Arakan - a general history

(Northern) Daily Mail September 28th, 1912:
LAUNCH AT WEST HARTLEPOOL.
Yesterday, Messrs. Wm Gray and Company, Ltd., launched the handsome steel screw steamer Arakan, which they have built for Messrs. the Rotterdamsche Lloyd Steamship Company, Rotterdam.

The vessel will take the highest class Lloyd’s Register and is of the following dimensions vis.: Length over all,412ft.6in.;breadth,53ft.6in.,and depth,29ft.7 ½ in.

She is a handsomely modelled vessel of the double-deck type, with poop, extra long bridge and topgallant forecastle, The saloon, staterooms, captain’s and officers’, and engineers’ rooms, etc., will be fitted up in houses on the bridge deck, and the crew are berthed in the forecastle.

The vessel has a cellular double bottom and after peak tank for water ballast, and in addition there is a deep tank or hold compartment fitted for water ballast abaft the engine room, giving a total capacity for water ballast of about 2,200 tons. The whole of the outfit, including steam windlass, steam steering gear, heavy derrick to lift 30 tons, 13 steam winches, with return exhaust to winch condenser of the Contraflo type, are of the most approved description.

The machinery is made by the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, being of the triple-expansion type with cylinders 28in., 46in., and 77in. diameter, with a piston stroke 48in. A Contraflo main condenser and Weir’s feed pump and heater are fitted, and there are four large steel multitubular boilers, working by Howden’s system of forced draught at a pressure of 180lbs. per square inch.

The vessel and machinery have been constructed under the superintendence of Captain N. Guthrie and Mr. M. Petrie on behalf of the owners, and the ceremony of naming the steamer Arakan was gracefully performed by Miss. M. M. Guthrie, Harrogate.

Amongst a large number present at the launch were Capt. N. Guthrie and Mrs. Guthrie, Mrs. McRae, Miss M. Guthrie, Miss Shepherd, Miss K. Audsley, Mrs. Watson and Miss Watson, Mr. M. Petri (engineer superintendant for owners), Capt. Blackin, Mr. J.G. Bolsius (superintendent of the Holland-America Line), and Mrs. Bolsius, and Mr. W. J. Feykes (engineer superintendent of the Nederlands Steamship co.).

(Northern) Daily Mail November 29th, 19912:
TRIAL TRIP OF THE s.s. ARAKAN.
The handsome steel screw steamer Arakan, built by Messrs. Wm Gray and Co., Ltd., for Messrs. the Rotterdamsche Lloyd Steamship Company, Rotterdam, had her trial trip on Saturday. The vessel has been built to Lloyd’s highest class, and is of the following dimensions vis.: Length over all, 412ft. 6in.; breadth, 53ft. 6in., and depth, 29ft. 7 ½ in. She is a handsomely modelled vessel of the double-deck type, with poop, extra long bridge and topgallant forecastle. The vessel has a cellular double bottom and after peak tank for water ballast, and in addition there is a deep tank or hold compartment fitted for water ballast abaft the engine room, giving a total capacity for water ballast of about 2,200 tons. 

The machinery has been made at the Central Marine Engineering Works of the builders, and is of the triple-expansion type, having cylinders 28in., 46in., and 77in. diameter, with a piston stroke 48in. and four large steel boilers, adapted for a working pressure of 180lbs. per square inch and worked under Howden’s system of forced draught. The port openings in the cylinders are large to insure an easy passage for the steam and so obtain the maximum efficiency from it. The engines are fitted with a contraflo main condenser, a “contraflo” atmospheric condenser being installed for the auxiliary machinery. A pair of “C.M.E.W.” single feed pumps together with feed heater, have been fitted and amongst the engine room auxiliaries are an evaporator and duplex feed and ballast pumps of the “C.M.E.W.” type.

Representing the firm were Mr. B. Ruys, managing owner, Messrs. R. Weidmaar and Mr. P. C. Petrie under whose superintendence the vessel and machinery have been built, and Captain N. Guthrie. Amongst the visitors were Mr. L. Hinton (of Lambert Bros., Ltd., London), Mr A. Walker (of F. C. Strick and Co., Ltd., London), Mr. J. W. J. Feykes (engineer superintendent of the Nederland Steamship co. Amsterdam), and Messers. D. McAuslan and James Innes, represented Lloyd’s Registry. An exhaustive trial was made, during which the performance of both vessel and machinery giving entire satisfaction to all concerned.

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