ROUND THE WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 208, 3 September 1927, Page 4

ROUND THE WORLD.

A STOLEN SHIP. Those of as who believe with Kipling's "Viscount Loon" that the romance of the sea disappeared with sail, and that except for an occasional outbreak in the China Seas the pirate died with knee-breeches, should refer to the case of the steamer Ferret which occurred within the memories of most of us. The Ferret herself was wrecked only two years ago on the Australian coast, and few, other than the men of the sea, recalled the circumstances of her historyShe was not the sort of packet that one would have associated with piracy and dark deeds, for she was just a little screw steamer built in IS7I by one of the best known Clyde yards, and designed for the Scottish coasting trade. In the autumn of 18S0 she attracted the attention of a little gang of rogues who must be given full credit for their ingenuity and originality. They determined to steal her and make money out oi her, and to this end evolved a most elaborate plot. Considering the world-wide organisation that Lloyd's had built up for the accurate description and reporting of every steamship their plan was certainly audacious, and it was its audacity that carried them through. There were five of them— Smith, Wright. Wallace. Griffin, and a lady who passed as Mrs. Smith. The first thing to be done was to have an apparently reliable firm behind them, and accordingly Smith went to London and rented an office in Gracehouse Street, under the name of Henderson and Company, shipbrokers. Until this time Smith was the only conspirator who had made his appearance, either under his own name or else as Mr. Henderson. Wallace was the next to appear, and he came on the scene as Sir. Walker, purser. He went round to various ship chandlers and merchants in Glasgow and (tot all he wanted on behalf of Mr. Smith, paying for everything by three months' bills of his own which Mr. Smith endorsed. When the merchants began to make inquiries they of course found that Smith had a perfectly satisfactory account at the bank, and Henderson, of Gracechurch Street, spoke of him in glowing terms, which completely restored their confidence. Also there was the Highland Railway—who had presumably been satisfied with their client before they chartered their steamer to him—so that something like £1500 worth of stores were shipped on board the Ferret. Two more of the gang then appeared, as though by chance, R. B. Wright being engaged as captain under the name of Captain C-arlyon, and William Griffin being signed as chief engineer.

As 6oon as she was out of sight in the Mediterranean she started a job which must have struck her crew as a very peculiar one. All hands were turned to under the carpenter and Griffin to alter the ship as much as possible. She had sailed with a white funnel and black top. but this was painted black entirely. Her blue boats were painted white with the exception of two. and the hull was altered as much as possible with the time at their disposal. As soon as it was dark she turned back and passed back through the Straits into the Atlantic, dropping overboard as she went the two blue boats and all the life-buoys, casks, deck fittings, and other gear which were clearly marked with the name of Ferret. It was rightly anticipated that this gear would be picked up and she would be reported as having foundered, the time and the weather supporting the theory. On this evidence being forthcoming, and no news being received of the missing vessel arriving at any port, the underwriters paid out in due course on a total loss.

As soon as the pirates were clear into the Atlantic, Smith called the crew together in the saloon, and with two big revolvers in front of him. told them that he was a political refugee from the United States, and that he meant to tise the Ferret partly for trading and partly for pleasure. If they choose to throw in their lot with him there would be plenty of money for everybody, for the ship was going to be run on a communistic plan. The crew had been well chosen for they cheered him to the echo, and pledged their word to stick to the ship to the end. These preliminaries completed, the Ferret steamed at full speed for St. Vincent to revictual. The 6hip was still the Ferret. Smith relying upon the fact that although the supposed casualty had been reported to Lloyd's, news of it would not yet have reached the island. He therefore "took his time in the port, taking on board as much coal as the bunkers and holds would contain, and also sufficient meat and vegetables to last a long cruise. Again were! the purchases paid for with bills drawn on the Highland Railway, the owners. As soon as she left St. Vincent her natae was changed to "Benton," which did not appear in the register. Under this name she arrived in Santos. Smith represented that she was homeward bonnd in ballast from Capetown, and he was willing to take up any cargo for Europe that would pay him, and accordingly she was chartered to load a valuable cargo of coffee for j Marseilles. Instead of going home he went to Capetown. By this time the Highland Railwav, the Ulasgow merchants, and various other creditors were discovering that their bills were worthless, and a very fine hue and cry arose. This was held up for some t V t Paring so certain that she had foundered, and Llovd's and the Board ot Trade were called" in tTLsist E «y Ljoyda agent and every consular official all over the world wa? a3£d£ watch out for the 'Terret. ' ThSe amou ? t of deJ ay owing to a Znft eP °". $. at Eh . e had been idenS Malta, and that she was probablr thm cruising around the Greek AO th£ was going on while the Benton pWh S&SfSaS^'^ Arriving in Port Philip thev lav at anchor, and as precaution "thev " kept flight R reS - nked readv ioT "instant ml an , - lr l onv of f ate it was this I precaution which caused their downfall Although she had been in port for over a week it suddenly occurred to the sharp reporter that she might be the missing Ferret, and upon the , police making inquiries aboard they found that Air. and Mrs. Smith and Cap-1 Carlv f , ° slipped ashore, taking £3000 with them. The purser, the chief engineer, and the crew were left to their fate. Then followed a careful search through Melbourne to find the fugitives without result. The Smiths had succeeded in getting away to a small bush township, but the natural curiosity of a new chum appearing in such a neighbourhood caused the people to connect Smith with the wanted man, whose doings had been filliDc the Melbourne papers for some time past He was duly arrested, and Mrs. Smith came out of her hiding to visit him in prison. _ She was duly lauded for this, but when it was discovered that reason for her loyalty was to convey a file to him. with which he nearly succeeded in cutting through the cell bars, the laudation soon ceased.

After a lengthy trial, at which the leading counsel in Australia was engaged, the conspirators were all sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment.