ANCHOR SHIPPING & FOUNDRY CO.

Nelson Evening Mail, 4 March 1916, Page 21

ANCHOR SHIPPING & FOUNDRY CO.

The ANCHOR COMPANY'S FLEET consists of EIGHT TWIN-SCREW STEAMERS, namelyS.S. "REGTJ--iUS," 584 tons; "WAIMEA," 454 tons; ,r ALEXANDER," 377 ions; "KAITOA," 304 tons; "NIKATJ," 248 tons; "KENNEDY," 226 tons; "WAVERLET," 157 tons; and "KOI," 136 tons. Their trad© includes a daily service (Sundays excepted) each way throughout the year between Nelson, Motueka, and Wellington, performed by the s.s. "NITCATJ" and. s.s. "KAITOA," two steamers well adapted to the work generally, and especially to the carriage of perish-

able products. They also accommodate a considerable number of passengers. The other steamers of the Company are mainly engaged in carrying general cargo, coal, timber, etc., between ports of Wellington, Picton, kelson, "Wangamii, New Plymouth, F.oxton. and the West Coast, ports of r go U th Island, but at times Anchor steamers are to be seen ports more distant from their headr^oarfcej-g, such as Napier, Gisborne,_."<Juehunga, and Lyttelton. Several the steamers are fitted for the handling of heavy lifts, having large tjitchways and extra strong -winches and 'gear capable of lifting many tons. The Company's business also includes the carriage o? numerous cargoes of live stock.

The, present Company was inaugurated in 1901, when it bought out the Anchor Steam Shipping Co., -which, some years previously, had taken over the

business of the old Anchor Line of Steam Packets, founded by Mr John Symons about the year 1862, and which -included the far-famed • steamer "Lytr telton," built- in the same yard and next following the "Great Eastern." The "Lyttelton" arrived; in New. Zealand in 1860, after a passage of 15 months from London,, having during the voyage, changed two or three times from sailer to steamer, andt vice versa. This Company also owned the steamers "Wallaby" and "Nelson," which ran from Nelson to the "West Coast in the times of the gold rushes of tne 'sixties.

In addition, to the steamers, the Anchor .Company's business includes the Anchor Foundry, and also extensive coal yards. ; The Foundry is largely -employed in the upkeep of and repairs to the Company's steamers, but considerable other

work, such as the building of boilers and engines, the -supply of log-hanlers, and the execution oi general repair work is also carried- out xo the satisfaction of their many patrons. Our illustrations comprise photographs

o£ the eteamers "Waimea," i»"Alex- * ander" and "Nikau,*' engaged in ferrying passengers to H.M.S. "New Zealand" -when she visited Nelson in June, 1910, also a group of Officers of the Company,* and a view of the "KOI" ready for launching from the breastwork opposite the Anchor Foundry. We also reproduce a sketch of the s.s. "Wallaby," made by Mr S. H. Strong in 1856, when the steamer was placed on the beach in Nelson Haven, for the purpose of being overhauled. This was the first job taken in han<l by what is now the Anchor Foundry, the work being superintended by Mr Alexander Brown, who came out from Scotland in the steamer "Lvttelton," and was continuously closely associated with the Anchor "Company until the date of his death in 1913.

Under its various- designations, the . Anchor Company has -been engaged in 'the coastal £rade <>f .the -Port:of-Nelson

for 54 years, and has been the pioneer of steam traffic to a number of localities, notably the West Coast of the South Island and, in former days, the Wairau. For the practical efficiency of its services, the Company was for many years indebted to the skill and energy of its Superintendent Engineer, the late Mr Alexander Brown, who, prior to the days of harbour improvements, had the not infrequent task of lifting and launching stranded steamers of the fleet from the West Coast beaches. He eai-l-ied through well-nigh a ecore of sUch operations, and in one instance, at Karamea.

successfully launched the "Kennedy" after transporting her along the beach for a distance of three-quarters of a 7 f iile. Ihiring a lifetime l of over 80 years, - Mr Brown worked continuously and effectively for 70 years.

The Anchor Company's practice of running twin-screw very materially to safety, particularly in the event of a breakdown or mishap. It is noteworthy that during the running of the various Anchor boats for the lengthy period of 54 years, including the conveyance of many thousands of passengers, not a life has been lost.

The operations of the Company have throughout steadily increased, and at the present time over one thousand- persons, mainly in Nelson, are directly maintained by its expenditure in wages. In connection with the development- of fruit-growing in this district, the Anchor Company is playing an important

part, not onlyi in the prompt delivery to market of orchard produce for New Zealand consumption, but also in the conveyance and. transhipment overside into overseas steamers of the large shipments of apples v.lnch.are now being exported from the Dominion.

