“GUARANTEE CHIEF”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 288, 5 September 1928, Page 10

“GUARANTEE CHIEF”

A QUICK TURN ROUND fathering sister motor SHIPS Two voyages round the world in quick succession in the new motor liners Zealandic and Coptic is the interesting experience o£ Mr. J. Cairns, guarantee engineer for Messrs. Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson, Ltd., of Newcastle-on-Tyne, the builders of two of the four sister motor ships recently added to the fleet of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, Ltd. In his capacity of guarantee engineer to the great Tyne shipbuilding firm, Mr. Cairns oversees the construction and installation of engines and other machinery in new ships, iu which he travels on their trial trips and maiden voyages, watching on behalf of the builders the performances on service of the wonderful mechanisms he lias helped to bring into being. Sometimes his voyagings are short, Imt bis duties take him to many parts of the world, and tlie Coptic has brought, him to New Zealand for the second time in three mohtlis. As guarantee engineer iu the Zealandic he left the Tyne on March 30 after the ship had completed her trials and arrived at Lyttelton on May 5. The ship came out. iu ballast, and after loading at Lyttelton, Bluff. Wellington, and Auckland, sailed on May 23 for London. She averaged over 14 knots on Hie run, and arrived in the Thames on Wednesday, June 27, after a round voyage of only 89 days. Mr. Cairns reached his home about midnight on June 28, and on the following Tuesday he went to sea from the Tyne in the Coptic, which, after completing very successful trials, went round to Glasgow and Liverpool to load for New Zealand. The Coptic left Liverpool on July 23 and arrived early last Wednesday morning at Auckland, from which Mr. Cairns had sailed in the Zealandic 98 clays previously.

Regarding the performances of the sister ships, Mr. Cairns speaks very highly. Their powerful Diesel engines have functioned perfectly and given every satisfaction, he states. He will return to England in the Coptic, winch, after completion of discharge in New Zealand, will go across to Australia to load wool for London. The Zealandic, which is now outward bound via the Suez Canal to Australia, will also load at Commonwealth ports this voyage.