SHIPS THAT PASSED

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 32, 8 February 1915, Page 20

SHIPS THAT PASSED

SOME "OLD-TIMERS" In those days tho liners' were all Bailing vessels, and some of thorn were as we.ll known to the port as the liners of to-day, tho Ruahine, lonic; Rotoraa, Athenic, and similar vessels, which can carry. the cargo of several sailing ships in one bottom. The sailing vessels wore regular in, their departures, .but no one could toll exactly Avhen thpy would arrive. They- arrived • when they wore hero- Tho' fine fleets of the Xc\v Zealand Shipping Company and of thn S'hd\v, SaviH Lino were as woJl known in London aw in Nftw Zealand. Tbo i graceful Uafla-oi ttasa vwsok jm on»

of the most conspicuous features of the London docks, and particularly tho South- West India Dock. Graceful, taper, ing maste topped the dock walls, and over the dock sides the beautifully modelled bows, often with sculptured, figureheads and jibbooms inboard, overhung the dock roads. One walked in thoso day 3 under an avenue of bowsprits. Their spars were dazzling in their whiteness, or a beautiful golden tint, the

colour of the natural wood and painted to resemble it in what is still known as "mast colour." Such noble vessels it was that used to trade to New Zealand in the late 'sixties, and the 'seventies, and 'eighties. They were regular traders to New Zealand, and when they were being towed down the Thames bound out or towed up with tho rhime of the salt sea upon them and all loaded down with wool and tallow, they fired the imaginations of all who paw them of that far, far away land of New Zealand, whence they had come or whither they were bound.

New Zealand seemed a long, long way from England in those dajs, and a veiy long, long way to come from there. But these vessels were as well-known in London as in Wellington. Only a few can bo cited. They were regular visitors to Wellington. Some of them were commanded by masters still living or recently dead. These ships, it must be remembered, were the liners of thoso days. Some of them may yet be ailoat, perhaps flying the Norwegian or Greek or Chinese flag. Many have been lost, some have been burned, some are hulks, some put. out from port and were never heard of more. Mention of the following, only a few early timers, will serve the purpose of refreshing tho memories of citizens who have seen the sailers enter and leave the port: —

Before them were the Wild Duck, Queen Bee, Woodlark, and many other ships that have passed into the fog of time. "Loch" liners also called here. FIRST OVERSEA VESSEL. The first oversea steamer to come to Wellington was a Dutch vessel, the Stadt Haarlem, 2714 tons, which camo into port on 18th April, 1879. from Plymouth. SJio was under charter to the New Zealand Shipping Company. The s.s. Northumberland, 2187 tons, arrived on Christmas Day. 1880, and is believed to be the first British-owned oversea steamer to engage in the WellingtonLondon trade. She was commanded by Captain Babot, for many years marine superintendent in Wellington for tho Shaw, Savill Line. The procession of ocean steamers now begins^ to assume largo proportions, tho British King, 3559 tons, appears in Port Nicholson on 19th March, 1883, and the British Queen follows on 15th May, 1883. Then tho handsome clipper-bowed steamers of the New Zealand Shipping Company (of which tlio Aorangt is an example) arrive, Captain Bono, who is marine superintendent (o tlir company in Wellington, commanding tha Tongariro. 2657 hnns--tho JUtuulaka, &ui>9w:&, Aorangi, Kua.

pehu, appear; also the handsome Arawa and Tainui with their two funnels and clipper bows, next the Harland and Wolf bowed White Star liners, like the Coptic first arriving here on 24th July, 1884. All notable ships, all notable masters too, and closely associated with the port. But the shipping and shipping men would occupy a volume to themselves involving much research and the taking down of fac*s from men who know them and who are still living.

Ship. Taianaki Zealandui Huranui Pleione St. Leonards Jessie Readman Wave Queen Tons. 1126 , 1116 1026 1091 999 962 853 "Master. Reid. Sellars. Boyd. Renaut. Todd. Kennedy. Perriam.