THE ROYAL YACHT “VICTORIA AND ALBERT.”
THE ROYAL YACHT “ALEXANDRA.”
From a Photograph. By permission of Messrs. A. & J. Inglis, Ltd.
The illustration of the Sagitta, [facing page 280], is of particular interest, for when she appeared in the summer of 1908, she was the largest steam yacht ever built on the south coast. Constructed by Messrs. Camper and Nicholson for the Duc de Valençay, she has a Thames measurement tonnage of 757, and on her trials showed a speed of 15·2 knots, which was 2·2 knots above that contracted for. Steam yacht building has more usually been the work of the northern yards. Two of her features are especially noticeable as showing a divergence from the stereotyped design of the steam yacht. Firstly, the three, and even two, masts, have gone altogether, and only one is retained, in a most unusual position, for signalling purposes. Secondly, her stern goes right away from the accepted clipper-bow-plus-bowsprit end, although the yacht-like overhanging counter is retained. In matters of this nature personal taste will enter quite independent of the demands put forward by naval architecture, but it can scarcely be said that this hybrid arrangement makes for beauty, for the nice balance which is so significant a feature of the ends of a yacht is here hardly possible. Much more acceptable is the design of the Triad, which, amid considerable adverse criticism for her originality, made her appearance in the summer of 1909. An interesting photograph of this novel yacht appears [opposite page 280], but it conveys little idea of her size. With her two funnels, her straight stern and modified turtle-deck stern, she is a “whole-hogger” as compared with the compromise which the Sagitta represents. In the Triad the steam yacht breaks right away from accepted conditions and shows the first real approach to the contemporary ocean-going steamship. To some extent, no doubt, she exhibits some resemblance to the well-known German Imperial steam yacht, the Hohenzollern, but she is rather a deep-sea liner in miniature, capable of going anywhere, and performing practically any service which could be asked of her. She has been built on steamship lines by a firm which, I believe, had never previously constructed a steam yacht. Her size of 1,416 tons would alone make her interesting, but it is her business-like appearance which causes her to be especially noticeable. Her stem has come in for a good deal of criticism, some of which is doubtless justifiable, but not a little is obviously based on the fact that convention was thrown aside. It is claimed that the clipper-stem is not merely advantageous in regard to looks, but besides giving increased deck space where it is needed to work the anchors, permits of a generous amount of flare to protect the fore decks from water coming aboard. The older form also provides a useful “false” end in the case of a ship colliding, while, on the other hand, the straight stem possesses considerable merits for docking and berthing in a congested harbour.
The Triad measures 250 feet long, between perpendiculars, and 35 feet wide, and is equipped with twin-screw engines, which give her a speed of 16 knots. She has two double-ended boilers, and one auxiliary boiler for driving the electric installation when in port. Some of her minor features are sufficiently unusual to merit remark. Thus, for instance, the windlass on her forecastle is fitted with a special indicator which shows the amount of cable run out, and an arrangement something similar in principle to that mentioned as existing on liners is installed, whereby the engineer cannot easily make a mistake in carrying out the captain’s orders from the bridge. If the engines are going ahead the captain knows this by an electric lamp which shows red; if they are going astern the lamp shows green, the movement of the engines themselves indicating automatically. In matters of personal comfort this miniature liner is amply fitted. Besides the usual accommodation, she has dining-room, drawing-room, music-room, maids’ room and ample bedrooms, all upholstered and furnished with due regard to modern luxury.
It would be impossible within the limits of our subject to refer in detail to all those magnificent stately steam yachts which are afloat in European and American waters. Such vessels as the Vanadis, with her 1,233 tons (Thames measurement), triple-screws and triple turbines built in 1908; the well-known Ioland, built for Mr. Morton F. Plant of New York, by a Scotch firm; the Wakiva, twin-screw steam yacht, the Lysistrata, the Liberty, are representative of the magnificent fleet which has come into being so speedily, in spite of the chilly reception and opposition which greeted the steam yacht during the first half of the past century. The Liberty, something of whose internal comfort [we shall show in another chapter], is of 1,571 tons, was launched in December of 1907, and is one of the most notable productions of recent years. She is spar-decked throughout, with magnificent lines and a handsome appearance, whilst retaining the more conventional stem-plus-bowsprit. She has exceptional accommodation, all connected by corridors and vestibules with no fewer than a dozen state-rooms for guests. She is driven by two sets of triple-expansion engines actuating twin-screws, which, to minimise vibration, are at a different pitch, and run at varying speeds. She can carry sufficient coal to allow her to cruise for 6,000 miles, and both in internal and external appearance is as handsome as she is capable.
THE S.Y. “SAGITTA.”
From a Photograph. By permission of Messrs. Camper & Nicholson, Ltd.