STILL SLACK

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 5, 7 January 1928, Page 23

STILL SLACK

WELLINGTON SHIPPING Auother week of vevy unusual inactivity on the wharves at Wellington has been experienced this week. Only two vessel's arrived, with cargo from overieas, and they \v\jre both from Australia. The Tahiti arrived here on Monday morning from Sydney, en route to America. She had only passengers and to land, and, after loading, sho sailed on Tuesday afternoon for San Krancisco, via Barotonga and Papeete. The Port Denison sailed on Monday morning for Wanganui for further loading for Home. With 1200 tons of cargo from Australia' the intercolonial steamer Maunganui reached Wellington on Tuesday

morning. She sailed again en Friday on tho return trip to Sydney. Tho only other vessel arriving with cargo to land was the Poolta, from Newcastle, with coal and 418 tons of timber. The Canadian Seigneur arrived at Wellington yesterday morning from Dunedin to take in further cargo for New York, Boston, and Halifax, Icfore completing at Napier and Auckland. The Tymeric, having completed unloading timber from Western Australia, sailed on Thursday afternoon for Westport. " The Tamaroa was duo here to-day from Napier to continue loading for Home. New Type of Craft. After an interval of several years, a vessel was launched last November from tho shipyard of Messrs. Wilson, Noble, and Co., Fraserburgh. It is believed that this vessel, which is of a new type, will ultimately supersede the -steam drifter and motor-fishing boats now in use. The designers of the now craft, which is named Lindfar, arc a London firm, and the total cost is put at £1600, compared with about £4000 or £5000 for a steam drifter. The proelling machinery consists of a Bolinder engine running on crude oil, the estimated cost of fuel being put at 2s 3d per hour, or about an average of 15s for a trip to and from the fishing grounds. This, it is stated, is only about half the cost of running a steam drifter. The speed of the Lindfar will be 9i knots. Southland's First Tow. The new tug Southland arrived in Bluff last week after successfully towing the old Tarawcra from Port Chalmers to the Norwegian whaling base at Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island. This is the first time that the Southland has been engaged in a towing enterprise, and she fully came up to the most sanguine expectations. The Tarawera was no ordinary tow, the vessel having been laid up for a number of years, and her bottom from stem to stern was covered with a vast quantity of marine growth, such as kelp and barnacles. The tow commenced at 3.15 a.m. on Tuesday from Port Chalmers, and finished at the destination mentioned at 8 p.m. the same day. Fine weather was experienced down tho coast to time of arrival, the Southland moving along at about half-speed. A most creditable performance when the foul botttom of the Tarawera is taken into consideration. The Tarawera was a single screw vessel of 1994 tons, built at Dumbarton in 1882 by Messrs. Wm. Denny and Bros, for the Union Company. She at once became one of the favourite intercolonial passenger boats and remained so until the early years of the present century, gradually being replaced by larger and more up-to-date vessels. For many years she was the chosen vessel to make the annual excursions to the West Coast Sounds. These trips wero always well patronised, and some years tho Tarawera had to make double trips to cope with the number of excursionists, anxious to view the beauties of the Sounds. But age tells, and the one time proud Tarawera is now moored in Faterson Inlet to serve as ». coal-hulk for the Ross Sea Whaling Company. Captain Lindsay, of the Bluff Harbour Board, and who is master of tho Southland, was at one time master of the Tar.iwera, and always spenks in affectionate terms of his old ship. Tourist-Cabin Ship. The well-known White Star liner Baltic, which hitherto has carried first, second, and third-class passengers __ in the company's Liverpool and Now York service via Queoiistown, is now carrying cabin, tourist, third cabin, and third-class passengers. Towards the end of 192G the White Star Line inaugurated a new service for these denominations with tho Ccdric and the Celtic, each of 21,000 tons, and the support given to it by transatlantic travellers has been so gratifying that the Baltic, 24,000 tons, will henceforth be associated with these steamers in its maintenance.. The Baltic will be the largest cabin ship in the world, mid the lcrgest. tourist third cabin ship from Liverpool and Queenstowii. Another Large Liner. The Swedish-American Line, slates the "Shipping World," has now decided to strengthen its fleet by the addition of a motor liner of greater dimensions than the Gripsholm and her sister ship Kungsholm, which latter is building at Hamburg and is due for delivery in about twelve months' time. This pair are both of about IS,OOO tons gross, Hie Oripsholm having been built by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., two yours ago and fitted by Burmeister and Wain with doubleacting Diesel engines. The new vessel will, it is expected, be of about 21,000 tons gross, and have a length of 008 feet, and a beam of 78 feet. It is hoped to place her in commission in 102!). when it is said to be the i ii tout ion of (he owners to sell tin1 JT-vi'iir-old slenmr-r Stockholm and place the Tirolt.ingh(ilii). formerly the Allan linn Viryiuian, in reserve.

