Evening star., 1901-04-27
THE OPHIR.
The Ship That is Taking the Kings
Son to Australia.
From the London Standard.

From the London Standard.
The Orient liner Ophir, which has been
| selected to convey the Duke and Duchess
of Cornwall and York on their voyage to
Australia and other colonies, is now lying
at the South Jetty, Portsmouth. While not
the latest or the largest of the Orient
company's fleet, she is both a new and a
| rcomy vessel. Outside and inside she has
been transformed, and. except in her grand
saloon, no longer seems the same boat. Her
tunnels are now painted yellow, and her
hull is if the conventional yellow color, so
that in appearance even she has taken on
the tone of the kings navy. There is,
however, a marked contrast between her
and the ordinary man-o'-war. No prince
and princess have ever travelled under
conditions so luxurious S will the Duke
and Duchess of Cornwall and York on their
visit to the colonies.
Some of the leading particulars of the
Ophir's design will be of interest. She has
a length over all of 4S2 feet, a beam of 53
feet 6 inches and a depth OF 81 feet. Her
gross register is $50 tons. Her engines
are equal to 10000 horsepower. consisting
of two independent triple expansion, with
seven boilers working at a pressure of 1Go
pounds. Her speed is not excessive. being
Is knots but she maintains high aver
age. The admiralty left whatever altera-
tions We're necessary i'll the hands of the
the wishes of the royal travellers. The au-
thorities could not have done better for
no suggestion has been made that has not
been fully carried out, Mr. Anderson per-
sonally experimenting the work The re-
suit is excellent. Everywhere the arrange
ments are evidence of good taste and judg-
ment.
Practically the only part Of the shin
which remains as it was when the vessel
was q liner Steamng to the east and Aus
tralia is the great dining saloon. The dec
orationS in this apartment remain as be-
fore, and are Of ornate character The
saloon is lighted by large square windows
at the sides and lofty dome filed with
stained glass. This dome has an outer
roof of pierced steel, and between the in
ner and the outer roofs electric lamps are
fitted. which give very effective and SUBJ
dued light. Under the arched spaces at
each end of the dome are the shields of
Great Britain and the four leading Austrai-
Ian colonies, supported by figures repre-
senting their industries. At the forward
end is band loft. The floor of the sa-
loon Is covered with Turkey carpets sur
rounded with broad red border Of the
same material. The chairs are comics of
an old Chippendale model, and all the up-
holstery is of royal scarlet. The arrange
ment of the tables is such that they NAV
be partly disposed in the wings, leaving a
center table to seat twenty-six or NAV be
formed into a horseshoe to seat up to
f1fty-six. They can also be extended from
width of four feet to five feet The
pdnelililS Is III TOSe anu Sdlln WOODS. and
the whole effect is rich and yet quiet 1t is
possible to form the dining saloon into a
concert room and provide 1t with a stage
The part aft of the dome lends itself natu-
rally to form an ample stage with wing
and center exits. giving direct access by
two stairs TO the main deck cabins. The
trunk of the dome forms a proscenium
and, as the curtain and the stage-in sec
tions-are on board, an hour will convert
the saloon into the pleasantest of concert
rooms or theaters. All the royal apart
ments communicate with one another and
the dining saloon in such fashion that it
is not necessary to pass on to the open
deck.
Very considerable alterations have been
effected elsewhere in the ship. The ordi-
nary cabin accommodation has been great
ly extended in the case of the suite, each
Of whom has space equal to three first
class cabins, besides dressing rooms, and
there is also q large and well-filled smok-
ing room for their use. The Orient COM
pany have. by putting on very large
stan Of workmen. completed the necessary
changes In less than two months. the
number employed at one time reaching a.