The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-14

No. only is there a flush deck alcng the
entire length OF the ship, but the promen-
ade is clear of all interference by the
ship. There are hundreds of adcoves, set In
between buttresSes formed by the spaces
given up to the ventilating and heating
apparatus, and in these sheltered p,aces
the cabin passengers will find room for
their chairs and at the same time give
an unimpeded space for the promenade.
The roof OF the deckhouse, where all
the quarters of the navigating officers are
situated, is extended clear over TO the
sides of the ship, making a covered prom
enade for the passengers.
One of the striking features of this
promenade deck Is the fact that it has
approaches to the saloon deck, directly
-below,( fore and aft, in the one case by
the grand companionway, and IN tine
other by two companionways. one on
either side of the vessel, at the rear of
the man DICK house. Another feature
not found in other vessels is the fact
That on the promenade deck is pantry
from which Passengers may b. served Gi-
rect from THE main pantry by means OF 4
lift whenever they d. NJ. wish 10 &c
below FOR their meals. All the entrances
to the suites on his dec;s are also On
the inside Of the deckhouse. AMI as one
goes aloag the corridors he will see that
rubber has beca US 4 in the wainssot'ng,
so that the decorations shall not suffer
when trunks or other impedlments are
carried ito staterooms. Then there are
the usual conven.ences, such as a barber
shop and lavatorles, all fitted up with the
strictest regard to sanitary requirements,
to be found on this deck.
a1afx Ioo H. nrA
commodious and best lighted saloon of
any ship yet built. 1t is 100 feet long and
so feet wide. 1t has seats for $50 passen-
gers at one time. 1t is situated amid
ships, between the two tunnels, where
there is the least motion, and with the
exception of the Paris and the New
York. Is on a higher deck than on other
ocean liners.
In front of this splendid saloon, and
separated from it by :he main compan-
ionway, Is the library, also probably the
largest room devoted to that purpose on
any ship. Back of the main saloon is
the pantry, and backed up against that
Is the pantry for the second cabin. Still
back os this Is the second caoin saloon,
also an unusually large room, and fitted
with revolving chairs at the tables in
stead of the usual settees. The tables in
this saloon, as IN the first cabin saloon,
run lengthwise Of the ship. Back of this
is the doctors Office and then large
space under the after promenade deck,
where the steerage passengers may con-
gregate in weather when shelter is need
ed.
A most unusual arrangement for the
saloon deck is that there is not passen-
ger sleeping room on 1t. The ordinary
first cabin rooms are on the same decks
on which they are carried in all other
first class steamships in the center of the
ship and are entirely free from the an
noyances of pantry and service. The sec
ond cabin rooms are back of the first
cabin rooms and in the forward and aft
part of the ship are the stesrage quar-
ters, the extreme ends of the ship, how
ever being given up Ito the crew.
In the matter of decorations and fit
tings the same rule has been followed as
in the construction of the rest of the ship.
Where decorations are expected and ar,
in good taste they are found. Where
there is nothing to be gained by the USE
less appsal to the eye, there has been no
waste of money.
The steerage has accommodations out
of the usual run. The beds have woven |
wire springs, and many of the 70 ms are |
Others have accommodations for about |
twenty. In the one case families may !
have an apartment by themselves, and |
in the other the men and the women will |
be by themselves.
The venItflattng system of the ship, 1t
is believed, will be tlhe source of the |
greatest comfort Ito the passengers. NO
such elaborate system is in use in any |
transatlantic vessel. There are four large
ventilating plants, each operated by cleo
tricjty. By this system it is possible to
change the air completely in every room
in the vessel in ten minutes.
In the matter of safety, extra care has
been taken with the bulkhead system,
which is intact and without doors below
the water line, excepting in a few places
in the engine department where special
means are adopted for Closing them,
and where the engineers are always or
watch. The vessel is SO divided that II
case of collision, two, and even three,
waJter-tighit compartments could be flood
ed and not endanger 1.-THE safety of the
ship. The Fastening edges of the bulk
heads have been made unusually secure
so that if the ship sustained a shock i
that place in collision the chances are
that only one compartment would b
flooded This same arrangement r!as beer
made in the engine and boiler spaces.
The boilers are IN two groups, one group
for each funnel. They are entirely sep
arated from each other, and If one st
of boilers became incapacitated the other
set could do the york of supplying steam
to the engines at n moderate rate OF
speed The engines, likewise, are cut
off from each other by water tight COM
partments, and ii would be possible to
run the ship with either engine If the
other should break down. In addition to
these precautions for safety, there are
In the life-saving equipment fourteen
llfeboaIts, fourteen collapseabEe lifeboats,
one cutter, one gig and four metal life
boats, and they all have the advantage of
being operated from the shade deck
above any possible rush of frightened
persons to secure places in them. They
have all the latest improvements for
speedy lowering also.
The lighting system is also very elab-
0rate. All told, there are more than 1900
electric lights in the ship, and four large
1ynamos are required in operating the
extensive plant. This would be enough
% supply town of large size. The pas
senger capacity Of the ship is: First cabin
80; second cabin, 200; steerage, 500. The
crew VIII number 400.