'A representative of the "North~ China Herald" accompanied the party on the indis and was shown the various details of the vessel which 1s outstanding for, bully for special purposes, it possesses features hot seen on other ships. Shuttling back and forwards from the dredger down the river to the wharf at Woosung and doing survey and buoy work as the dredging proceeds, "she a floating storehouse and workshop with special equipment for handling buoys and pumps and tonks for discharging all for the dredger at sea. A searchlight and an echo sounding device are other features and the wireless equipment includes wireless telephone which—will keep the Board's officials in the Custom House in touch with her.
The vessel has a lower, main, forecastle and boat deck and the main dimensions are—l overall, 180 ft, moulded breadth 20 ft, moulded depth 16ft, loaded draught 10 ft. She is built of steel to Lloyds Rules, and is subdivided into seven watertight compartments by six watertight bulkheads extending to the main deck The vessel has a raked stem and cruiser stern, and has been built with two steel "decks, sheathed with teak and Oregon pine, the lower deck in way of the officers accommodation is laid with insulite.
'On the boat deck, the wheelhouse, and wireless room are located. 'The officers' accommodation is situated fon the main deck aft and includes spacious and comfortable wardroom. There 1s a large refrigerator in th Pantry on the main deck and also a Lift for serving the pantry in the wardroom. The petty officers are Tocated on the main deck and there accommodation below for a crew of 20.
The Machinery A powerful combined steam wind~ lass and capstan of naval pattern is installed on the forecastle head for the efficient handling of the anchors also two five-ton winches for handi Ing buoys, a steam capstan is fitted on the main deck aft with suitable leads for warping and handling the sshipe cutter and gig. The vessel is also fitted with steam steering gear.
The propelling machinery for this vessel has been specially "designed and constructed by the builders at their Yangtszepoo Yard, and consists of two sets of three crank triple expansion, surface condensing engines developing ample power to give the vessel a speed of over 10% knots, and operating under steam, supplied by one single-ended three' furnace, cylindrical Scotch boiler, also designed and constructed by the buildfers, burning coal under the well-known "Bowden" system of forced draught, and operating at a pressure of 100 ibs. per sq. inch. The auxilary machinery is of the best modern type, all independent of the propelling machinery, and includes a Surface condenser of the regenera. tive type, of mild steel, common to both engines, one Weirs Paragon air Pump, one." centrifugal circulating pump, two Weirs main feed pumps, and one Welrs feed heater. An ash ejector pump and a bilge and gen-feral service pump are also fitted.
The vessel is lighted throughout by electricity, current being supplied bby duplicate sets of Diesel-engine driven generators. One searchlight nda Maroon! wireless installation and an Echo sounding machine, of Henry Mugnes & Sons make, form part of the equipment.
This vessel was built and equipped to suit their own special service and the construction has been supervised by representatives of the Whangpoo Conservancy Board.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.