SHIPS AND THE SEA.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 47, 23 August 1902, Page 4 (Supplement)

SHIPS AND THE SEA.

Dr. Mulock, tha Postmaster-General of Canada, is urging the establishment of a lino of 18-knot steamers between Sydney and Vancouver in connection with a fast Atlantic line from Canada to England, placing Loudon within twenty-five days' steam of Sydney. Canada, Dr. Mulock says, is also about to establish a line of cargo steamers between a Canadian port on the Atlantio coast and tho chief JNew Zealand and Australian ports. At present it is not intended that these steamers should touch at the cape. The first vessel of tho new line is expected to sail from Canada in January.

Lord Selborne, First Lord of the Admiralty, replying to Lord Brassey, said that merchant cruisers had their uses in war time, although they would never be ■used as substitutes for naval cruisers. "It was," the First Lord asserted, greatly to the advantage of Great Britain that the carrying trade of the world should be in the hands of others besides ourselves. We- cannot obtain all our supplies without making use of ships of foreign register." The First Lord further explained that Great Britain was behindhand with regard to the number of fast steamers in her merchant service owing to ihe fact thilt no subsidies were paid. Without subsidies fast steamers would not pay owing to the great cost of their construction and maintenance. Yet Great Britain would not be able to do without a limited number subsidised for a specific purpose.

One of the most peculiar dock accidents that have happened in Sydney occurred recently, the incident being no less startling than tho literal capsize of the Jubilee floating dock with the American four-master barquentine Lahaina, of 1068 tons, in it at the time. Captain >N. P. Carlson, of the Lahaina, stated that this was tho vessel's maiden tripi and it was the first time she had been docked since she was launched. They entered the dock between 12 and 1 o'clock, and while pumping operations were being proceeded with he noticed the vessel started to list heavily to starboard. He went on deck and gave ordors to trim the yards and booms to port, so as to straighten up the vessel. Seeing that this did not have the desired- effect he called the attention of the dockmaster to it, and said he thought something was wrong. He was informed that it was all right, and that it was customary for vessels to come up with a list while tho dock was being pumped out. After about ten minutes further pumping she went ripht over on her side, ana he was certain that had it not been for the heavy dolphins that surrounded the dock, and which held it in position, the vessel would have pone clean over, as the dock was almost dry. He made an examination and found that the ship was thoroughly dry, and he thought that she was not damaged to any great extent, although the starboard side suffered somewhat from coming into collision with the »ido of the dock. Ho was in his cabin at the time the accident occurred, and wns thrown heavily against the side of the ship, as also were several members of tho crew.

Tho report of tho Royal Commission on the Port of London, amongst other things, recommends the abolition of the famous Waterman's Company and the absorption of its powers, excepting as regards the management of its charities, which aro very large £2,500,000 is to be expended in the next ten years on tbe improvement of the River Thames, and £4,500,000 on docks. A single dock authority for London is to bo created, and the pilotage, lighting, and buoying of the Thames ih to be transferred from the Trinity House to the new authority, which will bo at liberty to take steps to abolish compulsory pilotage in the Thames.

Captain William Shot ton, of the steamer Jesseric, which arrived at Adelaide recently from lork, iti associated with the raemoiublo incident of the .bringing of the ship Trafalgar into Melbourne from Bataviu nine years ago. Tho captain and all the officers of the Trafalgar died of fever at sea, and Captain Shotton, who was then a midshipman only eighteen years of age, navigated the ship to Melbourne, and the exploit coming under the notice oi the nautical authorities at London, the hero of it received substantial recognition Lloyd's presented him with a medal and certificate and full set of nautical instruments for distinguished services He had saved a viylnable cargo, and,* it may be said, the lives of the crew. The present is Captain Shotton's first visit to Australia since that memorable incident. He is now commodore-captain of a fleet numbering thirty-five steamers and sailing vessels.

Messrs. Robert Ward -and Co., of Victoria, British Columbia, have received a cable announcing the safe arrival in the English Channel of the British ship B*d Rock, which left Royal Roads, 8.C., laden with Fraser Hiver bahyion, on 29th November last, bound for London. Shipping men of Victoria, 8.C., thyik that the d'scovery of the flouting BtOmon cases trotn the Ked Rock wa-s due to the manipulations of re-insurance speculators. An investigation may throw more light on these matters. This sumo vessel will be remembered as on a memorable occasion having made the longest passage on rec ord between one of the Queensland ports und Now Caledonia. The Beacon Rock, well known in Wellington, belongs to tho same company as t;he Rod Rook It will be remembered that she made an oxtraordinnrilv long passage from Adelaide to Wellington, necessitating a deviation to a South American Dort.

The famous firm of Qeorge Thompson, of Aberdeen, is again heard from in the march of progress. From the days ol the good old clippers, the emerald painted, lofty sparred and yacht-shaped hulls of the sailer, to tho handsome yellow funneled green painted stenmerK of the Nineveh type,' the George Thompson Hag has proudly flown in Australian sens, an object of admiration to all interested in shipping affairs. We are now informed that from the 3800-ton Nineveh the en terprising owners propose to open out witn one or more ] 0,000-ton twin screw greyhound vessels, equal for Wni«h and speed to any afloat in the Pacific.

A shipping company, with a capital of about J81.000.00U is shortly to be floated at Genoa, t« open up lines to ttie Fur East and Australia. Th<* hitter line is to consist of four steamcv.s, und is expected to be inaugurated a.t the end of the picsent }Ctu\

The German ship IT. F. Glade, from Newcastle, for Queeiißtown with iv cargo of grain, has been posted at Lloyd's as missing. The H. F. Uludo has not buev, reported sii.ee she sailed through the "Golcleu Gate."

Great Britain hns a longer sen-coast line than ativ otliar nation in F.nropc. It measures 2755 miles, v ith Italy aec ond, 24/<4 miles. Russia ranks thiid and France fourth

Some months ago the ■-■mnll dchoouei Toopooloo left Cape Hnuke, on tUe New South Wales coast, for Sydney, but was never afterwards heard of. On '4lh July, a message, believed to be from the vessel, wns found sealed up iv a bottle on the beach at Trial Bay. Tho message is written in lead pencil on a small piece of paper, and owing to its long immersion in tho sea it is hard to decipher. The wordß " Toogooloo fast sinking 5 heavy sea " can be • discerned on ouc side, and on the other side "Plank on starboard side."