“JOHN AND WINTHROP”

Grey River Argus, 7 April 1921, Page 4

“JOHN AND WINTHROP”

THE LOST SHI!’ TURNS Ll’. GALLANT BEHAVIOUR Ol' Ck’EW. Quito :i flutter of excitement went ■'•l’oiiml (i reymoul h yesterday morning 'vhen H became known that- the schooner “John ami Winthrop ’ ’ was oil the bar, and that the tug Westland was proceeding to tow her in. The “John amt Winthrop” was reported missing three weeks ago, and was giv en up for lost. The schooner left Lyttelton (.55 days ago, and after- an uneventful cruise, arrived off the Grey bar seven days afterwards. From then she had not been definitely heard of. and was eventually given up f,> r lost. Quite a crowd collected vesterdav on the wharf as the boat was being lowed up the river, and there was general surmising as to where Ihe vessel had been among the onlookers. riiey must be short of food.’’ was the general remark heard on all sides. Some opined that she must have been down to the {South Pole!. It would not have surprised the unlookers if the crew appeared emaciated and the ship mostly a wreck; but. the crew looked strong and hard, ami the ship, notwithstanding a fierce buffeting she had gone through with wind ami weather, looked spick ami span. Ihe “John ami Winthrop - ' was built by two brothers (from whom she took her name) as a. whaler, and for over 20 years she cruised as such in the Arctic seas. She has changed hands many times, and when the war brought about a shortage of shipping, she was transforme-1 from a barque into a schooner. The transformation did not help her any, as she is known as a very poor sea boat, one that in a storm goes just where she pleases, ami will drift side on nearly as fast as she can bow first. Tt is to Ihe lasting credit of Captain Petersen ami his crew that they have brought her to port safely. “DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS." Hooking at the hardy (-row who have ’worked the "‘John and Winthrop' - safely through the Irving ordeal of th-e last 65 days, wo ranine derstund at once the useful men of the world. They ar.* the “dne-s.” the i ‘‘nation builders.” who face dario-ers I and hardships ami overcome them with I :t joke. They may get drunk when I they come ashore, but. for all that, they are better men than their critics. And to a judge of men. they are the men who would be chosen j<»r 'Ono* dangerous undertaking where, [•very man could be depended upon. THE VOYAGE.

Within seven days after leaving Lyttelton, the “John ami Winthrop’’ arrived ofl the Grey bar, but a storm came up ami she was blown away northward. Later the Captain found himself oil New Plymouth, and started Io beat back down tin* Coast, experiencing contrary winds all the time. On one occasion they were blown right info Cook Strait. The sails, of; which they only had one suit, were torn to shreds with the wind, and needed patching continuously, the last patch being put. on just, a few hours before arriving in Greyrnouth. Later there came, a calm, and the vessel I made little headway, the glass remain- j ing perfectly steady until yesterday { morning, when it started to fall rap- I idly. The mariners must have hadanxious moments wailing for the tug I to bring them to harbour, for another fierce wind would have probably blown them to sea again. The Captain stated that on the 27th Alarch he was oil - Greyrnouth, ami a little later was over 120 miles distant. There was no shortage of food during the protracted voyage; but there was -mlv one tank of water left

when the vessel reached p-u L Had she encountered another burst of bad weather, there is no knowing what might have happened. When the “John and Winthrop -- first came overdm*, it was surmised that the captain had decided 1o go direct io Australia owing to the weather. The fact that the vessel was not under charter favoured the idea, as the captain would be u free agent. In Lloyd’s Register the “John and Winthrop’’ is thus described: Wooden barque, two decks, 3.TS tons; length. .11.4.4 ft. breadth, 28.51’L; depth, 1(5.2 feet. Port of registry. San Francisco. She was built at Bath in 1876. and i> thus forty five years old. Captain Charles Petersen is in command of the “John and Winthrop,” and has with him a crew of seven all told their names being: J. Dryma bison, mate; 11. Dalton, A. Piechon. E. Sadderberg, N. Lowenwerde, ami J. Thompson, seamen; N. Yomomolo. cook. Al! me described as American citizens, with the exception of the last-named, who is a Japanese.

Messrs Mark Sprot and Co. are flu* local agents for the “John and Winthrop.’’ and she will load 250,000 feet of timber at Greyrnouth for Messrs Rosenfeldt • and Co., of Sydney. Mr. T. AL Wallace is the firm - s local representative. Described by some of the crew, the ‘‘John and 'Winthrop’’ is a “slowsailing old hulk.’’ that goes where she lists in bad weather, and it has been a. struggle for her captain and crew to keep her off the beach during their trying time. It is time that a wooden boat, built over 45 years ago was made into a coal hulk, and not loft to endanger the lives of men who may be forced by circumstances to ship in her.