Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-02


m,inicate with New York by it's agency. an
innovation which. If successful, will enable
the world to learn of his movements from
day to day.
The new ship is not large, but she is OF
ample size for the work cut out for her,
and everything has been done to make her
handy and serviceable. Her principal d.
mansions are: Length on load water line,
between perpendiculars, 161 feet; length
ever all. 1871 feet; beam, maximum. at load
water line. 80 feet; feam, maximum over
guard strake, "a feet inches; mean draft,
Is feet: full-load displacement, about 1,ooO
tons.
The structural get-up of the craft Is very
massive, and the stem, sternpost, keel,
keslsons, and frames will all be of very
carefully selected white oak, fastened ana
secured with exceptional thoroughness
The frames, nodded at heel 10 inches and at
head 10 inches, will be spaced only "a
inches apart, from center tOScenter. 1mne-
diately over the frames are laid diagonal
straps of Steel making a lattice lacing
from bow to stern and from stern to bow,
leaving rectangular openings between six
feet square. Outside, over the straps. Is
double course of 5-inch planking the in
ner course of yellow pine or spruce and the
outer course of well -seasoned white oak.
Between the two courses is spread
sheathing Of tarred hemp or tarred can
vas. The courses will be secured to the
frames very thoroughly, and the outer
course after 1t has been most carefully
cauked, will be oTerlaid with extra heavy
sheet copper. Inside the frames COW
cred with 3-inch yellow pine ceiling, and
the utmost caution will be exercised during
construction to insure thorough water
tightness and to have the vessel warm and
weather proof. The beams will be of yell
low pine, and likewise made of exceptional
stoutness. The main deck beams will be
spaced four feet apart, from center to GEN.
ter, or on every other frame. The lower
beams will be spaced directly under the
deck beams. All of these beams are well
anchored. and most extensively tied by
numerous through-bolts riveted up inside.
10 provide still greater athwartship
strength, each beam will be supported by
heavy diagonal braces of yellow pine like
wise well anchored and through bolted.
The craft Is built to withstand very heavy
pressures acting normally to the sides,
bilges and bottom, and the shape of her
cross-section is such as to tend to raise
the vessel out of the water as the ice pack
presses upon her below water.
The vessel will carry two deck houses.
and the forward one, which will be portable
will be large enough to accommodate Com
mander Peary. the scientific staff and the
officers of the ship. When the ship has
reached as far north as it Is possible to
force her, this deck house will be carried
ashore to serve ,as winter quarters, and,
upon the departure of the sledge expedi-
ton; as storehouse for the more import
ant supplies. The crew will be comfortably
housed either in the forecastle or aft be-
tween decks, where accommodat atoms will
be provided for them. 1t is highly likely
that the Eskimos and their dogs which
Commander Peary will take on at Whale
Sound, will be housed under the forecastle;
but this is detail not yet settled.
The living spaces will be comfortably but
very simply finished, and the ship will be
heated by steam and lighted both by cleo
tricity and by oil lamps
The motive power will consist of single,
inverted compound engine. driving single
10-foot screw, and steam will be sIppIied
by two water-tube boilers. Under forced
draft. the engine will be able to develop
400 indicated horsepower, and under ma
tural draft, 1,200 Indicated horsepower.
The bunker capacity is 100 tons of coal:
and at starting the vessel will carry a deck
load, in bags, of $50 tons more With this
supply, at 10-knot cruising speed, she
should be able to do between four and five
thousand knots.
There will be steam capstan and steam
steering gear.
u y
That Peary stands a splendid chance of
making new record Is admitted by all stu
dents of polar research, for he enjoys the
advantage of the aid Of the Eskimos. the best
dog-drivers and the finest travellers on the
frozen Polar Ocean. However, Fiala's ex-
petition may have accomplished some sub
stantial work the past two years, and got
nearer to the pole than any predecessor;
but II not, Peary will probably be able to
report farthest north when he returns,
in q year or two He has leave of absence
for three years, and should he not be able
to get as far up toward the polar basin
this season as he hopes, he will wait where
he reaches for another twelve months, and
then try again. By attaining the northing
he hopes for. he will be spared the long
journey of 400 miles along the coast he
has previously had to make in order to
reach the uttermost point of land and
thence dash across the foe, and 1t is obvious
that every mile nearer the pole he gets his
ship, the shorter will be the journey on foot
which he must make to achieve new rec
ord