700 Ships. The Sunderlana shipbuilding firm of Alessrs. Sir James Laing and Sons, Ltd., which was founded 133 years ago by Philip Laing, launched its 700 th vessel last week, when a 10,000-ton oil tanker was launched for the Britinh Tanker Company. Powerful Meat Carrier. The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Ltd., Govan, Glasgow, launched ior the Houldev Lino, Ltu., LoncTon, on 25th October, the motor ship Dunster Grange, designed for the carriage of chilled meat from the Kiver Plate. When completed, slio will be the largest meat carrier and also the most powerful motor refrigerator ship afloat. Her dimensions arc: Length b.p., 430 ft; breadth, 61ft 3in; depth to shelter deck, 38ft 3in. She is of the shelterdeck type, with long bridgo and forecastle, and is built to Lloyd's highest class. The hull is divided into four

cargo compartments forward of tho machinery space, and three aft, there being seven cargo hatchways. There are numerous separate compartments, with a total capacity of 500,000 cubic feet, also 3000 cubic feet for refrigerated ship's stores, together with space for store-rooms, mails, etc., and two 'tween deck spaces for general cargo. Ellennan Steamer Arrested. In spite- of the fact that it was decided in the British Courts that Count Landi, one of the owners of the tug Semper Paratus, had obtained judgment for £21,000 in the Turkish Courts ill respect of services in tho salvago of the Ellcrman liner Falernian by false and fraudulent statements, the Turkish Court has since ordered the- arrest of the Destro, also belonging to the Ellernian Lino, in order that the balance of Landi's claim may be satisfied. The Destro was seined in November as she was lying at Constantinople. In order to secure the release of tho vessel the. owners paid tho claim under protest and tho Destro thereupon proceeded on her voyage. The Juge d'lnstruction at Constantinople has now refused to allow Landi to arrest any of the Ellcrman ships unless he institutes new proceedings. Tenders for Tug. Fourteen tenders have been received by the New Plymouth Harbour Board for the construction of the proposed tug-dredger Ngamotu. Tho time for tendering expired last month, and in | accordanco with tho board's instructions they . are now being considered by the resident engineer, who is to submit a report to the next meeting of. the board. The tenderers include eight Scottish firms, four English, one Australian and a British firm in China. The lowest is a firm of reputo which has used the board's plans and specifications in their entirety. Tho time for building and delivery varies from eight to fourteen months. Commodore Retires. When the Union-Castle liner Carnarvon Castle arrived in England last I month, her commander, Captain H. Strong, 8.D., E.N.E., commodore of the company's fleet,, passed into well-earn-ed retirement after 48 years' service on the sea. After two years' training in the Worcester, and other seafaring experience, during which he gained his mate's certificate, he joined the Union Line in 1887 as fourth officer of the Tartar. From that ship he passed to the Moor, tho Arab, the Trojan, the Mexican, and the Scot, until in 1899 he was given the command of the Kaika in the intermediate service. His first mail command was the Carisbrooko Castle, and since then he has commanded the Saxon, the Armadale Castle, the Edinburgh Castle, the Windsor Castle, and, lastly, the Carnarvon Castle. Captain Strong is a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a member of the Company of Master Mariners, and a member of the London Committco of the Missions to Seamen. He will v bo succeeded by Captain W. l'\ Stanley, of the Windsor Castle, and ho gave up the post of commodore on 10th November, his birthday. A Famous Engineer. It is announced that Eug. Kear-Ad-miral Scott Hill has juincd the staff of Messrs. Sir J. H. Biles and Co., the naval architects and engineers, of London and Glasgow. Eear-Adiniral Scott Hill retired from the Navy in April last after a very varied and interesting service career. Entering Koyliam in 1889, lie went to the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, in IS!):;. He served successfully in H.M.S. Collinswood (Mediterranean), Sans Pareil (Homo Waters), Loander (Pacific), and Spartiate. He was in the last-named ship on tho run to Hong Kong and back, during which the successful series of Belleville boiler trials was carried out. Subsequently he joined the Good Hope, then commanded by tho present First Sea Lord (Admiral Madden). In 1904 he was lent to the Sudan Government for duty with river steamers, etc., and remained there for ten years During that time, as assistant director of the steamers department, he was engaged in the administration, construction, .and repair of the gunboats, passenger vessels, and miscellaneous craft belonging to the Government, and on the erection and manning of dredgers and other vessels purchased fot the Sudan Irrigation Department. He was also engaged at the Government's establishments at Khartoum, Haifa, Merowa, and Port Sudan. On the outbreak of war ho returned to the Navy, and served as chief engineer in H.M.S. Comus ami in H.M.S. Indomitable. He was in the latter vessel during the Battle of Jutland. In 1918 he became first assistant to tho chief engineer at Rosyth Dockyard, and remained there for three years. After a spell on half pay, duo to promotion, he joined the staff of Admiral Cowan in tho Battlo Cruiser Squadron in H.M.S. Hood and Hepulsti, leaving to become chief engineer at Shecrness Dockyard, where lie remained until he was promoted to the rank of Admiral. i when he retired. ,