Sailing Round the World

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 74, 28 March 1936, Page 10

Sailing Round the World

BIZARRE LIFE AS BRITISH SAILOR-LAD When a British lad goes to sea, getting 2/G a week as remuneration, ho generally gets, because or in spite of that latter circumstance, a lot of fun out of life, and such experiences were drawn upon yesterday by Mr R. Allison in the course of an address to the Lunch Club on “Ten Years at Sea.” The speaker claimed to have forgotten all the sailors’ yarns he over knew, but nevertheless had a fund of auecdotos which gave a dash of humour to his reminiscences.

Mr Allison said he went to sea just before he was 15, for he lived on the coast and came of a seafaring family, so that a marine career appeared the natural thing. He served first under a sailor of the old order. The work involved long hours for shocking wages—--2/6 a week during the first year, rising to 4/- a week in the fourth year! A description of a first Mediterranean voyage proved most interesting, as did recollections of various escapades. Sea life was less healthy than many imagined, due partly to the confinement on board ship. The mortality rate among seamen was even higher than for underground miners. The variations of climate, with ships going intQ some of the most unhealthy parts of the world, was a distressing factor. Moreover, food was not of the best, much of it coming out of tins. The speaker recalled a trip of 12 months in which more than half of the crew changed during the voyage, some dying, some sickening, some deserting. Burial at. sea was a peculiarly solemn service, even though simplo and brief in tho extreme. The most hardened sailors were occasionally reduced to visible grief.

No. seaman’s log was complete without a shipwreck, and Mr Allison recalled one ho was involved in. The voyago had included one disaster after another, when at last the ship was coming up the English channel, expecting to make port in a few hours, so that releaso from tragedy at least appeared at hand. About 11 p.m., a fast twinscrew vessel, a foreigner, coming down channel was encountered, and endeav-

oured at a- late stage to cut across the bow of the English vessel. However, an avoiding turn by the latter mado a collision inevitable. Full astern was ordered, but it could not avert the tearing of steel. The other vessel, with greater speed, cut in for about 12 ,feet, leaving the English ship with a heavy port list. It was just, possible to stand on deck, and the boats had just been hung out when the boat, righted herself gradually again,' fdr the captain had succeeded in beaching her in .the stream. And there Mr Allison left her, until a future occasion. Thanks to the speaker were conveyed by the chairman for the day, Mr J. A. Colquhoun. - 1 Visitors welcomed wore Messrs. C. J, Priest (Hamilton), and It. Nicholson (Dannevirke). ’]