FIFTY YEARS’ SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 3

FIFTY YEARS’ SERVICE

ORIENT COMPANY'S JUBILEE

FIRST DIRECT AUSTRALIAN LINE

The jubilee of the Orient Steam Navigation. Company, which was attained this month, is an event of outstanding importance in British shipping. This company’s history provides a notable instance of the successful operation of steam services by men who had already achieved much in the clipper shi, trade. So far as the general public is concerned, ‘however, the special significance of this jubilee is that the Orient lane, in 1877, gave Australia its first direct steam connection with_ LondonSeven years elapsed after the inaugurat; of this service before any other steam line ran direct between London and Sydney. Since the Orient steamers actually star running in 1877, it may bo thought strange that the jubilee is being celebrated this year, but it must be understood that it was the old-estab-lislio.. Orient Line, which for twentyfive years had been running clipper ships to Australia, that sen the first Orient steamers there, and after twelve months’ thorough test, proved that the trade would pay.

The Orient Steam Navigation Company was then formed, and registered in February, 1878, “to take over the Orient Line of steamships running between England and Australia, and to develop communications between the two countries.” The first steamer under the new flag, the Garonne, sailed from London on March 5.

The joint agents and principal owners were Messrs Anderson, Anderson, and Co., and B’. Green and Co., whose names carry the history of the lino far back in shipping records even beyond seventy-five years ago, when the clipper Orient entered in the Australian trade.

One of these firms originated when James Thompson and Co. was founded in 1797. In 1863 Mr James Anderson joined it, and the name was changed to Anderson, Thompson, and Co., and again in 1870 to Anderson, Anderson, and Co. On the other side, F. Green and Co. date back a very long time. They won fame with the Blackwall clippers, in which comfort as well as speed made them unique at a time when record trips at the risk of all else were tho main aim.

Truly, the Orient Steam Navigation Company at its inception had wonderful sea traditions behind it.

At first the Orient Company combined the policy of its predecessor in using chartered steamers from tho fleet of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company of Liverpool, which since 1840 had maintained steam services round Cape Horn to Valparaiso, calling at many South American ports. One of these, the Lusitania, of 3,825 registered tons and 300 nominal horse-power, had started the Orient Lino’s Australian service on June 28, 1877, making the passage from Plymouth to Melbourne in forty days This smart run had aroused interest in Australia and London. One writer said; “This is the quickest passage yet made, and is ten days less than the advertised time of the Peninsula and Oriental steamers from Southampton to Glcnelg (South Australia), via the Suez Canal.” But the P. ami O. service was not run by through steamers, and thus the now line, though using the longer Capo route, made manifest tho advantage of a direct service to Australia.

Tho ships of tho Orient Company have been notable ones; their names are well remembered in Australia. The Lusitania was followed by the Cuzco and Chimborazo, also of the P.S.N. Company’s fleet. This company also placed at the disposal of tho Orient Lino the Iberia, Liguria, John Elder, Potosi, Sorata. Cotapaxi, and Aconcagua, and this fleet ran the service for some years. In 1879 the Orient Company. built its first steamer, the Orient, of-5,386 tons, and named after the clipper Orient. Except the Great Eastern of 13.000 tons net, there was no larger ship than the Orient afloat at that time. This fact gave much distinction to the young company. The Orient’s first voyage, made by way of the Cape, from Plymouth to Adelaide, was accomplished* in thirtyseven days, including time spent in ports.

After the Orient came the Austral, 5,588 tons, another vessel whose name is still remembered, ami hater Ormuz, 6,465 tons, and the Ophir, 6,910 tons and 10,000 horse-power. This handsome ship had the honour of carrying the Duke and Duchess of York (now the King and Quecnl on their visit to Australia to open the first Commonwealth Parliament, and afterwards took them on their cruise to New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. Then came the Omrah, 8,291 tons, and Orontes, 9,023 tons. Tn 1905 the working arrangement which had existed for twenty-nine years with the P.S.N. Company for the use of its steamers was transferred to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company until 1.909, when the Orient Company provided five new steamers of 12,000 tons register for the mail services between Sydney and London, by way of the Suez Canal. These were thc.Orvieto, Ostorley, Otranto, Otway, and Orsova, followed by the first Orama in 1911. The Orama, Otway, and Omrah were lost by enemy action in the World War. and Otranto whilst transporting troops. The Orient Company had now grown to be numbered among the ,rcat steamship lines of the world, and larger ships were required. Since 1924 lour now ships of 20,000 tons »nd 20,000 horse-power each have hem added to the fleet, and an order "or a fifth placed with- British builders. Today the service is maintained by the Orsova, Ostcrley, and Orvieto of 12,000 tons, the Ormonde of 15,000 tons, and the Orama, Oronsay, Otranto, and Orl'ord of 20.000 tons, while the new Orontes is building. From the first Orient «-ljp|>ers to the steamers of 1877 was a big step along the road of sea progress, and just as marked is the contrast between those tall-sparrcd, clipper-bowed steamers, and the graceful leviathans of 10-day. In a hundred ways, comparisons of outstanding interest may bo made, and in no department is this more remarkable than in the commissariat' department. The menu of the .Lusitania; which had no refrigerator, when placed alongside that of the Otranto, equipped with eyery modern appliance, makes one realise what luxuries are available to-day at sea; and at the same time, one realises what wonders were achieved on the pioneers without these aids.

The Orient Line is unique, in that this development has all been achieved on the Australian trade alone.