Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-05-26
THE NEW STEAMER.
Described by the New Reporter.

THE NEW STEAMER.
Described by the New Reporter.
Go" said the editor to the new re.
porter. and write up the new Eng.
lish steamer just arrived. Give q
thorough account of her from stem
to stern"
"Frcm what?" said the young man
recently arrived from far interior
State, and to whom q vessel OF any
sort was mystery and q wonder.
From stem to STERN" said the ed.
itor, fixing suspicious and threaten.
ing I've upon him,
! This was the young mans first mis-
sion. lie was eager to distinguish
himself. He had already done so on
his village paper, but he wanted a
wider field for his aspirations, and
had come to New York.
Yet he went out of the office anx-
ious and doubling. 81 will go to the
captain" said he; "hc will explain to
me the ship and its uses. He will tell
me all"
Captain" said he, II am sent to
write up your ship. Oblige me by
stating Low many masts she has"
Eighteen" promptly answered the
captain.
Where are they?'
"W, have sent them on shore to be
painted
"Hcw much water does your ves-
sci draw"
"Three inches"
GLOW do you draw it?'
"By stcam-power from the we'll"
"Were you ever In storm at sea-"
"Ncte:," said the captain.
ace you ever seasick?"
lawfully; can't leave my berth
from tie time we leave New York
till We arrive at Liverpool"
"A-e the rest Of your officers and
crew seasick?"
always. We're only on deck and
about in port"
"Why, who steers the vessel at
sea-?
"The cook; he's the only well man
on board.
"Do you sail nights when out Of
sight of land?"
Never; we anchor"
what. in midocean?"
"Of course, you landlubber. There's
docks to tie up at regular distances
all the way across"
How do you SET to sail dark
nights?"
1--WE send our boats ahead with
lanterns, which light up the road"
care they there now"
Eyes; anchored in a line all the
way across the Atlantic Ocean"
After getting much other informa-
ton. which the captain said he was
only too happy to impart to such an
interesting young gentleman, the re-
porter returned and wrote as follows;
"The new steamer Crusader Is
splendid specimen of naval architec-
ture. Ler keel revoles on hinges, so
as to be readily unshipped in n storm,
when II is not wanted. The rudder,
also, by patent contrvance, can be
drawn out of It's socket and deported
on deck during the night and in hur-
rcanes. The Crusader has folding
deck, which can be doubled up when
she has but little cargo, and her ton
mage in this way can be decreased
from for thousand to hundred tons.
The sail can, If necessary, be used as a |
sky-sail or wind-sail, and the saving
of canvas effected in this manner re-
luces the wear and tear Of her run
hing rigging one-half. The main
1race passes from the end OF the bow
spirit over the fore, main. and royal |
nasts, thence down over the spanker-
Doom 10 the taifrail and into the |
cabin windows, where IT is secured by |
a double banked sheepshank to the
head OF the captains berth. She has
engines, which boil water
Vt an extremely low temperature.
Ter screws rcvolve AT the rate OF ten !
thousand times minute, and can, II |
necessary, be brought forward and
lsed MS paddle-wheels. The Crusader
s also constructed on the crab prin-
'iple, and by bracing up everything
sharp on the wind and wearing ship
frequently she can go as fast side
Ways as any other way. The engines
lre furnished with condensers, which
'ondense milk az well as water. Her
abins are constructed on the French
lat principle, there being six stories,
With Kitchens, ETC., for each family OF
Messengers. The Crusader also car
les her own docks. and thus saves
ii the expenses of wharfage when in
'ort. She also carries her own
quarantine, and so can never be de-
aimed IL there Is any malaria or
measles on board. The pilot pilots
Ter oil the way across the Atlantic
nd comes back with the ship each
ime. Her compasses in the barnacle
i've daily the direction Of the wind.
he captains cow is MIXED by the
natsuain In fha forotnn O-Ev