WELL-APPOINTED YACHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 68, 22 March 1927, Page 11

WELL-APPOINTED YACHT.

SURPRISE REVISITS AUCKLAND SHIP WITH A HISTORY. WAR MUTINY R! :< ALI.KP. Described as "a treasure -tore aflo.it." the steam yacht Surprise. the property of Mr. Cndfrey H. William-, a wealths Welsh mine owner. arrived unexpectedly at Auckland this afternoon. Since her la-t vi-it to this port the y.u ht has been in New Zealand waters, visiting a number of the South I-land soui'd-. Built in Scotland in t'..r Mr. A. Drexie, of Philadelphia, th-* Surp; ise (I."> 00 tons) was sold to Kim; L'o|«.M. of Belgium, who used her as the rov ' yacht for thirteen years, she was then acquired by Captain J. Cohen nnd the late Mr. F. G. Bourne. formerly ['resident of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, but later w;:s t■ > the Russian (Jovernment. It was when she v. as under the Russian tlag that the Surpri-e pa*-ed through the most exciting -tages of her career, being the scene of miieh \io'enee ami bloodshed. At the outbreak of t lie Russian reyolntion the yacht's crewseized the ship, murdering the captain and officers. In this connection it is stated that one of the officers was roasted in the ship's furnaces. In 101S the Surprise experienced another change of tlag, but was laid up at Liverpool. Three years later, however, she was acquired by the Admiralty and Used in the Mediterranean. Later -he was again laid up. this time at Port--mouth, and remained idle until pun ha-ed by her present owner. Her present world cruise has already occupied nearly three years. I The furnishings and fittings of the 1 yaeht are said to be worth £Juil.fioO. the gold and silver plate alone being \alued |at £30.000. Among the latter is numbered a valuable centrepiece, formerly the property of Napoleon.