The Pamir

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1947, Page 6

The Pamir

Removed from the struggles and upheavals in political, industrial and military affairs throughout the world. New Zealand's mercantile marine, in the shape of the Pamir, has been making history in a quiet and unostentatious manner. The Pamir, a Finnish barque which was seized as a prize by-New Zealand on the outbreak of World War 11, has been the subject of much discussion, some critics holding that she was a “white elephant,” while others held that, instead of being employed solely for commercial purposes she should serve the dual role of a cargo carrier and a training ship to prepare young men for the mercantile marine.

A number of voyages have begn made by the Pamir with varying financial results, though Government representatives have declared that the ship's balance sheet makes a satisfactory showing. However that may be, there is little doubt that the voyage upon which the Pamir is now engaged has intrigued New Zealand as a whole. This is due to Captain Collier, who was given command of the ship laden with a full load of wool and tallow for England, having signed on a crew r mainly of New Zealand youths eager to become sailormen, and undertaken to supply a weekly radio account of the ship's progress and position. These facts have given listeners a personal interest in the Pamir and her company, and news of the progress of the ship week by week has been eagerly awaited. Many ships laden with wool and tallow have sailed from New Zealand in years gone by, but from the

time when they were hull-down off the coast of the Dominion, they, to all intents and purposes, became unknown quantities until they reached the English Channel —often a long and anxious wait on the part of relatives and friends of officers and crew.

The Pamir, however, has been constantly under surveillance, thanks to the installation of wireless equipment. Radio listeners followed her on her southward course till she turned westward, passed Cape Horn and then headed towards the African coast of the Atlantic until, having crossed the Equator, she is now within 4000 miles of her goal, which she is expected to reach before Christmas.

The progress of the Pamir, which has maintained a very five average speed, has done much to impress upon observers Nature's unfailing provision of material for man's use if he be but aware of the supply and know how to avail himself of it. Captain Collier, like the captains of clippers and other ships in the days before steam, has taken advantage himself of the various trade winds and the great ocean currents which, seized at the right time and in the right way, are as reliable aids to navigation as are steam-engines and turbines.

The Pamir’s voyage has indeed been an object lesson to thousands of people who probably had never given thought to what was done by British seamen in the days of sail. May the westerlies expected to fill the Pamir's sails in about 10 days’ time enable her to make a record of a voyage that has so far been highly successful.