Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-23
A CRUISE TO THE ORIENT.
Mr. w. II. Vanderbilt and n Party of
Friends Will be Ten Months Aaoat.

Mr.. w. X. Vanderbilt and n Party OF
Friends VIII be Ten Months Aaoat.
Mr.. w. K. Vanderbilt. with a party OF
frieds, will shortly sail in his palatial steam
yacht for ten months cruise to the
orient The Valiant says the New York
sun, is groomed to perfection, ready to skim
the tranquil seas or to battle with the ele-
ments, as occasion may demand Her hull
is no longer black; she is dressed all in
white, like a bride. Her brasses shine re-
| fulgent.
Among the guests invited by Mr.. Wander
bilt to make this voyage are Oliver II. p
Belmont, the banker; Mr.. ]. Louis Webb,
the painter; Mr.. Winthrop Rutherford, Mr.
Frederick o. Beach and Dr. D. L. Keyes
From first to last. from the day she de-
parts to the time when she casts anchor
again in the harbor the Valiant will be SAIL
ing under halcyon skies. The deck avn
ings which she will set before leaving will
remain UP until she returns. On her broad,
snowy after-deck steamer chairs and India
/ rattan couches and hammocks will remain
undisturbed throughout the voyage. Afford
ing luxurious Longing place by day and
| by night
/ The cost Of trip like this is very great.
In the first place the Valiant is the largest
steam yacht afioat. She is a small ocean
steamer, fitted up with a luxury that is not
found even in the largest. She is full brig
| rgged-that Is, she carries yards on both
masts-and her tonnage is 2.4O0. She is 3l2
Rect long, "a feet beam, and draws about IS
| feet of water. She has twin screws, and
her two big triple expansion engines, with
| cylinders 3, SO and 90 inches in diameter
bdevelop $3.50 horse power. This gives her
speed of is knots an hour. She was built
by Laird Brothers at Birkenhead, England.
and is said to have cost about half a mil
lion dollars.
! Capt Henry M.rrison, who has been en-
1 Ovadh Inv Afr No for
| and who was in command of the Alva when
| she was sunk. is in command Of thevaliant.
| He has a crew of sixty-two men, who are
| divided almost equally between the three de-
partments-the navigating, the engineers
and the stewards. The wages paid by Mr..
Vanderbilt amount to not less than 5000 a
month. To this must be added the expense
| OF running the vessel. the coal and the SUD-
plies. Then comes the maintenance Of the
| crew. and, by no means least. the cost OF
supplies for the cabin. The total can hardly
be much less than 5000 a month.
PaIatiaI Interior.
| The saloons and state rooms of the Va
I liant are luxurious, in keeping with the
rest Of the appointments. There Is a social
| hall, a saloon and a smoking room. all
lavishly fitted up and decorated, and be-
sides the cabin of the owner. there are
about twenty state rooms for the accom-
mediation of guests. The deck houses are
hall. through which is the entrance to the
| saloon, is a finely finished apartment in the
| style of Francis 1. The smoking room 10
| paneled with mahogany, and contains card
tables, diyans and cabinets for tobacco and
| cigars.
The saloon is is feet long and "a feet wide.
the full breadth of the yacht. IL Is fitted
| up in the style of Louis XIV, its woodwork
in white enamel picked out in gold. The
paneling is richly carved in high relief.
Against one wall is piano and against an
| other an ornate sideboard. The furniture
is Chippendale, white. inlaid with brass and
1 upholstered in crimson plush. There is a
dome jutting up through the deck, set with
opalescent glass.
A long. arched passaer. handsomely deco
| rated and carpeted with a thick rug. leads
| to the library. Upon either side of the
passage the state rooms open. The library
is finished in carved walnut, which Is used
not only In the castings and paneling. but
| in the settees and bookcases. The panels
of the ceiling are made of small paintings.
A massive mantelpiece at one end is Won
derfully carved. The fireplace is OF glazed
tile and big iron cauldron serves as Q
crate.
The sitting room is a handsome apart-
ment. about Is feet square. II is in dark
mahogany. the upholstery being of apple
Powered silk. At one side is an open CRATE.
with fittings of brass. The panels over the
mantelpiece are formed of Wedgewood
plaques.
The largest state room is the one to be
| occupied by Mr.. Vanderbilt himself. The
| furniture is OF carved oak The bedstead
| Is elaborate, and has a silk canopy. There
| is a large wardrobe a cabinet a bookcase.
| a writing desk and many lockers. There Is
| also a luxurious lounge. and. IN one corner,
| a semi-circular divan. A carved swing
door connects with a bath room deliberately
1 fitted and decorated.
The bed room designed for Mrs. Wander
| bilt is Sheraton. in white and pink ana
gold. The furniture and hanginOs conform
| to the scheme. An enameled white hei-
stead has draperies OF old gold silk. The
| carpet is Of light drab. The bath room ad-
| joining has an enameied tub. with fittings
| OF silver.
| The state rooms for the guests are small
er. but are fitted up hardly less handsomely.
| and have MANY conveniences not to be
| found even on transatlantic liners.