As this trade increases, the Anchor Company intend catering for it by additional boats designed, for the trade and suited to the requirements of Nelson, Motueka, Alapua, and other ports of production in the district. The Managing Director -of the •Company is Mr Joseph Henry Cock, Merchant, Nelson, who has been intimately connected with shipping business for many years. The Manager of the Company, Mr William Rogers, has also had extensive shipping experience, and has managed the present Company from its inception. The Foundry Department is

under the .management of Mr Thomas •Brown, -who is also superintending engineer of the fleet.

FIRST VOYAGE OF THE P.S. LYTTELTON

Atf ENGINEER'S STORY. (By "Chanticleer.") In 1854, after eight years' experience of the Glasgow fitting-shops and builders' yards, I w,w on the luok-mit for a post that would, give a spice of variety to life and A wider knowledge of the world. Oltr family doctor chaticed to have ft Brother holding an important position in Scott-Russell's ship-building yaixl at Mill wall, London, where the Great Eastern had just been laid down. Furnished with a note of introduction from the kindly physician, a few days later found me employed at Millwail, working, with marty hundreds of oihei's, on the leviathan of 24,000 tons. For a, yOuiig engineer the surroundings were interesting enough, but I was hot aiknveci to remain lono- at my job, for. early in 1855, the Crimean War being onward, I was somewhat nonplussed by the manager calling me to him one morning and saying: "Brown, I want you to join the transport Pioneer in two "days as second engineer, to run from London to the Crimea." "But, sir," I said, "I have never been to sea." "Then 'tis high time you went," was the retort of the bluff old fellow, and the upshot was that in two days I signed on as second engineer of the Pioneer; official number, 222. When signing on. it became necessary to declare my previous sea service, !but the chief engineer was ready for the emergency, and stated that he had been with me in the "Golden Age." As engineers were greatly needed, this passed muster, and I was appointed without further formality. Possibly, as wages were high and work plentiful, the chief referred to the Golden Age on],y in a figurative sense. For several months I remained on the Pionaer, running the usual risks of transports in war-time, and" then I returned to Millwall, where the Great Eastern was still under construction, and I was present when she was launched in February, 1858.

This is a somewhat long prelude to the story of the "Lyttelton," but it is at this point that she comes on the scene, the contract- to build her heing the next following the Great Eastern, and it was a trifle iudicrous to shiftwork from the monster of 24,C00 tons to the pigmy paddlei-steamer of 48 tons, intended to -he shipped in parts to distant, and then little-known New Zealand.

However, the Lyttelton was duly completed, and was being roughly fitted together on the stocks -brtfore being dismantled for shipment, when, as luck or misfortune would have it, an old skipper came along one day with uVlr Russell to have a look at her. and expressed the opinion that it would be quite safe and also cheaper to "fit her out for sea and sail her out. The idea "caught on," and the decision was soon come to that she should make the voyage under sail, calling at the Cape en rout-a. There was little difficulty in finding an experienced captain, who engaged to take her out for the ~sum of £409, out of which he was to providore the crew. .More remarkable still, the captain, bainsr desirous of settling in New Zealand, did not hesitate to arrange for the passages of his wife and five daughters !by the tiny vessel.

He got together a crew, consisting of a • mate-, four sailors, two toys, and a cook—all of tliem would-be colonists—who shipped at the nominal wage of a shilling- per month. Again my brusque friend the manager sent for me, but this time to say that if I would go out in the Lyttelton, to. look after the. machinery and to fit her up on arrival, I could have an engagement as her engineer for a year in the colony, at £2O per .month, with a free passage out and half-pay on the voyage.

I rose with the alacrity of a thrifty and adventurous Scot to this bait, and lost no time in going np to the City to sign the required agreement at the offices of the agents of the vessel, Messrs ■Jardine and. Co. Meanwhile the boat had made a successful trial-trip on the Thames, doing a good six knots, and she was thereupon fitted out for thri voyage. Her afterhold was reserved for the captain and his family, with a. ca'bin still further aft for the mate and myself. There was the usual forecastle accommodation for the crew, and she had no deck-houses of any kind. Her engines and 'boiler were in * position, and a short stump of her funnel appeared; above the deck, the remainder of the funnel, along with the paddle-wheels and other gear, being stowed in the foreliold', while' the remaining space in the hold was filled by about thirty tons of patent briquette fuel, taken as .'ballast. The cook's galley found shelter in the engine-room, and the ship was provisioned for six months.

Our noble craft was 75ft long," with a beam of 18ft, and a depth of saven feet. She drew live feet laden, and four feet- light, while her -boiler carried the terrific pressure of 25 to drive engines of 23 horse-power. She was ketch-rigged, and carried a topsail on the foremast.

■On the 18tli August, 1859, we set- out, and were towed to the Nore, and there left to our own devices. .After three or four days buffeting aJbout, we found otirselves off Ramsgate, where we towedin to replenish our "medical comforts," the more palatable portion' having already suffered serious diminution. The skipper also decided that a stouter foremast was needed, and this was preparedand stepped during our stay of a fortnight. Asjain we set sail, 'but only to bring -up three days later off Folkestone ; and the captain having a partiality for

these popular East Coast wateringplaces, we decided again to put in, and remained comfortably in port for three or four days. On leaving Folkestone, we held' on through dirty weather for sixteen days, to find ourselves in the Cove of Cork.

Here I was most anxious that- the captain should put into port, as I had now formed the opinion that this va.ch.ting ci'uise was likely to prove too long to ■be attractive to a mere passenger like myself, and I thought I should 'be welladvised to get out to New Zealand by some other means, and await the Lyttelton's arrival.

However, the captain manfully withstood the many charms of Cork, and, taking advantage of a favourable change in the weather, we held steadily on our

way. The Bay of Biscay was very calm, and our good luck lasted for some six weeks, when we sighted and passed "by Teneriffe. Still favoured by the weather, we made the Cape de Veirdea and anchored at St. Jago, where we spent a few delightful days seizing the chance to lay in a supply of fresh food, water, and fruit, and also taking aboard a number of live* geese and turkeys. These things made a very appetising change from our usual fare of "salt horse" and biscuit, for we had no luxuries on board. Breakfast ordinarily consisted of coffee, with sugar, but without milk, and a stew of salt meat with biscuit and salt !butter. At dinner we; had a joint of salt pork or foeef, or occasionally a "sea-pie," with potatoes while they lasted, which was not long, and supper was a frugal meal of biscuit and butter, washed down by coffee. We had no tea, condensed milk, jams, or tinned vegetables on beard ; and, hut for the unexpected havens we called at, our health must have suffered severely. At dinner'when the ma to felt merry, he would sometimes sing grace, to the

following effect, as nearlv as I can recall God bless the good ship Lyttelton, This handy craft o' fifty ton; Bless -pork and duff and a' that. And save us, Lord, from getting fat. Chorus : For we're hound to tliei Cannibal Islands. Notwithstanding these thinly-veiled hints as to our proba'ble fate, all on board were in good health and spirits, and we left St. Jago with fresh hopes for a prosperous voyage. The wind was fair' and we made a good run ,to the Line, ,whes*e we got into the "doldrums," and day after day passed wearily by, the ship lying either absolutely becalmed, or, being so sluggish in the 'baffling airs that she could make no substantial way, iust bobbed about—one day a little north, another a little 'south of the Line.

It is 110 marvel that at this period, especially on the rare occasions wfiien "medical comforts" were about, several on iTtiard the "happy living things" so faithfully described by tlis Ancient Mariner. Strange to say. notwithstand-

ing- many attempts, we could never catch any of them, and they invariably disappeared immediately the sun dipped below the horizon.

We began to fear that we should never get away, and we spent Christmas here under very trying conditions, though I remember we made quite a feast with the last two of our St. Jago turkeys, kept for the occasion. The captain tried !by many devices to get into a flaw of wind that should serve to take us out of the flat calm in which we lay broiling. He even got out big sweeps, at which the men unavailingly toiled for a while. I at last determined to try . what could be done with a sort of skeleton paddle-wheel, rigged at each end of a portion of our old foremast, cut down for an axle, and worked by hand-gear from the deck by the crew. With this primitive and clumsy equipment of four rough floats, securad to a kind of St: Andrew's cross on either side of the- vessel, we found we could make abotit a knot an hour. This gear was worked for several "weeks, at times,when the wind entirely failed, a.nd it- materially assisted us to edge our way painfully out of the doldrums. We had now Ibeen so long delayed that the captain decided to make for 'Cape Coast Castle to replenish stores, and with a view to coasting down to the Cape of Good Hope—the only possible way of reaching there, as we could call at various points if our supplies ran

