THE "WOOL DERBY"

Evening Star, Issue 20010, 30 October 1928, Page 9

THE "WOOL DERBY"

FREIGHT SHIPS' RACE FROM AUSTRALIA SYDNEY, October 20. During the past two years there has been a great revival of interest in the “'Wool Derby,” reminiscent the races of the famous clippers. Nowadays this is a race between crack freighters with wool Irom the first auction sales, and the course is from Sydney to Dunkirk non-stop, except the passage of the Sue/. Canal. The record is at present held by the Blue Funnel ship Morioncs, whoso steaming time is 33 days 10h 30min;' her sister ship, Troilus, holds the Melbourne to Dunkirk record, 32 days 20min, Another sister ship, the Eumaeus, which represents the Blue Funnel Company in this year’s Derby, in the Winter of 11)26 did the passage from Melbourne to Dunkirk in 32 days 14b steaming lime. All these Blno Funnel ships arc turbine driven. Other contestants include the Dutch- ship Ahbekerk, the German Hnehst. the Swedish Mirabooka, and the Commonwealth Dominion Line Port Hobart. The race is, of course, strictly unofficial, but, according to the clipper tradition. numbers of bats have been bet on the result, which has a technical as well as a sporting and commercial interest owing to the various types of engines engaged—turbines, reciprocating* and Diesel.