THE LING NAM

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 147, 23 June 1924, Page 6

THE LING NAM

VESSEL'S INTERESTING CAREER.

(BT TELEGRAPH.—SPECUt TO THE POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. The Chinese steamer Ling Nam, which has just made a call at Auckland, en route from Chile to Hong Kong, is said to possess the distinction of being the only vessel flying the Chinese flag on the high seas. Chinese ships ply between Hong Kong and Sydney, but they fly the British flag. The Ling Nam has had an interesting and varied career, having in her time flown the German, then the British flag, and now the Chinese flag. Prior to the outbreak of war the Ling Nam was the German passenger boat Feld Marshal, plying between Hamburg and German East Africa. The Crown Prince of Germany made more than one trip in her in the days when the Hoheiizollerns moved about more freely than they do to-day, and one of the most interesting features of the visit, of inspection to the Ling Nam yesterday was a glimpse of the blue room, formerly occupied by the Crown Prince, on his African voyages—a cabin de luxe with walls beautifully panelled in wide blue tiles, and brightly lit jvith about a dozen electric lights. Other evidences of'the highly exclusive patronage are to be seen in the costly and beautiful interior finish of the main stairway, sniolc- * ing-room, and saloon walls, which are all panelled in coloured marble. Along the top of the walls of the stairway inarches a procession of tawny lions. The panelling of the saloon is adorned with bluebirds beautifully inlaid in marble, while the smoking-room, wheih also lias an inlaid floor, is panelled in black and coloured marble. Over the doorways are two handsome frescoes, one depicting Table Mountain, Capetown, and the other a tropical forest scene, but all this elaboration .of interior finish was presently a matter of small moment, for very soon after war .was declared a British shell ripped a hole through the ship's iron decking, and tore away a great slab of marble on the handsome stairway,; evidence of which is still to be seen. Coming under the British flag, the ship was sold to an Australian shipping company, and for several years was used for.the transport of Australian troops to France.