A REMINISCENCE

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 95, 22 April 1922, Page 12

A REMINISCENCE

(To tbe Editor.* Sir,—An interesting article on the Meritorious Service Medal award in your columns makes special mention of William Shotton. the gallant apprentice who took command of the sailing ship Trafalgar on her, voyage to the colonies and steered her safely to port. I was in Buenos Aires doing shipping work between 1907 and 1910. I heard then how seafaring men admired him, and later, when the «.s. Aymeric, of the Andrew A\"eir Line, arrived in port, I had the pleasure of meeting Captain William Shotton himself, as he was in command of her. He was a middle-aged man, tall, dark complexioned, and bronzed owing to continual Eastern trading. I spent quite a number of pleasant hours in his company both ashore and on board. His memory in that city is retained at Palermo in the Zoological Gardens, where he presented the authorities with a pair of rare monkeys he had secured in the East, and visitors will see a plate with his name inscribed thereon. —I am, etc., JOHN RAETHEL.