NEW ISLAND SCHOONER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 168, 29 July 1901, Page 5

NEW ISLAND SCHOONER.

A TEIAL CRUISE

THE "COUNTESS OF RANFURLY"

UNDER SAIL

This afternoon the nfw threemasted auxiliary screw schooner Countess of Runfiniy, 195 tons, built by Messrs Lane and Brown, of Wlia-nj-aroa, for the Cook Islands Government, returned to the harbour head:; after a two days' trial cruise o? about 150 miles under sail outside on the coast. The winds experienced by the schooner were mostly light, and contrary to the expectation of those who went out in the vessel. t?\e weather proved very line, bright skies and sunshine taking the place of the rain and gales of last week, so that the cruise was an ideal yachting trip.

The schooner during her.cruise was under -the command of Captain VV. Reid government Shipping- Master and Examiner of Masters and Mates at Auckland), who has had large experience in these class of vessels, and who took the vessel out and gave her a thorough good trial under sail, prior to her proceeding- to the South Sea Islands on her maiden trip. Captain F. A. Worsley (master of the vessel) and Captain C. C. Plunkett (surveyor to the Marine Underwriters' Association) were also on board, besides several passengers.

The schooner (with 70 tons of iron ballast on her floor) left the Railway wharf on Saturday afternoon in a heavy downpour of rain, and proceeded to sea under very unpromising looking conditions of weather. She went down the harbour with her screw, but the Union oil engine was stopped just after the North Head | was rounded, and the whole of the rest of the cruise was performed under sail. Mr M. Lane, builder of the vessel, was landed at Cheltenham Beach, and Captain Reid then set sail and stood out for Tiritiri. The schooner carries square canvas on the foremast (lower and upper topsails, and a squaresail for running), four head sails, and foresail, mainsail and mizzen, with lofty main and mizzen gaff topsails. The first night's cruising was done under easy canvas, leaving the "kites" for the next day. The wind was very light during the early part of Saturday night, and the schooner dodged slowly down. The newly-joined South Sea- Island native foremast hands (six men, from Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, and ;Atiu, in the Cook Group), were divided into watches at tea time; these fellows are very willing and capable sailormen, nad have previously served in the Torea, Maungaroa, Linda Weber, and other Island craft. Tiritiri light was abeam at 9 p.m. Once outside Tiri a fine fresh southeast breeze was picked up, and the rain cleared off, giving place to a clear sky and bright moonlight. Sheets were flattened in and the yards braced sharp up, and close hauled on the starboard tack, Captain Reid ran the vessel down towards Cape Colville. There was a good whole sail breeze, and the new schooner developed a very creditable rate of speed, covering 25 miles in three hours. She wore round Channel Island ("The Watchman") off Cape Colville at 11.30 p.m., going round "like a top" as the "skipper" expressed it. This breeze gave a very fair trial of the schooner's qualities, and she "walked along" at a o-ood eight knot rate. ° After rounding the "Watchman ' (a 50-miles sail from Auckland) the wind came round more into the S.W., and the vessel was braced up on the other tack, and headed for the Little Barrier Island. The high peaks of the Government's "bird preserve" loomed close ahead in the early hours of Sunday morning, and the schooner dodged about, standing off and on, till about 8 o'clock, when Captain Worsley took the whaleboat ashore, with a mail for Mr Shakespear, the caretaker of the island. In a hour and a half's time the boat was hoisted up ao-ain and the schooner was headed away Past the Little Barrier, on a nor'-east course, in the direction of the Hen and Chickens. Sunday was a. splendid day, warm and sunny-real summer yachting weather-but with too little wind to please the Cap- *• a Thrpe " The schooner cruised S Srt-f ««*•. S. P-t the Tittle Barrier in the direction of Sail Kock (off the Hen toUmd), sometimes S, fine little breeze from the 3.W, r?d * Suing *&*• Every k -™ C "h^^thW -r, ; e f ver.

found plenty of work at the sheets and bl Early yesterday afternoon the schooner was put about and headed or luckknd again, and all the evenin* she tacked about, hauling the yard's round now on one board, now on the other, a few miles inside the little Barrier. When the sun went down the breeze died away very light, and for some hours the hands were box■haulin*" the vessel about to take advantage of what little wind there was. From ten o'clock tip to 2 a.m. it was almost a flat calm—just enough of a breath to give the schooner steerage ° ay "She surprised me," said one of The captains, "sfoe kept steerage on her with iust a flap of the sails." All hfmiddle of the night the vessel was within eight miles or so of Little BarSr and the sound of the surf cm the "l^ld S Cfs wtotled tart for

3 S?1 two o'-clock this morning a across to Kawaji a ghfi t

eased out. The square-sail was now set, and the schooner had every available stitch of canvas on her and looked a fine picture as she ran clown to the Passage. Her gafftopsails set especially well, and t<he new suit of canvas had a good stretching.

Tiritiri was passed shortly before eight o'clock this morning, ami the yacht-like schooner ran steadily along up Rangitoto Channel under full sail, reaching the harbour about, midday.

This trial cruise, though short, has shown the schooner to be a handy and speedy vessel, and it is confidently expected that, she will be a very satisfactory craft for the South Sea Islands' work. In the fresh breeze on .Saturday night outside Tiritiri she proved stiff and vveatherly.

The Countess of Ranfurly will leave in about a week's time for the South Pacific. She will go first to Nine (Savage Island). Here Captain Worsley will land Mr S. Percy Smith, Government Commissioner, who is to officially inaugurate on behalf of the Governor and Co. Gudgeon the new order of government on the island, which is now a British possession. There will not be any interference of importance with the present native form of government on Nine, and Mr Smith's stay there will be as much a holiday visit as anything else. From Niue the schooner goes on to Rarotonga and the other islands of the Cook Group, and will work these under Colonel Gudgeon's instructions, and will also pay regular visits to the outlying islands, sudh as Pen^hyn Island, Manakiki and Palmerston Island.

During the trial cruise some interesting photos were obtained for the "New Zealand Graphic."