A FINE NEW STEAMER - MORE DETAILS.

The Daily News, Perth, Monday 15 February, 1909.

A FINE NEW STEAMER

THE S.S. KOOMBANA.

BUILT FOR NOR'-WEST TRADE.

A MODEL OF STYLE AND COMFORT, .

As stated In our columns of Friday,

the Adelaide S.S. Co.'s new steamer

KOOMBANA, which arrived in port

from London on Thursday, and left

again on the following day for Adelaide 

and Melbourne, 'has been specially built 

for the Nor'-West trade. She has been 

specially designed for the tropics.' Such 

were the words addressed by Mr. S. T. 

Maxfleld, the superintendent of stores 

for the Adelaide Co., when showing a 

'Daily News' representative over the vessel.

The Koombana is a steel screw

steamer, of 3760 tons, and was 

constructed by Messrs. A. Steven and

Sons, Ltd., in their yard, Linthouse

(Glasgow). Her principal dimensions are: — 

340ft, .between perpendiculars, by 

48ft. 2in. beam, by 

20ft. 8in. depth. 

Accuracy regarding specifications improved in this report, but not entirely - the figure for depth refers to draught.

She was constructed under the

British Corporation shelter deck rules

as an up-to-date cargo and passenger

steamer, carrying first and second

class passengers, and a large of number

of cattle, as well as a considerable

amount of general cargo.  

In every respect, the builders have paid 

the fullest attention to ventilation and light,

thus doing away with that element of stuffiness 

so apparent on some of the passenger boats.

So particular, indeed, has the company been 

in order to allow passengers to overcome the 

heat of the Nor' West, that actually six decks 

are built one on top of the other. Undermost, is 

the lower hold, where the cargo is reposited 

and which is set aside for refrigerating space. 

On top of this is the Orlop ('tween) deck; then comes 

the main deck (spar) , on which the cattle are placed 

(fore and aft). Next is the spar deck (lower promenade), 
where a  great number of cabins are positioned, and on 

top of this is the hurricane (upper promenade), and then 

boat (bridge) deck. Yet, again, on top of this is the 

navigation bridge, which is open for first-class 

passengers. it will be seen that the decks occupied 

by the passengers are situated far up from the water, 

and the extremely plentiful ventilation provided 

and the numerous electric fans that are to be 

seen everywhere, make it possible to be cool 

in any circumstances. She is capable of 

accommodating 300 passengers, in a style only

to be looked for in such mammoth liners as the 

Mauretania and Lusitania,

Clearly careful thought went into the construction of Koombana with important attention given to keeping passengers cool in the extreme heat of summer along the Nor'West coast. Was a price to be paid for 6 decks, one upon the other?

I have issues with the naming of the various decks, noted in parentheses.

Perhaps the most interesting fact in

connection with the new boat is that she

has refrigerating machinery on board

capable of dealing with about 800 tons,

besides which she has her own ice-making 

plant aboard— an innovation that should 

prove very acceptable when the Koombana 

visits the torrid Nor'-West. As is usual In the 

Adelaide Company's boats, arrangements 

for the shipping and discharging of cargo 

are very modern and complete.

This report quotes 800 tons of refrigeration space, not 1800 tons, previous post's report. This makes sense and implies that there were remaining at least 1000-1200 tons for general cargo. 

Correct.

She is replete with hydraulic cranes,

except at No. 1 hatch, where, owing to

the position of passengers' berths, it

has been deemed inadvisable to erect

a crane (not hydraulic). The pressman, 

first paid a visit to the captain's bridge, 

where his eyes were opened as to the 

advance of maritime invention and ingenuity. 

