Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-15

the enterprsng Richmond company. Inc
award has not actually been made, but
there IS no doubt whatever that II VIII
he. And It will be in a very few days.
The papers are even now in the hands
~ the Executive Committee at NASHVILLE
Tenn. to be signed. telegram Is eX-
pected every day from that city to Dr.
d. w. snyder, missionary to AFRICA no"
in this city. informing him that the
contract has been approved. lmheul-
ately after such message comes and ma
teriaI for the boat secured, work on the
Gospel steamer will begin
The circumstance Of the building or
this boat IS full of interest. 1t VIII ply
between the Presbyterian mission sta
tons on the Congo river, Central Africa
II will serve TO carry the Gospel to the
villages of the blacks along the Congo,
which have never yet been reached.
NOW A SHIP OF PEACE.
T. e a significant and very interesting
fact that the first contract this company
should receive after that for the ships
of war should be for one designed 10
carry the message Of "peace and good
will toward men" in the name OF the
Prince of Peace himself For some time
the missionaries of the Presbyterians
have seen that a boat would be Of inn
mense advantage in carrying on their
work along the Congo. There IS steam
boat running up and down the Congo
and tributary rivers which is owned by
the traders. It's stops only at stated
places, and, of course. does not remain at
any one place longer than to take on
and discharge it's freight The mission
aries needed boat on which they could
live. and move from one village to an
other as they went about on their holy
errand. The river is the only means Of
passage from settlement to settlement.
The Jungle is too thick and is alive with
wild and ferocious beasts. The EXecu-
tive Committee saw the wisdom of hav-
ing such q craft, and called DR.. Snyder,
one of their missionaries in the Congo
region, home TO superintsnd the construc-
ton of the kind that would be best suited
to the needs.
TRIGG DOES BEST OF ALL.
1t is a compliment to the Richmond
ship-builders that they are to be awarded
this work They secure it over the neads
of several of the best English ship-yards.
DIR. Snyder left Africa with his mind
made I'D 10 get the best boat he could
for the money at his disposal. He came
through England He sought out The
leading ship-yards of London, going
through the plants Of Thomey, Craft &
Co., Forest & Son, and several others.
They all gave him prices. and described
to him the material 10 be used. He was
not satisfied, and determined TO come over
to his native country.
Behold! he found right here in Rich
mond. at the youngest ship-yard in the
country. perhaps, that he could get tie
best material at the fairest price of any
plant he had any knowledge Of. The
Trigg Company and he drew up the speci-
fcations. He was much pleased with
the fairness and liberality OF the figures
OF the home company, and decided at
once to recommend to the Executive Com
mittee at Nashville the award OF the con-
tract 10 them. He told Dispatch writer
Yesterday afternoon that there was 10
doubt that the Wolk WOuiu nc 30 d""'"-
ed. The committee holds stated meet
ing next Tuesday but Or. Snyder did not
even think they would wait Till that eaily
day 10 decide the matter.
DESIGN OF THE CRAFT.
The boat will be after design cs-
pecially required for the rivers OF Cen
trail Africa. 1t will be stern-Wheel
steamboat. of twenty tons capacity, Ia'
bottom. about 70 feet long and IL feet
wide, with an engine OF 70-horse power
and will make on an African river from
10 TO II knots an hour. After II Is mn
ished It will be taken 20 pieces, shipped
to Antwerp and the Congo, then by ran
10 Stanley Pool, where It will be rebuilt
The trip up 10 Luebo. abont 500 miles WIZ
REQUIRE sixteen days. Above Stanley
pool there are 1000 miles of waterway
omen 10 such a boat. From Stanley Pool
up the Congo. the Kassai. and Lulua
rivers. are loo miles OF banks. with
numerous villages, and very large popu-
lation TO be reached An object to Dc
attained Is the transportation OF mission
supplies, without costly dependence upon
ofhsra Then there will be the free IN