THE THREE BLLARATS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 18, 20 July 1935, Page 27

THE THREE BLLARATS

A BIRKENHEAD OF THE WAR

The announcement of the sale of the steamer Ballarat, of 13,000 tons, by the P. and O. Company is one which will no doubt interest those readers of this column who have travelled in her between , England and Australia. In the course of her career, dating from 1921, this vessel has carried nearly 33,000 passengers, as well as approximately 350,000 tons of refrigerated goods and general cargo.

The Ballarat is the third ship of her name to carry the company's flag. The original Ballarat, of 4889 tons, was launched in 1882, and after a service of 22 years on the company's mail routes was succeeded by the second Ballarat, of 11,000 tons,.built in 1911. After-pursuing her peaceful purpose until the outbreak of the Great War as one of the P. and O. branch service fleet, this.ship became a valuable unit in the great armada of mercantile vessels required for the conveyance of troops, and came to an honourable end in the English Channel jn 1917, when, almost within sight of the shores of England, she was torpedoed by a German submarine.

The story is worth retellinc. ami tV"following is extracted from the book. "Mercantile Adventurers, 1914-1918," by the courtesy of Mr. F. A. Hook, the author: —

"Among the rare instances of successful enemy attacks on transports, the circumstances of the loss of the Ballarat in April. 1917, will long be remembered with, pride by Australians and