it was therefore with great satisfaction that we heard the captain say one afternoon, on making up his reckoning, that by next evening we should he iri sight of land. The captain was a good navigator, arid soon after sundown next day we saw the lights of Cape Coast Castle, and later came to an anchor about three miles off the settlement. Early next morning we saw a, smart row-ing-boat approaching, -manned by a dozen Iblacks, and having an officer in •uniform seated in the stern. On their coming alongside we found the officer to be his Excellency the Govetrnor, who had come off thinking we were some novel kind of gunboat, as they could not de-> termine what kind of a craft we were, with our stumpy funnel and the curious gear over the sides. - The Governor seemed rather disgusted on learning our peaceful errand, and pulled away without coming on "board or offering us any assistance. On going ashore the captain was unable to raise money by bond or Ibill, and in. order to get supplies was reduced to selling part of our patent fuel ballast. It was' without regret, therefore, that we sailed, after a .few days' stay, for-the island of Fernando ±*o, where it saemed possible that we might get the paddle-wheels of the steamer fitted, obtain a supply of - coal, and proceed along the coast under steam. We! reached Fernando Po without serious trouble; beached and Scrubbed the ship, and, with assistance, fitted on her paddle-wheels. We also secured 25 tons of fair English coal, which, however, had to be dug out of a- mound, covered with dense vegetation, the growth of at least four or five years. By means of a "bottomry "bond" the captain raised sufficient money to pay our expenses in port, and, after engaging- two negro "boys" as stokers for the run to the Cape, we prepared once more for sea. At this juncture, 1 after being already three weeks in'port, 'all the ship's company, save myself, the •mate, and a cabin-iboy," contracted fever, and a further detention- of a fortnight ensued,, 'by .'which .'time the .invalids, though lamentably weak; were in a ■ condition to henefit'by'goin ff to sea. St. Paxil do Loanda was to be our next port of call, and the fifteen days-." con--'sumed in. reaching there were the ; most trying of the -voyage for the able-bodied" persons on board. During -the whole period I- hardly dared leave the? engineroom. We economised coal as far as possible,- and, in favourable circumstances. made about four knofs an hour. I snatched my sleep an hour at a, ' time, and had to trust to my black boys to wake me at the necessary intervals to see: that the. engines were going all right. ' The mate and the cabin-boy had an equally, trying time, until one by on 3 the crew picked up enough strength to be again of service. On. reaching St. Paul, however, the whole ship's company were again in fair,health. . , By a fresh 'bottamiy bond our stores, were replenished, and thirty tons of coal; obtained, and, after a stay of four or five days, we sailed for Walfisch Bay, where we called to give the crew a rest and to freshen up the boiler. Here we also got- a welcome stock of dried fish from fishermen who yearly came from the Cape in their Ibrig for the fishing season.

After a spell of a few days we continued our voyage, arid ■without mishap, by the aid of wind and steam, fetched to within about 250 miles of <the Cape, when our coal gave out. We had kept well in-shore for some time, in. the hope of seeing some settlement "or even some timber that might possiMy furnish fuel to carry the vessel on,' but could only see sand. There was now no workable wind; and we kept her going "by burning the very last sweepings of coal, along with all" the' old spars, dunnage, flooring, and combustible material we could find. At length 'we were delighted to descry the masts of a faarque lying- in-shore of us, and on managing to paddle alongside we found she was loading copper-ore from lighters. The anchorage was re"ported good, bo we anchored, and were fortunate in getting such cood holdingaground, for it blew heavily from seaward for three days, a, gale that would inevitably . have sent us ashore had ib caught us a few hours before. On the weather moderating; we communicated with the shore, and had the good luck to get eight to as of coal, which was lightered off io us. . This

supply enabled us to reach Suliana Bay, forty-five miles from the Cape, but was then quite exhausted. We ran alongside a schooner and found that she had about 17cwt of coal, intended for the shore, and this we persuaded the' skipper to give to us, in exchange for which we were to tow him to a good offing. We also secured some timber from an old wreck lying oh the beach, and with this meagre supply of fuel we set out to reach the Cape. Fortunately the wind and weather were favourable, but the captain of the schooner was rather greed.y as to the distance ho considered his 17cwt of coal entitled him to !be tow ed, and, as he was being towed by our line, he refused to let go until I stopped the engines, and then, with "full speed

ahead," had nearly jerked the "feitts" out of him, when he thought better of it and cast off the line. In order to reach the anchorage •at the Cape we burnt, the last available ibit : of timber on board, this feeing the bunker flooring, and we literally paddled to a standstill among the shipping at) the Cape on the night of the 27th April, 1860. At Capetown thd .agents declined _to take any definite course as to continuing or abandoning the -voyage without first referring to London, and, as there was no cable in those days, this meant-an inevitable detention of ov/sr two months. Our two negro boys were paid*'off at the Cape, and it was doubtless _ because our ship's company had been increased ■b,y these two since we left London that the amusing fable gained credence that the'captain's family had been increased by twins on the voyage. So has this pleasing myth spread that it is quite "'unlikely that this explanation will cause it to die out.

