THE CRUISE TO DATE

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14665, 14 May 1913, Page 9

THE CRUISE TO DATE

A ROUGH PASSAGE FROSI AUCKLAND.

The passage from Auckland was tho worst experience the vessel has had since sho left Portsmouth. Sho commenced her cruise on February 6th, and experienced somo fairly heavy weather while crossing the Bay of Biscay. Sho reached St. Vincent on February 13th, and after coaling left on tho 15th and arrived at Ascension Island on tho morning of February 20th. Sailing the same evening she reached tho anchorage at St. Helena at 6 p.m. on February 22nd, and left again next day. Capetown was reached on February 28th, and the ship

remained thero until March 4th, on which date she called at Simonstown, on her wav to Durban, where sho arrived on "March 6th. and whence she sailed on Slarch 15th- Good weather had been the rule after clearing the Bay of Biscay, and the New Zealand met with tho" same conditions on the passage to Stclbourne where she arrived on the morning of Monday, March 31st. Leaving the Vict&rian port, on April Bth. she bad a gooel run to Wellington, which was reached on Saturday. April 12th. After calls at Napier and Gisborne, and a stay of 12 days at Auckland, she sailed at 9 o'clock last Saturday morning for Lyttelton. Tho ship had not been long at sea before she was driving into a heavy southerly gale, which rapidly increased in force. After rounding East Cape sho experienced tho full strength of tho hardest blow she has yet met. A tremendous sea was running, and the vessel shipped huge quantities of water, which crashed on board with great violence. flooding cabins and other 'tween deck compartments until deck openings were securely battened down. Sho rolled a good deal, and at times nitched heavily, though she was proceeding at reduced speed. Throughout tho whole of Sunday, and until 'well on towards noon on Sionday, tho gale raged with great violence, and at times the New Zealanel was doing little more than five knots. Tho green seas, which crashed on board and swept along the decks, did no damago to the ship, but the passage was a particularly unpleasant one for all on board. Tbo gale abated on Sfondav afternoon, and {hough there was a fairly heavy sea, tho warship made better weather of it.