Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-01-04
THE NEW REPORTER.
HIS GRAPHIC DIES 2RlPTIoN OF THE
 STEAMER CRUSADER.

dating Captain Gives Him Some Vdzy xm- portant Information.
 "Go." said the editor to the new re- porter, land write up the new English steamer just arrived. Give thorough account of her from stem to stern" From what?" said the young man recently arrived from a far interior State, and to whom a vessel of any sort was a mystery and a wonder.
 From stem to stern," said the edi- tor, fixing a suspicious and threatening eye upon him.
 This was the young mans first mis- sion. He 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 anxious and doubting. T will go to the cap- tain, said he; "he will explain to me all.'
 Captain said he, T am sent to write up your ship. Oblige me by stating how many masts she has"
 Eighteen" promptly answered the captain
 Where are they?" We have sent them on shore to be painted"
 How much water does your vessel draw?"
 Three inches.
 How do you draw it?"
 By steam-power from the we'll"
 Were you ever in a storm at sea?"
 Never" said the captain.
 Are you ever seasiek %
 "Awfully; can't leave my berth from the time we leave New York till we arrive at Liverpool.
 Are 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 we'll man on board"
 Do you sail nights when out of sight of land?''
 Never; we anchor p What in midocean?"
 "Of course, you landlubber. There's docks to tie up at regular distances all the way across
 How do you see to sail dark nights?"
 We send our boats ahead with lam terms, which light up the road"
 Are they there now?"
 Yes; anchored In a line ali the way across the Atlantic Ocean," After getting much other informa- tion, which the captain said he was only too happy to impart to such an in teresting young gentleman, the repor. ter returned and wrote as follows: l The new steamer Crusader Is splendid specimen of naval architec ture. Her keel revolves on hinges so as to be readily unshipped in 1; storm, when it is not wanted Tn, rudder, also, by a patent contrivance can be drawn out of It's socket and de ported on deck during the night and il hurricanes. The Crusader has foldini decks which can be doubled up whel she has but little cargo. and her ton mage in this way can be decreased iron four thousand to two hundred tons The sail can, aS necessary, be used a a sky-satl or wind-sail, and the savin Of canvas effected in this manner re duces the wear and tear of her run ming rigging oneJhalf The main brac passes from the end of the bowspri over the fore, main, and royal masts thence down over the spanker-boor to the taffrail and into the cabin win dows, where 1t is secured by double banked sheepsiIank to the head ( the captains berth. She has compoun engines, which boil water at an eS tremely low temperature. Her screw revolye at the rate of ten thousan times a minute, and can, If necessar. be brought forward and used as paddle wheels. The Crusader is also cor l Btructed on the crab principle and D bracing up everything sharp on tn wind ard wearing ship frequently sh : can go as fast sideways as any othe
 way. The engines are furnished wit condensers, which condense milk 8 we'll as water. Her cabins are COT strus;ted on the French-fiat principl' their being six stories with kitchens etc., for each family of passengers. Th Crusader also carries her own dock and thus saves ali the expenses ( Wharfage when in port She also cal
 ries her own quarantine, and so ca , never be detained if there is any ms , laria or measles on boat. The pilt r pilots her all the way across the Al Iantic and comes hack with the shi each time. Her conapasses in the bal nacle give daily the direction of tn ' wind. The captains COW is milked b . the 1Joatswain III the foretop''-