About the 'Bermuda'
 

From Lubbock, The Last of the Windjammers:

"Ancona" and "Bermuda."

These two remarkable sister ships were considered to be the forerunners of
the turret-decked steamers. They were bald-headed four-mast barques fitted
with all the latest gadgets in the way of labour-saving appliances, such as
patent topsail and topgallant halliards; but their chief peculiarity was the
carrying of the half-round of the poop for the whole length of the ships,
which gave them a strange appearance but a flush deck fore and aft. On this
half-round they lashed their spare spars. The top of the half-round came 7
feet above the main deck, and on this level there was an awning or hurricane
deck surrounded by an iron railing.

Below, the two ships were fitted with water ballast tanks amidships capable
of carrying 1350 tons of water. The holds, also, were so bulkheaded off that
the ships were considered practically unsinkable. There was a 60 h.p. engine
to do the pumping for the ballast tanks. This also worked the patent
windlasses and capstans. Both ships were handsomely fitted with wonderful
accommodation, their crew having well-finished lavatories, baths, etc.,
whilst aft, besides a large saloon handsomely furnished in teak and
birdseye, there was a separate dining-room for the officers. These ships
cost £26,000 each, and they could lift 4250 tons of deadweight.

The Bermuda was launched by Russell in July, 1893, for P. Denniston & Co.,
and the Ancona in November for G. T. Soley & Co. The Bermuda, under Captain
Kohn, sailed on her maiden passage with 4100 tons of Cardiff coal for
Colombo, and apparently pleased her crew by logging 14 knots with fresh
quartering winds. From Colombo she went on in ballast to Melbourne, where,
after having her bottom cleaned of barnacles and grass 6 inches long, she
loaded wool for London.

The Ancona, on her maiden passage, sailed under Captain Long to Rio, and
then came on to Melbourne in ballast. At Rio sand ballast cost 7s. 6d. a
ton, and the Ancona, by being able to fill her ballast tanks from the sea,
saved quite £500. Whilst lying off Rio her bottom got very foul and she
therefore made a longish passage to Port Phillip.

This ship will be remembered for a disastrous passage from Shanghai to New
York, when, for the greater part of the time, her officers and crew were out
of action through sickness, the ship arriving in charge of her apprentices
and carpenter.

The Ancona and Bermuda made some longish passages with grain from the
Pacific coast. In 1895 Ancona was 185 days from Astoria to Queenstown, and
in 1900 Bermuda took 165 days from the same port to Falmouth.

Both these ships disappeared from the Register before the war.