her
saloon under tho gun deck. 1t was a little
thing In which perhaps eight or ten persons
could be entertained. She could not shelter as
many as that at night unless half OF them sat
up while they were aboard. Upon tho main
deck she had small house. 1t was consid-
cred very fine because 1t was built OF mahog-
any. but was too small for any but private
yacht 1t was nothing but o largo deck house.
and 1t did not accord with the lines OF q man
of-war That house has been lifted off the
deck and a great cabin has been built clean
across the ship and covering nearly a quarter
OF her length. This is now the finest dining
saloon on any vessel that rides the waters.
To construct this beautiful saloon the steel
walls OF the vessels hull have been built SO as
to provide eight feet OF head room In the sa-
loon. splendid poop deck. which will make
a fine promenade In clear weather. provides a
ceiling for this saloon. The old saloon or
dining room will never again be used for pub
lie entertainments. When tho Secretary OF
the Navy invites the foreign flag officers to
partake OF our Governments hospitality next
week. 1t will be In this new grand saloon that
he will entertain them. The saloon is fifty
feet long. Thirty feet of 1t makes the dining
cabin twenty feet long. Both these
rooms are decorated and fitted with exquisite
taste. The ceiling Is snow white. and orna-
mented by many electric bulbs Of ground glass |
with silver mountinRs. The walls are also |
white. but running along the bases OF them |
are broad cushions upholstered in navy blue |
leather. framed in mahogany. The floor is |
covered with large Smyrna rugs. and the |
chairs are OF hand-carved mahogany espe- |
cially designed for the ship
The central ornament now in the saloon is a
heavy mahogany extension table. closed so as |
to be Of the proper size. When the Secretary
or the President gives dinner this table will
be heightened across the saloon and two
longitudina tables. built OF mahogany especi-
ally for the purpose. will be added to 1t.
These three tables will then accommodate
seventy. hye diners tho%Teh sixty viii find
square. plate: glass windows will DO fitted With
double set sets Of 4 elegant curtains SO as to admit
effect q this superb dining hall.
1t will be in the after cabin that the guests
T abe Ths ates eeHsE 6es has
and % t. with
meals Of the high oiiieials on board % the f shie h
when they, are BY themselves. Forward Of this
and the other is for the Secretary oi the Navy.
Or eltneE Oh tHOSe may OlBCll2ulSh an |
one, Each Of these rooms has asa q Wi Vide
bunk bur .rd q fsrysd big
signed By. Chief Engineer G. ". Baird dol oi tho tho
md fresh ar follows IN % its place. @ s iaeatopg. S
haiss and faryed s I'm mahogany dsSG desk built
appointments In each room. and that for the
President contains miniature bookcase. from
hs s oss
bait the private dining room is a beautifullit-
lie stateroom for any lady who may stop aboard
bathroom connects with this, dainty boudour.
This Is on the port side. On the starboard
tored with delicate crystal and shell-iike
dsnr sScm Vi. tsSs 8. in shs t
his part Of the ship contains, fine staterooms.
y. in CUSHION. 81 nss Sssas the ,na aSs tran
AIMED al o na maze SS foae Sank. San o' fRs fRT
oop also. and ten more persons can. find
leeping accom- m odations there. But It Is not
reat hall. whose almost sole end is to a afiord
avail dienitsrIes oi the od World. who come ane
. Lieut. Buekineham andit is 70 his good taste
he new parts Of the ship is due. Everything
as left to his judgmsnt and he had carte
lhncne 10 Ht ana 10 provision tne Ste2Inshin | ,
tour Of the vessel was made by The Sun re- q
orter before she left Norfolk to-day. and before
ny other correspondent had seen her. The d
xamination failed to reveal the stores that .
ill gladden. the hearts OF Princes and Ad- i
lirals. but they are kept In a hold large | /
noueh to hold all the Mumm. pate de foies 9
ras, game on Ice. and even all the American :
hiskey that the foreign notables will need \
hen they dine on board. 7
The ward-room officers are already in y
abiting a large mess hall amidshps. Their y
.,,t wall It In. Forward OF this isa l
Md Of this lot Of ss4lors that they commute
leir mess allowance. taking money instead |
food. and buying better provisions than the . =
oyernmen would give them.
This beautiful snow-white Government y
scht will cast of from her wharf in the Navy =
ard to Join the. fieet In the Roads to-morrow 2
he will be put into use whenever there is = 9
Efficient number OF foreign naval dignitaries o
make it worth ADMIRAL Ghsrardi's while to
ming saloon he will dine the foreign flag offi-
rs. who will be here In number too great ~
r 1t to be possible to entertain them on his
lgship.
A week from Saturday. when m ost of tho for
hn tn |