BRITAIN’S LAST BIG SAILER

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 46, 18 November 1929, Page 14

BRITAIN’S LAST BIG SAILER

WRECK OF GARTHPOOL Disaster has befallen the four-masted barque Garthpool, the last big square-rig-ged sailing ship under the British flag. After a long life of 38 years, thia tine ship has been wrecked at the Cape Verde Islands. One of the last sailing ships specially built for the Indian jute trade, the Garthpool was launched at Dundee in December, 1891, as the Juteopolia, her first owners being C. Barrie and Son, of Dundee, who, when sailing ships were finally ousted from the jute trade, sold her to the AngloAmerican Oil Company in 1900. Under the house Hag of this company, the ship was employed chiefly in the case oil trade from New York to the Far East. Her longest passage was when she left Hollo on April 30, 1903, with a cargo of sugar for New York. She was becalmed for two months off the Caroline Islands. After putting into Honolulu for stores and water, on September 10, she resumed her passage and finally arrived at New York on February 11, 1951, 287 days .out from Hollo. Shortly before the war, she was purchased by a Liverpool firm for £6500, and after surviving the perils of 1914-1918, she was acquired with a number of other sailing ships (now all gone) by Sir William Garthwarte, who rammed the Garthpool. Since the war the old sjjip has been chiefly employed in the Australian grain trade, usually sailing outward bound in ballast, and homeward with a yearly cargo of 4100 tons of wheat. The Garthpool has for several years been under the command of Captain David Thomson, who in the “good old days” of sail commanded such well-known ships as the Euphrosyne and the Hlnemoa. The Garthpool was a four-masted barque of 2842 tons gross register, 310 feet in length, 45 feet in breadth, and 27 feet in depth. MAKURA DUE THIS MORNING. En route from San Francisco to Wellington, via Papeete and Rarotonga, the Makura has reported by wireless that she expects to arrive in the stream at 6 o’clock this morning. She will berth shortly before 9 o'clock at the Pipitea Wharf. The Makura is timed to leave again at 8 p.m. to-morrow fox Sydney. CHRISTCHURCH FERRY TRAIN. As a result of negotiations between the Transport Committee of the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce and the Railway Department, arrangements have been made to run a special non-stop train leaving Christchurch at 7.10 p.m. to connect with the Wellington ferry steamer at Lyttelton. The new service, which is to commence to-day, will take the place of the present 6.50 p.m. train. TRANS-ATLANTIC TRAVEL. With her largest west-bound passenger list this year, the Majestic left Southampton on September 4 for New York. After leaving Cherbourg, she had on board 2480 passengers whose baggage weighed 400 tons and numbered approximately 12,500 pieces. Sixteen motor-cars were parked in the garage on board the Majestic. Three special trains took the London passengers to Southampton and, at Cherbourg, six tenders were required to convey passengers from shore to ship. NGAPUHI FOR OVERHAUL. The Northern Company's Ngapuhl is to leave New Plymouth on Thursday for Wellington, and will go on to the Patent Slip for cleaning and painting. She is due here on the Friday morning, and will leave again the same day on the return trip to New Plymouth. RIMUTAKA LEAVES HOME. Cabled news has been received by the New Zealand Shipping Co. that their liner, Rimutaka, after loading at London, left Southampton on Friday for Wellington, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton and New Plymouth. The ship is due at Wellington on December 26. PASSENGERS FOR NEW ZEALAND. The following passengers for New Zealand were on the Moldavia, which arrived at Sydney on Thursday from London: — Mr. and Mrs. Englis, Mr. and Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Dromble and child, Mrs. Footestop, Mrs. and. Miss Sinclair, Miss Hogg, Miss Thompson, Mrs. Maud, Mr. Hartshorn, Mr. Story. The Oronsay, which is due at Sydney on Thursday fipm London, has on board the following passengers, who are travelling to New Zealand: Sir H. G. Holt, the Rev. G. Lamb, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Lamb, Miss A. L. Lamb, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Carpenter, Mr. J. Al. Carpenter, junr.,-Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Esson, Mr. M. C. Esson, Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Gilmore, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Preston, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Riddiford and Miss R. Riddiford, Mr. and Mrs. W. I. Stemson, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Stericker and child, Mr. and Mrs. R. Wilson, the Rev. Father F. H. K. Terry, Mr. and Airs. A. W. Cookston, Airs, and Miss Anderson, Mrs. Barthorp, Airs. Fleming, Miss M. Fleming, Mrs. Lawrie, Miss M. Lawrie, Mrs. Millward, Mrs. G. E. Mirarns, Airs. G. M. Mirams, Mrs. Mitford, Airs. Pickup, Steer, the Misses J. A. and R. C. Steer, Mrs. A. E. Walker, Mrs. R. Jameson, Miss M. A. McCurdy, Aliss A. Mortimore, Miss F. Taylour, Mr. R. S. Dyball, Mr. R. Leitch. Air. E. Rice, Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Shackleton, and Miss B. E. Shackleton.

RADIO FROM KENT. The Federal Co. received a wireless message on Saturday from the Kent, en routa from Liverpool, reporting that she will arrive at Auckland to-morrow afternoon. The vessel is due at Wellington a week later. FIVE MASTS. Five masts were carried by tho Ceramie when that liner left Liverpool for South Africa and Australia —four masts of her own and one as cargo. Slung under the boat deck was a huge crate containing a 70 foot hollow fibre mast for a racing mast for a racing yacht at Sydney, Australia. Built by Fife's, of the Clyde, this mast, with its case and packing, weighed only a little over nine hundred-weight. CERAMIC’S COMMANDER. Captain W. H. P. Jackson, late assistant commander of the Majestic, was in ' command of the White Star liner Ceramic when she left Liverpool for South Africa and Australia. Captain Jackson hails from London, and has been 29 years in tlie White Star service. He served his apprenticeship in the Liverpool sailing ships of Messrs. Henry Fernie and Co.