The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-01

coastwise ship. These were built for
strength, and cost many thousands of dol
lars more than wooden houses Although
they do not add a dollar to the vessels
earning capacity they do add to her safe
ty and this has been the object of Mr.
Plant throughout her entire construction.
The windows and window blinds of the
saloons and rooms are provided with Pull
man car brass ribbon and springs to hold
them in place, with Pullman locks on all
doors. The passenger will appreciate this,
for when the door shuts it is there
no siamming afterward as happens in bad
weather with the ordinary lock.
There are two hundred doors in
the Grand Duchess and the difference in
the cost of locks alone over the ordinary
lock is between 5000 and $500. This is an
instance of the care which has been
taken in the construction of the vessel in
ali its details. The upper berths in all
the staterooms are of solid mahogany
and fold up as on a Pullman sleeper thus
| practically giving the room the appear
ance of a single berthroom If desired. A
system of Bell telephones connects each
state room with a central station in the
stewards room and affords connection with
every part of the ship
There are four bridal chambers hand
somely furnished with beds, instead of or
binary berths, and each differently deco
| rated. On the promenade deck are suits
Of rooms which consist of large outside
| m smaller inside bedroom and a
bath, with hot and cold water. There are
| also bath rooms for the use of passengers
/ fitted up in solid mahogany, with lead
/ floors. State rooms on promenade and pi-
! lot house decks open out on deck, and in
/ addition to the steel doors also have ma
| hogany blind doors, so the occupant can
/ have plenty of fresh air, the first requisite
! to a passenger with NAL de mer
J. IN, he nil 4. l. L. =.
/ servation room of steel, with plate glass
windows, giving a view or the entire hori-
zon. The room is richly decorated with
| figures representing the four seasons, and
/ is upholstered to correspond with the dec
/ orations. The music ROOM with piano, is
in the forward social hail. on the prone
i made deck. The social han itself is deco
rated in figures of various design The
colored glass skylights are of unique de-
sign, from suggestions by Mrs. Plant
The kitchen and pantry are away from
/ all rooms, so that passengers are not an
noyed by odor or noise. This is an ele-
ment of comfort to delicate persons, which
will be appreciated. The kitchen is fitted
up complete, and is provided with every
| necessary convenience. The pantry is per-
feet in every particular, with dresser,
steam table, patent dish racks, wire draw
ers, and everything that belongs to a per-
fectly arranged cuisine
shade deck $50 feet long, in bad or
rainy weather protects the passengers
The ship carries $50 life preservers, two
| non-capsiZable life boats and ten metallic
life boats, "a feet long and inches deeper
than tho ordinary life boat which is an
additional factor of safety. The lfe-sav-
Ing apparatus is in fact complete and in
addition the ship is especially constructed
| with a view to safety, having a double
bottom. Protection against fire is provid-
cd by thirty fire plugs distributed through
out the steamer with hose attached to all.
The vacuum system OF heating is em-
ployed which prevents the escape of steam
in case Of the bursting OF pipe.
The machinery Of the vessel consists OF
eight Babcock & Wilson boilers. two quad
ruple expansion engines. with cylinders p.
"a, IS and GS by Y stroke, driving twin
screws All parts Of engines are Of open
hearth steel The two propellers are OF
manganese bronze. The horse power OF
the engines is 1900.
Like the transatlantic liners, the Grand
Duchess is managed from the bridge The
lookout Is placed in a crows nest, assur-
ing an unobstructed view. The vessel also
has the naval style of electric protector
for going Ia and out Of harbors at night
with additional safety, and with her
double bottom, water-tight COMMITMENTS
double engines, submerged rudder ana
great strength, she can stand any weather
and is as near as human thought and ex
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