Alberta - Launch

The following is taken from the Northern Daily Mail, Monday June 27^th, 1892:

On Saturday, Messrs. William Gray and Co. Ltd., launched the large steel screw steamer Alberta, which has been built to the order of Messrs. Wm. Tapscott and Co., of Liverpool.

She will take Lloyd’s highest class, and her dimensions are: Length over all 397ft; breadth 48ft; depth 31ft 6ins. The deck erections consist of poop, bridge and forecastle. Two complete iron decks are laid, and in way of the holds the web-frame system of construction has been adopted, and a cellular double-bottom is fitted throughout the ship for water ballast.

The saloon, captain and officer accommodation etc. will be tastefully fitted up amidships, the engineer’s accommodation near the engine-room, and the crew’s berths forward. The arrangements for working the ship and hauling cargo will be of the most efficient description, including patent direct steam capstan windlass, patent stockless anchors stowing into hawse pipes, steam steering gear, two warping capstans on poop, six steam winches, two upright patent multitubular donkey boilers etc.

Fine triple-expansion engines are being supplied by the Central marine Engine Works of Messrs. Wm. Gray and Co. Ltd. The cylinders are 27½ins, 43½ins and 73ins in diameter, with a piston stroke of 43ins. The boilers are of the double-ended type, and are designed for a working pressure of 150lbs per square inch.

The ceremony was gracefully performed by Miss Tapscott, of Liverpool, sister of the owner, in the presence of Messrs. George and James Tapscott and Mr. Pilcher, under whose superintendence the vessel has been built. The Alberta is the largest vessel yet built at this port, having a deadweight capacity of over 7,300 tons, making her take rank among the largest purely cargo vessels afloat.

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