PETER PAN OF THE SEA

Evening Star, Issue 20986, 28 December 1931, Page 5

PETER PAN OF THE SEA

THE EDINA'S "RAM" The 1 Morning Post ’• in November last devoted an article and an editorial to the long seagoing career of the Geelong steamer Edina, which it calls “ the Peter Pan of the sea.” SURVIVOR OF MANY COLLISIONS Launched in 1854, the Edina,- whicK is still running between Melbourne,Geelong, and Portarlington, is the oldest Australian steamer, and few vessels afloat in any part of the world have had a more picturesque career. Built originally to employ sails as an auxiliary to her engine—for marine steam' engines were not very reliable seventyseven years ago—to carry troops to the Crimea, the Edina possesses a beautii fully lined hull of Lowmoor iron. The Edina had a varied careep in: many parts of the world before finding her way into Port Phillip Bay for the Geelong run, but her claims to fame rest mainly on her survival of numerous collisions, often with much larger vessels than herself. One of the first of these was off Williamstown in 1898, ; when she struck and destroyed the Manawatu. Only a year later she struck the steamer Excelsior near Gee-i long, .nearly cutting her in two. The! Excelsior sank in five minutes, but that Edina was practically undamaged. Irij ' 1928 the Edina sank the tug Hovel at] Williamstown, the crew of the tug nar- [ rowly escaping from ike sinking wreck* . On July 7 of last year the Edina made I her ten-thousandth trip from Melbourne! • to Geelong.