UNDER THREE FLAGS

Evening Star, Issue 18668, 24 June 1924, Page 2

UNDER THREE FLAGS

CHINESE STEAMER LING NAM. The Chinese steamer Ling Nam, which called at Auckland last week en route from Chile to Hongkong, is said to possess the distinction of being the only vessel flying the Chinese flag on Die high sons. Chinese ships ply between Hongkong and Sydney, but they fly Dio British flag. The Ling Nam has had an interesting and varied career, having in her time flown first the German, then the British flag, and now the Chinese flag. Prior to the outbreak of war Die Ling Nam was the German passenger boat Fold Marshall, plying between Hamburg and German East Africa. The ex-Crown Prince of Germany made more than one trip in her in the days when Hohcnzollems moved about more freely than they do to-day. One of the most interesting features of a visit of inspection to the Ling Nam was a glimpse of the blue room, formerly occupied by the ex-Crown Prince on his African voyages, a cabin do luxe with walls beautifully panelled in wide blue tiles and brightly lit with about a dozen electric lights. Other evidences of highly exclusive patronage were to be soon in the costly mid beautiful interior finish of the main stairway, tho smoking room, and the saloon, the walls of which are all panelled in colored marble. But all this elaboration of interior finish was presently a matter of small moment, for very soon after war was declared a British shell ripped a bole through the ship’s iron decking and tore away a great slab of marble on tho handsome stairway, evidence of which is still to be seen. Coming under the British flag, the ship was sold to an Australian shipping company, and for several years was used for transport of Australian troops to France.