A WELL-KNOWN TRADER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 203, 26 August 1913, Page 5

A WELL-KNOWN TRADER.

The Devon, a well-known steamer in the Federal-Shire line, was engaged in the trade between the We6t Coast of England ports and New Zealand waters until the occasion of her last voyage from Montreal. The vessel will be remembered in connection with the sending of New Zealand contingents to the South African War, the North Island division of fho Ninth Contingent having sailed in the Devon on March 19, 1902. The vessel's last trip proved a singularly unfortunate one. She sailed from Montreal in the Eastern Canadian service, on May 31, under charter to the New- Zealand Shipping Company. The voyage was marked by the illness of Captain Robertson, who fell a victim to typhoid fever, necessitating his beiirg landed at Cape Town. The chief officer of the vessel (Captain A. H. C.runce) then assumed command, and the vessel proceeded to Durban to coal. That port, in common with to est South African ports, was, nt the time, affected by the €trikes on the Rand mines, and this caused the vessel to he detained for four days. Her voyage to Melbourne occupied 25 day*, and was marked by exceedingly stormy weather. She reached tlie Australian iport on August 6, and after catting at Sydney, made Auckland on Friday afternoon last, after a rough passage across the Tasman sen. She left Auckland at 1 p.m. on Saturday for Wellington. Lyttelton and Dunedin, to discharge the balance of her cargo at those ports.

The Devon is a steel screw steamer, length 400 ft, breadt-h 54ft, depth 28.7 ft, owned by the Federal Naviagation Company, under charter to the New Zealand Shipping Company.