The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-04

Sept. IL last bne Whh JUN v"
CLYDE by that well-known firm, Alex
ander stevens & Co. Of Glasgow, and
is owned by Elder, Demster & Co., limi-
ted. This company controls several
lines Of steamships, among others the
British and African Steam Navigation,
Company, on which line twenty-three
large frelghters are employed The
African Steamship Company, which
finds occupation for twenty-eight
boats: the Gle Beige Maritime de Con-
70. on which four hne passenger boats
bly; the Beaver Line, from Liverpool 10
Montreal, and the British Dominion
Line. which plies from Bristol. England
to Montreal and Quebec In the summer
and to New Orleans in the winter
This latter line requires a feet Of
twenty-five steamers Of large tonnage
TO handle It's business. and the Monte
yuma was built TO take me place OF one
Of them recently wrecked in the st,
Lawrence. which she doubtless will do
as soon as her charter by the British
government expires. Her dimensions
are: Length over all. COO feet; beam, 90
feet. depth OF hold. "a feet draft when
loaded, 20 feet; height Of bridge from
water level when loaAed,iO feet; carry
Ing capacity l1,00o tons dead weight. or
5000 bales Of cotton. Her cattle and
tween decks are arranged TO carry 1000
head OF cattle in comparative comfort.
When in regular service she Will carry
none on the upper deck
The Montezuma Is under the COM
mand OF Skipper willion owen, one OF
the Oldest captains In the company's
employ. Lieutenant Mullens Of the ia
nous Sixteenth Lancers is the military
officer in charge. and Major Palm, once
a famous Irish steeple chase rider. but
now a trusted veterinary surgeon in her
majesty's service. will endeavor 10 care
for the sick. His Job may prove no
slnecue, for mules are never very good
travellers. and so overcrowded is the
Montezuma that he is sure 70 have
plenty OF long g-eared patients. A hum
lred and twenty-five roustabouts have
been taken on board 10 look after the
live cargo. The terms on which these
men are hired at SIS for the trip and
n free passage home on any OF the
company's boats sailing within fourteen
days OF their arrival in Cape Town.
The distance from New Orleans to that
port Is 1900 miles. and though the
ships officers look forward to making
/ the run in twenty-six days, they Will
probably be lucky II they enter Sable
bay in thirty, so that SIS seems mighty
small pay for the round trip. Still no
difficulty has been found In securing
/ roo1 ui-1 ~ ,sa+ !NNTNamoui' g.
/ though 1t would be safe TO bet that
anyone who wants to ride from Cape
! Town TO New Orleans viii be able 20
get long ocean voyage and thirty
days board for a dollar or two, as
about all the mule tenders leaving on
the Montezuma have determined tc
take hand in the fighting, unless Il
Is all over when they arrive,
The crew OF the boat consists Of only
seventy men all told. so did the mule
tenders prove refractory they might
b. hard to handle. When this was
pointed out to Mr.. Muiens ne smiling.
" remarked "Oh. yes! but we have
fifty cabin passengers, There are somt
of them" pointing to dozen tall
bronzed men with the true cavalry
swager who were pacing the deck. o.
course. while In Uncle Sans territory
these troopers rc-na!H II E.ufti. but onc'
ON the high seas they win resume tn,
uniforms Of tine old Sixteenth and pa.
troll the decks both day and night
The Montezuma is the second vesse
to clear from this port with mules 70
the South Airlcan campaign; the Pral
left with go a week ago. Nor does tn,
Montezmna's mammoth cargo end th'
shipment, for the Corinth of the Gun
ard Line. with accommodations for.
thousand hybrlds, is lying with steam
up less than quarter of a mile ava!
ready to take the Montezuma's plac
the moment she casts loose from tn,
dock, while three more big frelghters