The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-27

New. York, June S6.-The Sun says:
The work of reconstruction on the army
hospital ship Relief, which lies at the pier
of the Morgan Iron Works, foot of East
Ninth street, is practically completed and
she is expected to sail Cd Wednesday. The
shi p was coaling yesterday and large
for re of men was engaged in giving the
flushing touches to the vessel.
The wounded men of our army at Santi-
ago will b ave at their service the finest
| hospital ship ever owned by any govern
ment Major George H. Torney q. S.
| A., the surgeon In charge, has given his
personal attention to every detail of oon-
struction, and as result the ship presents
| a beautiful appearance of neatness and
steamer John Englis of the MIME Steam
ship line, plying between New York and
Portland.
| Under the supervision of Naval Con-
structor Bowles of the Brooklyn navy
yard, the Relief has been undergoing re-
construction for the past month. The
vessel has four decks, the main, berth,
promenade. and hurricane decks, and on
these five sick wards have bsen arranged.
There are two wards on the promenade
deck, fore and aft; two on the main deck,
and another on the after berth deck.
Probably $50 patients can be accommo-
dated in the five wards as now arranged,
and by the addition of extra cots it is
estimated that 500 wounded men could be
cared for in an emergency. The officers
ward is forward on the main deck, and
does not differ materially from the others.
On the after main deck is the surgical
ward, and adjoining this is q good sized
and we'll lighted operating loom. In it
are three operating tables and two cabi-
nets for surgical Instruments
The entire interior of the vessel is fin
ioho1 in xxyhita pT,nnaal nQinf with ryOld
trimmings. The floors Of the wards and
operating room are covered with rubber
tiling. The cots are Of iron, painted
white, and most of them have an upper
and lower berth, arranged like sleepine
car section, to accommodate two patients.
In each ward are baths fitted With the
Gegepstorm system of hot and cold water,
by means Of which water may be drawn
and kept at any temperature desired by
simply turning a lever above the tub. All
in all, the plumbing is said to be the
finest ever put on board ship.
On the berth deck are staterooms to &C
commodate male and fifteen female
nurses, and forward are the roomy and
we'll lighted officers quarters. The ship
carries disinfecting plant, an ice plant
capable of producing 200 tons day and
an electric plant which supplies power for
lincandesoent lights throughout the vessel
and also for 1000 candle-power search.
light, which is operated from the pilot
house. In addition to this all the wards
and the quarters Of the officers and the
nurses are provided with high power cleo
trio fans, which are expected to cool even
the heated air of Cuba. A small portion
of the after promenade deck has been left
open at the sides, and here hammocks are
to be swung for the benefit of convalesceht
patients.
Besides the appliances already enumer-
to%o h. polt of ho1 uI>x,vn Co.
plying mineral water, several X-ray out
tits to aid the surgeons in locating bullets
a microscopic laboratory, and a well
equipped Photographic dark room. Or
the main deck is telephone, by means
of which communication may be estab
lished with the shore or with other yes
sells. The ship carries eight life boats,
four life lafts and two % foot steam
launches. Her exterior is painted white,
Except for an olive green band which will
encircle the yessol IN accordance with the
requirements of the Geneva convention.
An apparatus has been devised by
means of which the sick or wounded may
be hoisted on board the Relief with the
least possible trouble. This consists of q
deck of warship, and is fitted with
tackle for hosting.
The surgical staff of the Relief will con.
sist of Major Torney, surgical director
DR.. L. P. Williamson. DR.. r. M. Myers
DR.. Ernest G. Schultz, DR.. William N.
Gray, DR.. Francis Metcalfe, DR.. W. G.
Gorgas, DR.. George H. Torney, Jr., OF
the regular army, and DR.. Frank Donald
son, the only volunteer.
Captain Harding will navigate the
vessel and Lieut.. Crabbs of the Eighth
Cavalry has been detailed as quarter
master and commissary. The crew will
not be composed of enlisted men. The
male nurses who are to go with the Relief
are from the Mills Traiuipg school Of
New York. and the women for the John
Hopkins Hospital Training school al
Baltimore.