A 'TIGHT LITTLE CRAFT."

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 157, 2 July 1920, Page 6

A 'TIGHT LITTLE CRAFT."

JAMES COSGEOVE ARRIVES.

AUCKLAND'S . NEW TRAWLER.

The unfrequented and little known Fitzroy wharf was a centre of interest shortly before noon to-day, when the riteuai trawler James Cosgrove berthed, thus ending a voyage of 11,432 miles. This little vessel, of 113 tons, has sailed to New Zealand from Milford Haven under her own steam, and is to commence deep-sea trawling in Auckland watere within a week.

.Mr. R. Smallb'one, superintending engineer for Sanford's, Ltd., is in charge of the machinery; it was through him that the James Cosgrove was chosen to make this long journey. He was sent Home to England, entrusted with the choosing of a vessel for trawling, and found this ship, with some fifty others, resting in Milford Haven, where they had been sent at the end of their war service. Incidentally the James Cosgrove has had war service of some distinction, being the "mother ship" of a fleet of fighting trawlers In the North Sea. "She is now Bailing under her third or fourth funnel," says Mr. imallbone, "and her deck fittings have been renewed since her Hun encounters. The vessel was fitted with bomb-throwers, two 12-pound guns, and hydrophones. She had also a 'listening- room," specially prepared to enetne listeners to locate submarines." She was built by the Ailsa Shipping Company of Glasgow in 1918, and had some eight months service before she was sent to the Haven, where she was turned into a peaceful trawler.

The vessel left Milford Haven on April 28th, under the command of Captain H. Gaukroger. and met the proverbial Bay of Biscay waather. She touched at' Madeira, and then sailed to Colon, averaging 9.7 knots all the way. from Panama she made straight for Tahiti—a distance of 4500 miles — through tropical heat, in which the crew of fourteen suffered badly. She reached Tahiti on June 16th, and left three days later for Auckland. She ran into a storm on the way, but seems to have weathered it admirably.

The James Cosgrove is a deep-sea trawler of the latest type, accustomed to working in 800 or 800 fathoms of water. It is lik*>'.y that she will commence work in a week's time, so that bish hopes may be formed of our local fish supply. v ■