WHOSE IS THE SHIP?

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 January 1939, Page 3

WHOSE IS THE SHIP?

VICTIM OF SPANISH WAR. A ship with two captains, her skeleton crew divided into two factions, J who will neither speak to each other I nor go ashore in the same boat, lies I mooted in the River Medway, above Slice mens. I Her holds are empty. No coal is in •her bunkers. Nailed to her mainmast [is a. tattered High Court, writ placing [ her raider arrest. This ghost, ship is the* 3421-ton Bil-bao-1 .'mistered Spanish freighter Sabina.

Sixteen months ago. when she arrived at Rochester with wood pulp )ft om the Baltic, she was boarded by 'an Admiralty marshal and arrested on jb< half of the Spanish Government. iFianco had just entered Bilbao. The | Republican authorities feared that, if [sh<‘ put to sea again she might be run into an insurgent port. i After discharging her cargo she [was moved to where she lies still. Her original captain sides with IFianco. The owners, who are pro- . Government, appointed the chief officer to he captain in his place, but .the captain will not. accept, this. He

is recognised by the Franco authorities. who also claim the ship, since she is registered in a port, under their control.

Siding with the old captain are the chief engineer and the steward. The new captain is supported by the second oih.cer and three seamen. Of the original crew of 30 who arrived with the Sabina, at Rochester, the vest, have left, the ship, most of them to return to Spain to fight. The two factions aboard camp in different parts of the ship. Their food is cooked in the same- galley in silence. 'fhe only neutral aboard is the Admiralty marshal. To avoid an open breach the two sides have agreed on a truce. Government am! insurgent, flags are Down on alternate! days. Every month the owners send th" wages of their skipper and his men. The other side draws money through a firm of ship's brokers in Sheernesr.