Ships and the Sea

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 38, 14 February 1931, Page 26

Ships and the Sea

PIONEER VOYAGE

WELLINGTON TO PANAMA

MAIL STEAMER KAIKOURA

AVc havo received from a correspondent a newspaper cutting over 64 years old giving an account of the pioneer trip of tHe old steamer Kaikoura from Wellington to Panama and back. "The Kaikoura," it is written, "tlie first of the'P.N. and A.H.M. Co.'s splendid lino of ocean steam ships, left Wellington, on 24th June, 1806, for Panama, with the first mails dispatched to England and America under the new contract. She had encountered very severe weather between Sydney and Wellington, which had very satisfactorily tested her capabilities as a sea boat. She had the disadvantage, however, of being fitted with a temporary screw propeller, her own having become unserviceable while on the outward passage from England. The Kaikoura conveyed one of the largest, and certainly one of the most influential and respected body of passengers ever leaving our. shores at one time. And wo arc particularly gratified to learn that from first to last nothing can have exceeded the general harmony, good humour, and courtesy which prevailed on board. Tlie few discomforts assuredly attending a first voyage were met and borne with a right hearty and considerate1 spirit, and what with concerts, dances, private theatricals, and the like, the trip seems to havo been one of almost unalloyed pleasure! The voyage was performed also within the contract time. The mail steamer Tyne was ready for her Antipodean cargo, and Southampton would, in all probability, bo reached on. the 12th August, while Now York passengers would arrive at their destination on the 31st July! The hotels at

Panama being.all full on the arrival of | the Kaikoura,, the greater number of the passengers remained by the vessel till the day of the'Tyno's sailing. No sickness was'occasioned by the supposed unhealthiness of the Isthmus, and though the heat was great, yet the sea breeze had the invariable effect of sus* taining health and good spirits. On finally separating at Colon, the commander and purser were both honoured by receiving most flattering addresses, accompanied in each case by testimonials of equal amount, and arrangements made by the company were very, handsomely acknowledged. : . "The Kaikoura left Panama on the 26th July, the mails having been received the previous evening, and arrived in Wellington on the 24th August, the short delay having been occasioned by the want of power in tho temporary screw as before stated shipped at Sydney, and meeting with heavy S.W. gales the last week of the passage. The weather between New Zealand and Panama is said to be the most perfect conceivable, cool, refreshing, easterly breezes with moderate heat." lAn extract from the ship's log, supplied by the purser, gives the total distance covered from AVellington to Panama as 6507 miles and tho time occupied, 27 days 4J hours, being within a fraction of 10 miles an'hour. The number of hours under steam .was. 648-}, and tho amount of coal used 989 tons. On the return voyage a distance of 6706 miles was covered in 28 days 18 hours, being a fraction, more than 10 miles an hour. The number of hours under steam was 658, and 958 tons of coal were consumed. The best day's run on. the outward passage was 267 miles, and on the homeward passage 276 miles. The Blenheim Renamed. The Blenheim, formerly well known to frequenters of tho Wellington waterfront, has during the past two years entered on a new lease of life, and is now running between Bluff Rnd Stewart Island. After having been laid up in Wellington harbour for about six years, the Blenheim was bought by Zohrab and Co., and renamed the Awarua to replace the Rama, which had been lost at the Chathim Islands while- engaged as a trawler. When returning from the Chathams in September, 1926, the Awarun ran short of coal near the Wellington Heads. She was sighted and reported by the Makura, and a tug was sent out to her. For nearly.a week, however, no sign was seen of tho vessel, so tho New Zealand units of the Navy were asked to co-operate in tho search. H.M.S. Duriodin, while on the way down the coast from Auckland, found her and took her in tow to Napier. She had been blown hundreds of miles off her course. Lator the Awarua went down to the Bluff, and about a, year ago started running in opposition to tho Bluff Harbour Board's steamer Southland, which has since then been witr drawn from service and put up for sale. The new ship ordered to replace her has been named the Awarua. The present Awarua (ex the Blenheim) bSs been renamed the TamatOH. The Otaio. The Journal of Commerce (Liverpool) signalises the departure on 3rd January of the Otaio, tho New Zealand Shipping Company's new cargo vessel, which is at present at Wellington, by a leading article on the company's faith and enterprise. \ The company is to be congratulated, says tho writer "upon its courage, in giving practical expression to its belief in human nature, or, in other words, in endeavouring to get. the best out of an] an' by putting that man in the best possible surroundings. This is what the company has done in the now motor ship Otaio. In such days of financial

