To return to our description of the fleet. To replace the Denton Grange (unfortunately lost at Las Palmas) the Company contracted for the Drayton Grange, a fine four-masted, twin-screw steamer of 10,000 tons burthen, launched in December, 1901, and also for a sister ship, the Oswestry Grange, launched a few months later. Both of these steamers, and, in fact, the other large vessels of the fleet, did excellent service during the South African War.
Hornby Grange. Houlder Bros. & Co.
The fleet, at the present time, consists of fourteen steamers, three boats having been added since the launch of the Oswestry Grange, as the following list will show:—
| Tons Burthen. | Tons Burthen. | ||
| Hornby Grange | 3,750 | Beacon Grange | 6,400 |
| Ovingdean Grange | 3,520 | Rippingham Grange | 9,200 |
| Urmston Grange | 5,420 | *Oswestry Grange | 10,000 |
| Langton Grange | 9,200 | Thorpe Grange | 6,350 |
| *Drayton Grange | 10,000 | Haversham Grange | 11,200 |
| Elstree Grange | 6,000 | *Everton Grange | 11,000 |
| Royston Grange | 6,400 | Southern Cross | 7,300 |
| * Twin screw. | |||
giving a total of 105,740 tons.
It is interesting to compare the smallest vessel, the Ovingdean Grange, with the largest and most recent, the Everton Grange, the difference being not only in the increased size but also in the great improvements in the propelling machinery, refrigerating machinery, passenger accommodation, appliances for handling cargo and other points too numerous to mention in detail:—
| Length. | Beam. | Depth. | Tons. | |
| Ovingdean Grange | 309 ft. | 40 ft. | 21 ft. 4 in. | 3,520 |
| Everton Grange | 490 ft. | 56 ft. | 35 ft. 6 in. | 11,000 |
Special provision has been made for the Company’s passenger service, the boats being provided with every requisite to make a long sea voyage as comfortable as possible.
