There is at present lying at the Eastern Wharf, Pootung, a unique visitor to. this ort in the shape of the Norwegian steamer orman Isles, one of the new type of turret deck steamers. This type of vessel is a patent of Messrs. Doxford and Sons, Ld, of Sunderland, who claim various advantages in the way of strength, safety, increased range without excessive initial stability, and great cargo capacity with reduced tonnage.
The Norman Isles presents a rather curious appearance to the eye accustomed only to the ordinary type of, steamer, and one which would. be likely in the nautical observer to produce a dubious shake of the head, if nothing more. She resembles nothing in appearance so much as a huge whale with a house on its back, and looks like a vessel that would be terribly "lively" in a heavy seaway. Enquiry of the captain, however, elicits the fact that so far from this being the case, site is a much better sea-boat and far easier in heavy weather than the usual type of cargo steamer. On her voyage out from New York very heavy weather was encountered, during which the ship behaved splendidly. ' On one occasion, through the boilers giving out, she drifted broadside on toa heavy Atlantic sea for 36 hours, but at no time gave cause for any anxiety, which is rebably a great deal more than could have en said for the older type.
The Norman Isles was originally fitted with water-tube boilers, but after leaving New York they commenced to give a great deal of trouble, tubes bursting time after time. She was compelled to pub into Plymouth, where the boilers were inspected by experts who found that they were badly. pitted. No satisfactory theory could be advanced as to the cause of such rapid corrosion in new boilers, 60 it was decided to condemn: them and substitute the old type of cylindrical boilers, fitted with Howden's forced draught. The principal dimensions of the ship are: length 345 feet; beam 45 ft. 6 in.; depth 98 feet, Her gross tonnage is 3,480, and deadweight, capacity 8,600. "She is ited with triple expansion engines indicating about 1,600 horse-power, and steams 10 knots on load draught, The vessel is well supplied with. the most modern appliances for the working of both ship and cargo, in the way of steam winches, windlass, ete. Officers and crow are comfortably berthed on the upper, or "turret," deck.
A number of people visited the shi yesterday and were courteously conducte over her by the captain, who very kindly explained the peculiarities of her construction. To anyone who has never seen a vessel of this type the Norman Isles is well worth a visit:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.