All our "shilling a. month" meln now deserted, which -is not to be wondered at, and it is due to tliem to say that

they behaved remarkably well in.all the tedious vicissitudes of the voyage from London to 'Capetown. At length word arrive/d from. London to clear up' the .hottomily "bonds, to ship a new crew, and to despatch the vessel under sail to New Zealand.- The mate had stuck to the ship, and .the captain now engaged a paid crew of four seaman ..and a negro cook. At the end of July all. was ready, and we set sail, only, however, to ! be very soon- blown: away too far south .for our •comfort. ' "

'On the 18th of" August, I860.; exactly a year after sailing from London, we encountered a heavy gale, iind" the ship broaching-to, a big .sea, sweipfc the port bulwarks over the side almost in their entirety, leaving them hanging iby the rigging antl a few holts. Wo managed to heave the ship to, and, as soon as the sea moderated, got' on,. and; lifted the Ibulwaiks roughly position,

'holding them there bjr wire ropes fast to the hatch-combings. Later onv.l made the job more secure with bolts fashioned from ail engine-room grating, and the tu c completed her voyagetwith the bulwarks thus held together. r , captain now shaped a, more northerly course to get better weather,, and ran down our easting in afabut latvtiicio • 38deg. S. . On nearing the Leeuwm we mot AVitiiheav.y westerly gales, and' as tlie . ship: : would not steer with a heavy . following . wind, we frequently hove hex' to at this,, stage of the voyage, and in • one perit>d of 24 hours sho drifted, stern first j.rio less than- 104 miles, making. ; lier ■ best day's run of the whole voyage';;'.

The captain contemplated a. call at Swun River, but the gales- carrying ~ns •well round-the Leeuwin,'he relinquished this intention, and we held on-with 'favourable winds until well 'through Bass Strait. At the end of 'October'we sighted a schooner early one morning, and, the "weather feeing fine, lowered a boat and managed to pull alongside. wo were taken to fee runaways, and the story of our voyage was not credited : !but 1 at last we were allowed oh 1 board and the skipper,'whose stores W.erfeUbw, gave us 3,11 ho. could spare of fre&li meat, potatoes, tobacco, and broad, but alas! he had-no £ea, a little supply' of which he had hoped to take back as a treat to the captain's wife and her five girls. On pullin c off to regain our ship we found that a. strong 'breeze had set in against .us, and as the Lyttelton'was now some' five miles distant/, we could 1 see • fey her movemdnts Hlidt - th?,y had not sighted us, and it . was Only After five rowing that wo got near enough to be seen, and had' the great satisfaction of seeing hor shap-. in e a course to pick us up. / y,

Three weeks .' later ;we JMglitecl 'Capo Farewell, and with a fair wand ' held on- f through Coolc. Strait and as" far.afciOapo , 1 Campbell, it being our 'hopp; to ■ . make Lyttelton (our destination) without'further delay. However; off Flaxbotffn© el--south-easter came tip, and on l hailing a passing schooner,' the Shephol'dess - (wo had no code or signalsCaboard). shtet counselled 'us to follow hur to Wellington. She got; there Ibefoire us,, and' sent<off a . pilot, which took us to the anchorage on. the 23rd November, from London! * ~A Nobody expected us, and Jiobody wanted us. The vessel had -.been ■ giVen. vtip for lost, and the insurance had rbeen paid, while" the company for whom ; sho was built had already gone into, licfuidaI tion. ' ■■ ' '• •• -

. However, she was sold- to r private owners at Lyttelton, and : ran foy ,'sorno time Jbetweom Lyttelton, and Christchurch. Later she traded',ojiit of . v

Dunedin, and afterwards out of where she was very successful.Ultimately,", after being lengthened and ' -converted into a screw-steamer, ghe..traded between Cbllingwood ; and AyelUngton j ran on the "Beef Barrels," Weir ■ the French. Pass, when her crew - escaped, but the steamer sank, and was finally blown up by dynamite lost she should obstruct the traffic.