stringency as the present this attitude of mind is all the more courageous; we believe that this enterprise will be rewarded, for it is no secret that another important steamship line —whose title, incidentally, incorporates tho name of another of tho British Dominions—has found that a similar .policy pays. "The Otaio may well bo considered as ono of the noteworthy motor vessels of 1930. The two sister vessels, Orari and Opawa, are due to follow at short intervals, and when these are completed the owners will be in possession of three of tho largest and fastest passenger-cargo liners, and three of the largest refrigerated cargo liners running between this country and New Zealand. Their speed is noteworthy, and the long runs of non-stop duration which characterise transpacific service should make it possible for the owners to buy their speed with the minimum of cost. "No doubt the vessels will bunker at Panama. Figures are not available of their actual fuel capacity, but it does not seem unreasonable to assume that the fuel taken on at Panama may be sufficient to take them out to New Zealand and at least back again to Panama, if not from United Kingdom ports back to New Zealand again. Thus, in the course of time, the motor vessel has solved for the designer what was one of his most difficult problems in this particular trade in the old days. Colossal bunker space had to be provided when . ships smaller than the O.taio were, coal burners, and to arrange, this large bunker space with at the same time reasonable refrigerated space was a difficult task." Anniversary of the Orpheus Wreck. The sixty-eighth anniversary of the wreck of the steam corvette Orpheus at Manukau Heads, with the loss of 185 lives out of'a complement of 256 officers, seamen, marines, and boys, fell due last Saturday. The vessel was entering the harbour on a wrong course,

and struck the bar in'".fairly smooth water in broad daylight. She lost her stern-post, rudder, > and propeller, and after forcing her way over the bar, grounded in deeper water, and quickly broke up. Forty men were drowned in a launch which was lowered over the side* and those who were saved succeeded in climbing to the jib-boom find dropping into smooth water, where they were picked up. H.M.S. Harrier received advice of the wreck at about 11 p.m., and the steamer Avon was sent: to the heads. . Not even a mast was to be; seen when day came, and the Avon returned with the survivors to Ouehunga. Captain T. Powell's Retirement. Of interest tp New Zealanders is tlie'announcement of the retirement of Captain Thomas Powell, who, by the recent death of Captain Nasbet, became the senior master of the AngloSaxon Petroleum Company's fleet. Captain Powell, who is aged 73 years, is.'retiring after a meritorious record of 32 years, dating from the early days of the Shell Transport and Trading Company. Becoming an oflicer of the marine staff of Messrs. M. Samuel'and Co. in April, 1898, ho attained the rank of .master in 1900, and so continued on various vessels, but chiefly those of the Eastern coasting ' services, where his general capacities were commented upon by the Singapore Marine Superintendent in Ms report for the year 1925 as "a splendid example to the younger generation." When, in 1898, a firo broke out at Sanga Sanga on the s.s. Sabine Rickmers while loading benzine, prompt action was shown wheh gained for him the presentation of a gold watch. Many years later, during a range of service which covered the whole period of the war, he was in command of the s.s. Melania when that vessel encountered an enemy submarine in the Mediterranean, on which occasion only the courage and adroit seamanship of Captain Powell and his subordinates saved the vessel from destruction. In commemoration of this event the company presented him with a second gold watch, suitably inscribed, to signify their deserved appreciation of his conduct. It is understood that it is the intention of Captain Powell to settlo in. New Zealand. Sailing Ship Turakina Passes Ruapehu. Reference made in au article on "The Fastest Ship" in a vecent issue of "The Post, "in which is described how the Cutty Sark outsailed tho Britannia, brings to mind a similar incident when the New Zealand Shipping Company's Turakina passed the liner Buapehu (not the ship at present running under, that name). The sailing ship Turakiua was originally the City of Perth. Mr. Basil Lubbock published an account of the incident as related to him by ono of the officers on tho Ruspehu: "In 1895 tho Buapohu was running her easting down on her outward passage when a sailing ship was reported astern. Orders were given on the Euapehu to drive the, ship, and the patent log showed a good 14 kno^s. Three hours later tho Turakina paseed along our lee side. She held her own with reduced speed until 9.30 p.m. Nest day at noon wo had run 315 milos. At midnight tho wind came aft, and next day the Turakina had passed out of sight. It was a wonderful performance and mado a man feel glad to be alive to soo it." The Turakina held lier own for fourteen days. She covered the 5000 miles between the meridians of the Cape and Leewin in sixteen days, her best runs being 328, 316, and 308. The Turakina wns originally built for Smith's famous City Line, in the Indian trade. Eventually she was sold by-the New Zealand Shipping Company, and under tho riamo of the Elida was still afloat some years ago. I