NOT YET REPORTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 162, 10 July 1937, Page 12

NOT YET REPORTED.

FRENCH BARQUENTINE

THIRTEEN DAYS OUT.

WEATHER IN TABMAN.

Shipping circles in Auckland are awaiting with a good measure of anticipation the arrival of the small Frenchbuilt barquentine Cap Pilar which is making a leisurely passage round the world. She is now in her 13th day out from Sydney, but has not yet been reported in the regular Sydney-Auckland steamer lane.

When she left the New South Wales port, her commander. Captain Seligman, made a pilgrimage, to the heads of the harbour in a friend's motor yacht to satisfy himself of conditions outside. On returning to his vessel he ordered the anchor to be hove up and sail set for the leg to Auckland. As she made for the open sea heavy going was experienced and at times only her masts and upper sails were visible from other ships as she sunk into the trough of heavy seas. Variable Tasman Weather. Since the day of departure, June 28, the Tasman Sea has seen variable weather conditions, periods of fickle calms being sandwiched between strong winds from various poiDig of the compass and rising seas. When the Port Tauranga, which arrived in Auckland yesterday afternoon from Coff's Harbour, left the Australian coast she through placid calms for two days. Last Tuesday, however, a fresh southerly sprang up and seas mounted in a very short time. Those conditions obtained for the rest of the voyage, and coming down the New Zealand coast she ran head on into southerly weather. If the barquentine were handy to the Dominion there Is a possibility that she would have been sighted by shipping inward' bound from Australia, but sott'iar she has not been reported. At the same time, she may have been passed in the night, but considering present weather conditions it is fairly safe to reason that she is well off the coast. Given good westerlies, which are to be expected in those latitudes, or a fresh sou'-wester, she should have made a good passage, as she is in light trim and handily rigged. As the winds have been chiefly from the south'ard veering a little to the west, the Cap Pilar is probably making a fair amount of northing, and should be on a course between nor'-east and east-nor'-east. Being square rigged on the foremast, she could not sail much closer to the wind than six points. If she has passed the longitude of Auckland she should have a long beat down coast in the present conditions. It is impossible to say with any degree of assurance when she will arrive, "but it should be within the next few days. She has no motive power other than her sails, and there is no reason whatever to query her non-appearance. Sailing craft rarely follow the steamer routes." Barquentine's Speed. The sea distance between Svdnev and Auckland is 1200 miles. Thus, if the Cap Pilar averaged a sailing speed of 4} knots, or 108 nautical miles a day, she would have covered about 1400 miles, which leaves a margin of 140 miles over the steamer route. If she had averaged .-5 knots—only a mediocre speed with fair winds—she should have arrived here yesterday or been close by. At the same time, it mav be recalled that the small full-rigger Joseph Conrad had been at sea about double the time of the Cap Pil ar before she entered the Waitemata, and after leaving New Guinea for the Queensland coast she sailed 646 miles in one week, but made only 20 miles on her course Originally a fishing vessel, the Cap Pilar, which was built at St. Halo, in France, 26 years ago, is of 295 tons gross burden. She is 118 ft between penptendiculars, and about 130 ft overall; her llftV "" 6in ' aDd hCr moulded de PUI