PAST ERA

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 289, 5 September 1945, Page 8

PAST ERA

Story Of Sailing Ship (By S.D.W.) The Pamir, the four-masted sail s " ing ship now in Wellington, is a good type of “that sea beauty man has ceased to build.” A barque of 2799 tons gross register, she is a small ship by comparison with the great steam and motor liners that carry on New Zealand overseas trade today. Yet the Pamir with her graceful bull, and her lofty spires of masts and yards towering above her modern sisters, fascinates and pleases the eye. The British Empire was largely built in the sailing ship era. The Pamir is one- of the few; survivors of that age. ' The Pamir was launched from ■ the Blohm and Viss yard in Hamburg iu October, 1905, for F. Laiesz of that city, whose great fleet of sailing ships, was for many years pre-eminent in the Chilean nitrate trade. Laiesz’s ships were wellbuilt. well-found, well-manned and hard-driven. Among suilor-nieu the world over they weer noted as fast passage makers. “P” was the initial letter of the names of all of the ships in the fleet which was generally known as the “Flying P Line.” In its palmy days—before the war ot 101-f-IS-i—<tlie Laiesz fleet included two famous ships, the five-masted ' barque Potosi of 4020 tons gross register and the five-masted ship Preussen of 5081 tons. The latter measured 433 feet in length, and carried a cargo of 8000 tons. Her .five masts crossed thirty yards and she spread 48 sails measuring 59.000 square feet of canvas. Her main mast was more than 210 feet in height from keel to truck, her lower yards were 102 feet long and her royal yards just short of 50 feet. The potosi was one of the few sailing ships that ever rounded Cape Horn four times in 12 months. Between March 15. 1900. and March. 6. 1901, this splendid ship completed two round voyages between Hamburg and Oquique (Chile). She went out in ballast and home with full cargoes of nitrate, 11 days in each : voyage being her “turn-round” in Iqiiique. Qu the second of these voyages she discharged her cargo of 6000 tons in seven days, completing on March 13. just within the 12 months. The Pamir joined a company of proud ships when she made her maiden voyage in 1906, and she proved herself as fast as any of them. She went out from Hamburg to Valparaiso in 64 days and home from Iquique in 75. Her subsequent voyages -in ■ the nitrate trade were consistent with the reputation of the Flying P ships for good sailing. A Twice-Dis]>ersed Fleet. The war of 1914-1 S condemned the Pamir with th rest of the Laiesz fleet to more than four years of idleness in port. In 1919 the P ships became spoils of war and were distributed among various ownerships. . Pamir with three others went to the Italians. But Laiesz was not defeated. He bought back as many of the ships as he cbould get. and set about building others. -Pamir, with Parma. Peiho. Passat, Pinnas and Peking, returned.to their pld flag and by 1922 the famous “P” Hue was once more in being. In 1919 Laiesz built the Pnwall and as recently as 1926 the beautiful Padua. The Pamir celebrated her return to th fleet by making in 1925 the smartest outward passage round the Horn since the war —from Hamburg to lalcahuano in 75 days. . , The days of sailing ships in the nitrate trade, even those of the “P” line, were numbered. Once more the Laiesz fleet, with the exception of the post-war-built four-masters, was dispersed. The Pamir and several of her kind and age passed to the ownership of Captain Gustav Erikson of Mariebamu and the flag of Binland. They became Ishmaels of tbe oceaiis, sailing many a long passage- in ballast to find a modest freight. . . Occasionally the Pamir figured in the so-called “grain-race” from Australia to the Channel, but for a year or so . sue earned her keep aud a little over in-- cargoes of guano from the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean. It was such a voyage that brought her to Wellington iu July. 1941, and the misfortune of her owner’s country being on Germany's side that caused her seizure iu prize and transfer to the New Zealand "The Pamir was in a sad state when she Was taken over —poverty-stricken and “parish-rigged.” lIcV hull was sound enough, but her standing and running rigging was in bad shape. She badl' needed a special survey and a: thorough refit —and she got them. Ihere was plenty of freight available, and even an old sailing ship would serve to carry some of it across an ocean whose vast expanse kept war hazards within bounds. New Life for Pamir. The I’atuir in her old age was rejuvenated bv a general overhaul carried out at considerable cost. All detects revealed by careful survey,were made good, mueli of her rigging was renewed and considerable improvement in her crew accommodation was curried out. Handsome as ever, the Pamir was thoroughly well found when she once again proudly put to sea. Manned largely by young New Zealanders —of whom the supply is tar greater than lhe demand—the Pamir has now completed six successful voyages between Wellington and the Pacific coast ot North America. The first five voyages were to Suu Francisco with wool and tallow, returning with general cargo. Ou the voyage just completed the 1 amir has brought a full cargo offwheat from Vancouver. The voyage to Vancouver and back took 4 months 12 days, the return passage from Cape Flattery to I’encarrow Head being made in the fast time of 4S The appended details give the tale of her passages across the I’acifie: — Voyage 1: Northward passage, 59 days: southward. 75. Voyage 2: Northward. 80: southward, 68. _ Voyage 3: Northward. 82; southward, SS. Voyage 4: Northward. 79; southward, 51. Voyage 5: Northward, 51; southward, 54. Voyage 6: Northward. 59; southward. 48. Average: Six northward passages. US; six southward passages, 59. On her Pacific voyages under New Zealand control the Pamir has been conmanded successively by Captain C. Stanich (two Voyages). Captain D. McLeish. now of the Wahine (one voyage). and Captain A. R. Champion (three voyages; also one voyage as chief officer). Captain Champion is now relinquishing command to resume duty on the pilot staff at Lvtleltou, and is being succeeded bv his brother. Captain D. C. Champion, xvlio has been chief officer of the Pamir for this voyage-