FROM THE SEVEN SEAS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 January 1928, Page 3

FROM THE SEVEN SEAS

FO’C’SLE CHAT

(By

“Dick Deadeye” )

ORIENT S.N. CO. HALF *CENTURY TRIUMPH. Next year the Orient Steam Navigation Company will celebrate its jubilee. It was in 1877 that the “Lucky Lucy,” as the Lusitania was affectionately called, inaugurated the Orient service between Great Britain and Australia, writes “H.S.” in “Melbourne Argus.” The original fleet was composed of five chartered ships, none of more than 4000 tons, and one of fewer than 3000 tons, with a total tonnage of about 19,000; to-day the six liners owned by the company have a total tonnage of 110,303, the smallest of 12,041 tons and the largest of 20,000 tons. One ship of the latest “O” class, therefore, has greater tonnage than the whole of the chartered fleet which flew the Orient flag in 1879. The beginning was auspicious. The Lusitania, making a notable non-stop run from London to Melbourne by way of the Cape, established a record which was not successfully challenged for many years. The founders of a venture which was to prove so prosperous were Messrs Anderson, Anderson, and Co., and F. Green and Co. As they had no steamers of their own for the new service they chartered the Pacific Steam Navigation Company’s Lusitania, Chimborazo, Cusco, and Garonne, and the Stad Amsterdam, owned by a Dutch shipping firm. The Pacific mail steamers were each 3825 tons and the Stad Amsterdam 2714 tons. From its inception the service was so popular that in 1880 it was decided that the trade would justify a steamer being run every fortnight, instead of every month. The more frequent service required additions to the fleet. This had been unforseen. Orders had already been, given for the building of the Orient. Messrs Anderson and Anderson and Co. and Green and Co. gave the Pacific Steam Navigation Company an interest in the Orient Line on condition that it placed the steamers Liguria, Iberia, Aconcagua, Sorata, John Elder, Potosi, and Cotapaxi on the new Australian service.

SQUARE RIGGED. The Orient, the most famous liner of her clay, made a great impression when completed in 1879. She was not only the most luxuriously appointed, but also the'largest passenger steamer in the world. No vessel then afloat could compare with her, except the Oceanic Steamship Company’s Britannic and Germanis, which had been built two or three years earlier. Though slightly . faster than the Orient, they were several hundred tons smaller, and in their appointments they were inferior. All three liners marked a departure in steamship design. In place of the flush deck with is open spaces, broken by a few small deck houses, they had well-defined superstructures amidships and long shelter decks. The superstructure of the Orient was of moderate dimensions, and it is interesting to compare it with the towering pile mounted on the 20,000-ton hull of the Orama. Judging by the model constructed to exact scale and recently exhibited at the Orient Building, the boat deck of the Orama is at least 60 feet above the water line. Though the Orient has a modern appearance with her straight stem and superstructure, she was, according to the old custom, liberally sparred; the Orama could not “spread a pocket handkerchief,” as sailors would say, but her celebrated predecessor could have given a fairly good account of herself under canvas had her machinery broken down. Steamers continued to be rigged rather heavily for years after the Orient was launched, and though this is adjudged not worth while nowadays, it had its advantages. When the wind was favourable steamers would spread their rather grimy wings, and this would add a knot or so to the speed. Canvas served another purpose which was appreciated by those passengers who were inclined to seasickness if the motions of the ship became lively. The canvas was an effective anti-rolling device. In hull proportions the Orient was a narrow ship. She was 445 feet in length, with a beam of 46 feet 3 inches. Such proportions are seen today only in war vessels designed for speed of more than 30 knots. The usual proportion of length to beam' to-day is about eight and a half to one; the length of the Orama, for example, is 658 feet and her beam is 75 feet. GROWTH OF FLEET. In 1886 the Pacific. Steam Navigation Company built for the service the Orizaba, Oroya, Orotana, Orotava, and Oruba. In 1891 the Ophir, a beautiful vessel, was added to the fleet. It was the Ohpir, painted silvery white and royally reconditioned, which ten years later was selected to carry the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, now the King and Queen, when they paid their memorable visit to New Zealand. A change was made soon afterwards in the constitution of the company. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company withdrew, and its place was taken by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. In its reconstituted form the Orient Pacific Line became the Orient Royal Mail Line. The Asturias (12,000 tons), the Omrah, and the Orontes were additional steamers which now flew the new flag. Another change, however, was pending, for in 1909 the Orient Co., Ltd., was formed as a separate entity. It was then that the splendid 12,000-ton Orsova class was built —Orsova, Osterley, Otranto, Orvieto, Otway, Orama (first of the name). During the war the Imperial Government took over the Orama, Otranto, Orvieto, Omrah, and Otway, and converted them into cruisers. Three were sunk, and the only ships which the company had in commission in 1915 were the Orsova, Orontes, and Osterley. To this depleted fleet there were added after the war the Omar, Ormuz, and Orcades, enemy vessels which had been renamed, and also the 14,000-ton Ormonde, thought by some to be the handsomest, though not the largest, of all the Australian liners. The Orama class of 20,000 tons, 20,000 horse-power, and capable of steaming at 20 knots, was introduced in 1924. Three ships of this class —the Orama, Otranto, and the Oronsay —are at present in commission, and the Orford should be completed early next year.

