A LONG VOYAGE

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 94, 20 April 1916, Page 2

A LONG VOYAGE

The three-masted schooner J. M. Weatherwax, which has been trying ,to reach Sydney from British Columbia for the best part of a year with a cargo of 400,000ft of timber for the State Government, made her appearance off the Heads on 7th April (says the Sydney Morning Herald), and came to an anchorage. The vessel is in charge" of Captain Robert Purdie, and she left British Columbia as far back as 31st Slay. She met with bad weather, and put into Honolulu on 24th June for repairs. She did not continue her voyage until 14th August, but once again put back to Honolulu, leaking, on sth. October. At this stage certain claims were made by the crew, and various troubles followed. It appeared as if the New South Wales Government was never going to get delivery of the timber cargo. Eventually Mr. Nielsen visited . Honolulu, and bought the vessel outright for the New South Wales Government. Captain Purdie then took* charge of the vessel, and another start was made for Sydney on 10th January. On the first day out a stowaway was discovered on board. He was only a boy of ten, and gave the came of John Smith. Captain Purdie was unable to land the boy, and aeoordingly signed him on as cal/sn boy. The voyage which followed was a' very slow one, and, except for one day, when the vessel covered 160 miles in" the 24 hours, she did little better than drift. At one point the vessel passed through a large area of pumice dust. The vessel is very dirty below the water line, the bottom being covered with long grass and other marine growths. After discharging her cargo she will be docked, and will return to America.