The most remarkable of these innovations

is the telephone switch, which connects

the bridge with the captain's cabin,

the poop, and the engine-room. This

telephone is used in case of emergency,

or when the officer on the bridge wants

to be more explicit in his orders to the

engine-room. For instance, if he

wanted to give the orthodox order

'Full speed astern,' it would not be

sufficient for him to indicate the danger 

the vessel was in. He could on the 

Koombana, however, just telephone 

down to the chief engineer and give 

him an order such as 'Give her all you 

can.' Then there is a telegraph on the 

bridge, which is used to communicate 

with the officer in charge, aft, when the 

vessel is about to moor, and in case of 

the steering gear going wrong there is 

also a telegraph which communicates 

with the man in charge of the patent 

wheel aft.

Another interesting change on the

bridge is the establishment of a 

portable chart table in a glass, which 

can be carried into any position. Two

electric sidelights are on the starboard 

and port side of the vessel, but in case 

of anything going wrong in either an 

auxiliary one has been built on or 

running down on either side. Perhaps, 

to a lay mind, the most interesting portion 

of the ship's electrical effects is the erection 

of four discs in the wheel-house. Should 

anything go wrong with the masthead light, 

the side light; or the bridge lights, a colored 

flame flares up in the respective discs; should

no attention be paid to this flame an electric 

bell rings in the disc, and the damage Is 

ascertained exactly six seconds after it has 

happened.

This was the latest in technology. Reliability?

All the first-class staterooms are constructed 

on the Island system, each division having a 

separate entrance from the deck, while easy 

access is obtained to the saloon. Electric fans

are fitted in each cabin. The drawing and 

smoke rooms are located on the promenade 

deck, and both are handsomely appointed.  

At one end of the social or drawing room is 

an elaborate bookcase with mullioned frames. 

and bevelled glass, and contalnlng an up-to-date 

library, and a Broadway piano, two Chippendale 

writing desks, occasional tables, electric fans, etc, 

are also included in the furnishings. The ceilings 

are composed of whlte painted canvas with gilt-edged 

floral design. The main entrance to the saloon Is 

handsomely panelled in mahogany, and the stairway 

leading to the promenade deck is of the same 

material, with carved pilasters. The dining-room 

in the first saloon has seating accommodation for 

75 people. It is roomy, and well ventilated, and the 

oak panellings and green upholstery, give a quiet 

but withal pleasing effect.

Ample bathroom and lavatory accommodation 

is provided, and, generally speaking, the fittings

throughout are of first-class description. On the 

main deck, running fore and aft of the vessel, 

excellent provision is made for the carriage of live

stock—an important branch of the Nor'-West trade. 

Besides the ordi-chambers (holds) are fitted up with 

a capacity of 1,800 tons. of cubic space. With the

exception of one steam crane at the No. 1 hatch 

for'ard, all the cranes are worked by hydraulic power.

1800 tons is realistic and compares favourably with the similarly-sized Yongala. In effect, 1000 tons general cargo and 800 tons refrigerated cargo.

The Koombana was brought out to

Australia by Captain J. Rees, late of

the s.s. Bullarra, and he will retain

command of the new vessel. The

steamer left for Melbourne on Friday

afternoon to be docked. She will

return to the West, and leave Fremantle 

on her initial trip to the Nor'-West

on March 12. 

Not the least interesting item in 

connection with the appointments 

of the boat is the carrying of a motor

launch. This craft Is to be used when

the Koombana misses the tide at

various Nor'-West ports, and she will

be sent ashore if necessary.

'I want,' said Mr. Moxon to a

'Daily News' representative, 'to 

refute the suggestion that the 

Koombana will be found too good 

for the Nor'West trade, and taken off.

She was built expressly for that 

purpose.'

This is a fascinating statement. What could the implications be? 

- The Nor'West trade was not smart enough to sustain this steamer?

- The steamer was an unwarranted extravagance?

- Advertising desirability?

It does, however, imply that the landscape of Australia was changing and in particular the successful cattle farmers, wool producers and pearlers along the Nor'West coast had significant, disposable cash.

SS Koombana - courtesy Philatelic Database
note how high out of the water she was, not only in terms of numerous decks, but a very significant freeboard.

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