GENERAL NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 36, 11 August 1934, Page 21

GENERAL NOTES

The Swedish sailing vessel Lisa, built in 1799, is the oldest vessel in the world.

It was twenty-fivo years ago on July 30 that the Orient Line's steamer Orsova arrived at Fremantlo on her maiden voyage from London.

Advice from London states that Sir Hubert Wilkins has been negotiating with Viek'ers-Armstrougs, Ltd., Bar-row-in-Furness, for the construction of a subnian.no for Arctic exploration. •

Shipping lying idle in Norwegian ports on Juno 1 last amounted to 146

Magellan Strait, the first being thelonic, which made the' trip under the sainq; commander/ Captain Hallott. The lonic, which . arrived at Auckland on August 4, 1884, from Plymouth, made the trip in 43 days 20 hours.

A man engaged in removing the wreckage of the • Hyderabad on Horowhonua Beach reported finding' there part of a'vessel's deckhouse, covered with canvas and painted white. A derelict had previously been reported in the neighbourhood. ,

The eleventh annual report of the New Zealand Shipping Company showed a profit of £30,093 after providing all inauguration costs. Two new steamers of about 4750 tons (Kaikoura, 'and Eimutalia) were to be com-

plctcd in September and October, 1884, respectively, so as to start a monthly service. The Tongariro, Aorangi, and Huapc'hn had exceeded in speed the builders' guarantees. Sail was then regarded as an adjunct to steam, and many sailing-ships wero still being chartered.

A smallpox case was landed from (he Waihora at Napier on' August 4, 1884, and the vessel was quarantined for a fortnight at Auckland. Smallpox was rife'in Australia at the. time. Tho Melbourne service was thus disrupted, and a mild smallpox scare developed.

H.M.S. Caroline, which was reported in "The Post" of August 5, .1884, as being intended for the' Australian squadron, 'was described: as being a composite steam corvette of 1420 tons and 950 ho rsepawcr, carrying 14 guns. She was then tho latest addition to the Navy. It was announced that Admiral G. Tryon would succeed Commodore Erskino in command-of the Australian station. He was tho first admiral to be appointed to that position. Tho steamer Ha wca .went, ashore on a sandbank in/ Auckland • Harbour on August 5, 18S4, after getting well off her course in foggy woathqr. She got off. again that night, but ran aground again four miles from Onehunga.

A collision occurred on August 4, ISB4, between the steamers Diono and Camden. The Dione sank in five minutes with a loss of seventeen lives.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. F. G. Thomas.—(l) The Mararoa, 2598 tons gross, waß built in 1885 by AY. Denny and Brothers, Ltd. Withdrawn from service in 1927 and scuttled off Turakirae Head on February 6, 1931. Principal dimensions: Length 320 ft, breadth 42ft, depth 24ft. (2) A ship usually carries one belt—at the forecastle head—though sometimes.another is carried in tho wheel house. Tho bell in question is apparently the Mararoa's principal tell. "Lewish."—(l) The ship has been drydocked and is now laid up for approximately a month, after which, it is hoped, tho usual service will be resumed. (2) Those conversant with the position have expressed satisfaction at the continued improvement' which has been noted. (3) The appendix to tho original edition has unfortunately been lost. N. E. Buchanan-Bajllie ' (New Plymouth). —(1) The-Majestic' (ex' Bismarck) was 'built at Hamburg in 1921 and handed by Germany" to Great Britain; (2) the- Berengaria is mentioned in today's leading article. ' • ' ■■-.; "MARTINGALE."