FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1935, Page 27

FIFTY YEARS AGO

CARGO BROACHING AT SEA

At the trial of .two, men of the ship Soukar for vcargo broaching, held at Lyttelton on June 3, 1885, it was revealed that the Shitf had had a very narrow escape from being burnt at sea. The men had explored the hold on the way out with naked lights, and had on one occasion left a candle burning on a case of candles, which was one of nearly 300 such cases, just above a large quantity of spirits. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to these inflammable goods. Both men were convicted.

In order to protect themselves against bandits at the Isthmus of Panama, the Pacific mail steamers each mounted four pieces'of ordnance and a Gatling gun in each quarter. A company for running a pleasure and excursion steamer in-Port' Nicholson was in process of formation according to "The Post" of Juiie:6, 1885:* An Auckland firm had offered a suitable vessel.

. The steamer Stirling Castle, engaged by the British Government as an auxiliary cruiser, was undergoing refitting at Malta prior to being dispatched to Australia; The new Cunarder Elmira, which .arrived at New York on May 4, was said to be the swiftest and best-fitted passenger steamer afloat. 'It was asserted by the builders that she would cross the Atlantic in six days seven hours, three hours less than the standing record.

The wreck of the new Auckland schooner Olive at the Islands was reported.. She went ashore on the Fasilooti reef, and was expected to be refloated.

While entering Nelson Harbour, the steamer Grafton struck the tail of the bank and injured her propeller. She had to remain in port several days to effect repairs.