Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 22 March 1892, page 4


THE MELANESIAN MISSION YACHT SOUTHERN

CROSS.

The new vessel built to the order of the Melanesian Mission, the Southern Cross, has arrived at Auckland. It was hoped that Bishop Selwyn would have come out to New Zealand by the new ship, but as is already known, his health has so much given way that it is unlikely he will ever make another voyage to the Britain of the Southern Seas. The Southern Cross was built by Messrs. Forrest and Son, Wyvenhoe, England, and was launched in May of last year, her trial trip taking place in August last. She is very strongly constructed of wood, copped-sheathed below the water line, and was built under Lloyd's special survey, in which registry she has obtained the highest classification. Her tonnage is 390 tons yacht measurement, or 290 tons gross register, and her principal dimensions are:—Length between perpendiculars, 131ft.; beam, 26ft. 6in.: depth of hold, 14ft. 3in. She is rigged as a brigantine, with three masts, and is fitted with Cunningham's patent reefing gear, whereby sail can be shortened from the deck. There is accommodation for eight Europeans and 56 natives, in addition to her crew of 14 men. There are two deck teak houses, the forward one of which contains the officers' quarters, pantry, and galley. In the latter a special copper has been fitted (set in brickwork and cement), which is intended for the cooking of yams — the staple native food. The after deck-house contains the saloon, in which is a dining-table at which 10 persons can be seated. The saloon is plainly but substantially furnished. There are bunks for six mission-aries, and adjoining are two comfortable state rooms, one for the bishop and one for the guest. In the same house, and opening aft, is the captain's room. Below there is a comfortable and airy forecastle, which is well provided with lockers. Aft of this is a large cabin, extending aft to the forward engine-room bulkhead, fitted with bunks to accommodate four native boys. Under all the lower bunks iron boxes to stow ship's biscuits in have been fitted. Another cabin, situated aft of the engine-room, and similarly fitted for 16 native boys, communicate with this by a passage closed in from the engines, and aft again is another room for 12 native girls. In each of these three cabins there is a large table amidships, and they can be utilised as classrooms as well as living-rooms for the native converts. On this deck are storerooms, sail locker, and bathroom. Iron ballast is embedded in the cement of the floor of the vessel, and the space between the cement and the deck beams is fitted with water tanks made to fit exactly into the space available for them, in which can be carried 25 tons of water — 14½ tons for drinking purposes, and 10½ tons for the boiler. In the bilge is a small well, into which the suctions from the steam and hand pumps are fed. Hastie's patent hand-gear is used to steer the vessel with, and Stevens's patent rudder-controlling gear is also fitted. There is a windlass and steam deck-winch, the latter of which was presented to the Mission by the boys of the Bilton School. The vessel carries five large wooden boats. The engine-room is very spacious and airy, and is fitted with a com-pound engine of about 130-horse power (indicated), made by Messrs. Plenty and Co., of Newbury.

The cylinders are 11in. and 22in. diameters, with a stroke of 15in. The boiler is an ordi-nary multitubular marine boiler, 8 ft. long by 7ft. 6ft. diameter, with two furnaces, adapted for burning either coal or wood. The steam pressure is 100lb. The screw is made of gun-metal, and is on Bevis's patent feathering principle, by which the pitch can be altered so that the drag of the propeller can be avoided when the vessel is proceeding under sail alone. The vessel depends chiefly upon her sail power, the engines being only relied on in case of calms for for emergencies, such as working her off a lee shore. The Cross's trial trip took place at Harwich, and the vessel behaved herself very creditably. The weather had been very stormy for some days previous, and it was blowing very hard at the time of the trial. The vessel kept herself exceedingly steady, and her decks quite dry, proceeding under all fore-and-aft sails, and under steam, and she averaged about 12 knots under these con-ditions, the engines making about 160 revolutions with 100lb. steam and 26in. of vacuum. Under sail alone nearly 11 knots was attained. The voyage out was made under canvas, and occupied 108 days.