UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 310, 29 December 1920, Page 2

UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY

A PROGRESSIVE POLICY. FOUR OIUBURN'INX! LINERS. BOATS iBUILT AND PURCHASED. RAPID STRIDES SINCE THE AVAR. Long before the war and «|uaHv since the cessation of hostilities the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand led the way in progressive policy, with the result that to-day the company owns a fleet of steamers equal to that of almost any other company in tins world. During the war the company, like many other similar combinations, went to considerable expense to refit several sailing vessels for sea service to take their place in the oversea trAde when tonnage was at a premium, owing to the severe loss by sinkings. The sailing ships resurrected were the famous old barque Dartford, which was then being utilised as a coal hulk in Wellington Harbour; the barque Gladbrook, then a hulk -in Auckland Harbour; and the barqiientine lima, also used as a hulk at Auckland. Tiie Dartford has made many voyages between New Zealand. Australia, and America since she was reconditioned at P.irt iOhalmers over three years ago. The Oladhrook, which was also refitted at Port Chalmers, has made several creditable passages between New Zealand and the West Coast of South American ports and vice versa, and is still in commission. The lima, after making several deep sea voyages, was again di~mantW on arrival at Auckland over twelve months ago. and will no doubt end her days as a humble coal hulk. LOSSES DI'RTN'O THE WAR. During the period of the war various companies running vessels ibetween New Zealand, Australia and Kurope bad a large number of losses through t!ie action of the Wermans. The heaviest were those of the Peninsular and Oriental Company (eleven steamers), while the Union Company came ne.vt with the loss of eight vessels. In addition to the above losses the cargo steamer Waitotara (-1417 tons) was burnt at sea on June 17. I<M7. while on a voyage from Vancouver to Auck.an.l; the old mail and passenger steamer Maitai. employed for many years in the coa.-tiiil, intercolonial and San Francisco services, was wrecked on a reef at Rarotonga on December 2:>. MMfi; the steamer Koonva, which had been employed in the TasmanianiSydney trade for many years, was wrecked at Sandy Cape* Tasmania, on June 3, 1010. during a heavy storm. AGGREGATE GROSS TONNAGE TO-DAY. Whereas the company lost eleven steamers through various causes during the war period, they have eince replaced them with fifteen steamers, all cargo boats. Three fifteen veswels have an aggregate gross tonnage of 7.3,312, which i« an increase of 10,228 tons gross on the tonnage lost. However, although the company now own twenty-eight paseenger and tifty-one cargo steamers, the aggregate grose tonnage today is 256,7811, or 13,. r >o7 tons less than it'was in July, 1014. This is accounted for by the fact that many of the vosseks •recently purchased are much smaller than those lost during the war period. OIL BURNING LINERS. Rapid strides have been made !hy the company in Uie conversion of large passenger steamers into oil-burning ships. When the Maunganui completed her trooping career she was laid up at Port Chalmers, and the task of converting her furnaces for the use of oil fuel was proceeded with. This proved a huge undertaking for any marine repair works in New Zealand; but it is understood that the jrtb has been completed satis- ■ factorily. The Maunganui is ready for j fica, but no definite date has been fixed , for her recommiesion. I All three mail steamers of the com* pany's fleet employed in connection with the Canadian-Australian mail service now burn oil fuel. The latest steamer to be reconditioned for oil fuel is the R.M.s. Makura. The work of refitting this steamer was carried out at San Francisco, and was carried out very expeditiouely. The Makura proceeded to Vancouver early in December, and sailed from that port on December 'l" for Auckland and Sydney via porte. Her firft trip as an oil-burner is arousing considerable interest, and she is expected to show a good turn of speed. The R.M.6. Niagara has always burned oil fuel, and the results proved so satisfactory that the ■ directors decided to recondition the Tahiti and Makura. Other fiteamers of the company will also be altered when opportunity occurs. One of the chief advantages of oil fuel is. of course, the saving of labour in the engine-room. There is also a distinct cain in the matter of i-peed. as the tOaokening off of pace when cleaning fires under coal consumption is avoided. NEW TYPE OF CARGO STEAMER. A new type of cargo carrier is also being constructed by Mesrs. W. Denny and Bros., Ltd., at Dumbarton. She will be of about 5.000 tons gross, and exactly similar to the three motor passenger liners under construction for the British -India Steam Navigation Company, except that she is designed purely aa a cargo vessel instead of a combined passenger and cargo ship. The engineroom is arranged practically amidships, and there are three cargo holds forward nnd two aft. The machinery will comprise two of the new class of fourcycle, engines built by the North British Diesel Engine Works. These are of 2.3.'i0 b.h.p., a standard type that is also being employed in the British-Tndia passenger liners. The motors have eight cylinders. 26§in diameter and 47in stroke, and will run at !>7 revolutions per minute. The vessel is to trade between New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Her length will be 4ooft, beam 58ft, and draught 27ft lOin, and her dead weight capacity will be 10.000 tons. This type of ship will be a new departure so far as New Zealand shipping is concerned. The vessel is expected to be ready for launching early next year. SYDNEY-SAX FRANCISCO SERVICE, It was announced by the company some months ago that arrangements had been made for the resumption of the pre-war mail and passenger service between Sydney. Wellington, and San Francisco by the Tahiti and Maunganui. Since the war Wellington has been made the terminal port of the San j Francisco mail steamers, and the decision of the company to place the service lon its pre-war footing was doubtless j due to the increase in passenger and I freight traffic over this route. The Tahiti has completed her term in the Vancouver service, and -will leave Vancouver on December 20 for Honolulu. AVcllington, and Sydney. She will, no J doubt, inaugurate the new service to I San Francisco from Sydney early in the 1 new year.