AMERICAN SHIPYARD FAILURE. AFTERMATH OF WAR. Commenting editorially on the failure of William Cramp and Sons, the Bulletin of the “American Bureau of Shipping” states: —“Although not altogether unexpected, it has been a shock to all our maritime interests to read the recent official announcement that the William Cramp and Sons Ship and Engine Building Company will soon permanently close its splendid shipbuilding plant in Philadelphia. Coupled with the announcement was a brief statement that the management had tried strenuously to carry on despite the overwhelming odds of declining business and the general far-flung depression in this formerly great industry in this country, but that the outlook was now so bad that this final step had to be taken. “This is no ordinary event and calls for the most serious consideration on the part of thinking people. Here is a great establishment, senior to all of the other leading shipyards in the United States, which by devoted skill and management has been a successful builder of naval and merchant vessels for over three-quarters of a century of American industrial progress, " now finding itself no longer able to withstand the battle, due not to competition but to the terrible slump in shipbuilding conditions since the Great War.

“This splendid yard has contributed more than any other one establishment to the upbuilding of the American Navy and very largely to the better type of vessels of our merchant marine. The ‘Built at Cramp’s’ description of a new vessel lias always been a guarantee of the best in design and the highest class of material and workmanship. Never has a poor ship been turned out from this worldfamed Delaware River yard. Battleships, cruisers, destroyers, ■ tankers, fast merchant ships, and freighters constructed in large numbers have been of the best, and carried the frame of Cramp’s shipyard to every port on the globe.”

NEW JAPANESE STEAMERS. Messrs Burns, Philp and Company, agents for the Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line, which, as is well known is the largest Japanese shipping company, have been advised that the Japanese company are are having three large steamers built for use in connection with their trans-Pacific service. These vessels will be among the finest vessels afloat for their size. They will be of 16,500 gross tonnage, with a length of 584 ft. over-all; breadth, 72ft; loaded draught, 28ft. 6in ; ; with a speed of 19 knots. The first-class passenger accommodation will be for 183 persons, first or second inter-change-able (first 34, second 51), second class 96, and third class 516. The first and second. class state rooms will all contain windows which open direct, and the space for passengers will equal that on any trans-Atlantic steamers. All first class state rooms will be fitted with an additional Pullman berth for rthe accommodation of a family with children, A perfect system of hot and cold running water is also being installed. Special attention is being paid to the construction in order to eliminate to the greatest degree the ship’s vibration and rolling. Two of the vessels will be fitted with Sulzer type marine engines, comprising four sets, each with eight cylinders, developing a horsepower of 20,000. These engines will surpass the largest internal combustion vessel in the world in point of horse-power. The third vessel will have the main engine manufactured by Burmeister and Wain, Ltd., at Copenhagen, and will be of the double acting four-cycle Diesel type, comprising two engines each of eight cylinders, developing 20,000 horse-power. This will be by no means inferior to the world’s largest motor-driven vessel, the Asturias.

A NOTABLE CARGO. The Chicago City, which is one of the units of the Bristol City Line of Steamships, had the distinction on her recent run to Baltimore from England of carrying what is stated to be the most powerful passenger locomotive yet built in Great Britain, the King George V. She is one of the new “King” class, and has been built by the Great Western Railway at their Swindon works for service between Paddington and Cornwall. The engine was exhibited at the Centenary Exhibition and Pageant of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It is a somewhat remarkable coincidence that both the G.W.R. and the Baltimore and Ohio have been in existence for a. century, and also that the 20 engines of the “King” class should coincide with- the American line’s “President” class of the same size and number. The length of the locomotive with the tender of 68ft., and tljg question of adapting the load for safe and easy transport .across .the Atlantic was one of some difficulty. It was decided to ship the mammoth engine in three sections--chassis, tender and boiler. The latter alone weighed 57 tons. After the several sections were landed they were taken to the Balimore and Ohio shops for reassembling, after which the engine proceeded under its own steam to the exposition grounds.

THE LARGEST LINER. On t . Pecembey 18, 1879, the Orient arrived in Port Willip Bay and berthed at the Railway Pier, Sandridge (Port Melbourne). Crowds assembled to see the largest liner to Adelaide, which, by making the run to Adelaide in 35 days 141 hours, had broken all records. Her average speed had been 14 knots, a highly creditable performance for a comparatively small steamer on her maiden voyage. It would never have done to refer to her as a “comparatively small steamer” 50 years ago. In the report published in the “Argus” the day after her arrival it was said that though, owing to her yacht-like lines, her appearance was deceptive, yet when one boarded her “some idea of her vast proportions was obtained.” The addition of the largest and finest liner so far built to the company’s already fine fleet proved to be an excellent advertisement. Presently more business was offered than could be ac-

cepted. In 1882 the Austral, which might be described as an improved Orient, was put into commission. In 1886 came the Ormuz, which in her turn marked an advance on the Austral. “Were all the world a ring of gold, Ormuz, would be its diamonds” was her proud motto..

SEA LION SLAUGHTER. The Canadian Government steamer Givenchy recently returned to its Canadian base from its annual cruise in northern British Columbia waters, which ,is undertaken for the purpose of destroying by machine-gun fire as many sea lions as possible. This year the casualties were ofliciallj’- given at 655; last year 1,900 were killed, and in 1925 2,900 was the total. The work is carried out under orders of the Federal Department of Marine and Fisheries, which contends that sea lions annually destroy many thousand salmon at the critical season of the year, and that they cause great damage to fishermen’s nets and gear. Those who oppose this annual slaughter declare that the sea lions are wrongfully accused. Of the decline of the salmon fisheries there is no doubt, but in defence of the sea lions it is urged that their haunts are in the open ocean far from the schooling grounds of salmon, their appearance up the inlets and river estuaries being rare and episodal. Sea lions, it is said, are primarily eaters of molluscs and crustaceans. Their teeth are suited to. that purpose, and differ from those of seals. The damage attributed to the seal ions, it is argued, should more likely be charged to hair seals, blackfish and sharks.