THE BABEL SHIP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 January 1925, Page 9

THE BABEL SHIP

AMAZONIA AT FREMANTLE »

AN AMAZING HISTORY An almost incredible story is told by passengers who reached Fremantle on Saturday in the Egyptian steamer Amazoiiia, >,\Yhich has been fittingly named t(.io “Babel ' Ship," and the “Comic Opera Vessel.” The Amazonia is 2199 tons, 33 years old, and is under the command of (Fetro latrou, a Greek;;. The chief officer is Italian,' while the second officers,

engineers ‘aiii doctor are Greeks. Iho nationality of tho purser is still a matter for doubt, for he <was born of a Russian father and Armenian mother. The crew consists' of Egyptians, Indians and Greeks. . Interviewed when the vessel arrived, the passengers stated that the voyage of the vessel to Australia was made at the instigation of an Armenian named Enviklan, and he engaged the vessel from the Egyptian Maritime Enterprise, Company to proceed to Fremantle, pick up a cargo of flour, and return to Alexandria. As there was no cargo offering for the outward journey to Australia, Im sought to< cover, the. expenses by taking passengers.

MANY WERE DUPED

He' appointed agents, and advertisements were broadcasted that the “palatial” mail steamer Amazonia was , due to sail for Australia. Intending passengers were promised cabins and three and four course meals, while the cost of passages depended on the amount of money possessed by the applicants. Before they saw the ship some paid £23 and others as low as £7. : So eager were the agents to obtain passengers for the Amazonia that one went so far as to give passports with the passages. He ended in gaol,, fc/r falsifying the signature of the British Consul oh three passports given to> Syrians. Even the tickets issued were not uniform. Some, were written, some were printed, and they were of - many colours and designs. Passengers were instructed that they had to board the vessel at Suez, ■ Judge of their surprise, when they boarded the vessel .to find it deserted. Np captain, officers.or crew were to be found, and the bewildered newcomers were forcedMp live on board for -ten days, obtaining, food where they could. Eventually they reported the matter to the various Consulates, and tho latter found the Armenian who was responsible for engaging the vessel for the journey. H'e said' lie was unable to do anything as the agents he had appointed had all disappeared, taking with them the passage money they had collected.

DREW Eiuflf FEET ONLY

The owners of the vessel were eventually forced to carry out the terms of the contracts with'the passengers, and the Babel ship set forth) on October 10. She travelled in ballast, . drawing only eight feet- at the bow. There wore, of course, no palatial cabins as paid for and promised some of the passengers, no four-course meals and no conveniences of any sort. The passengers found they had' to sleep on the hatches, on dirty straw mattresses, using overcoats for pillows. At meal times they .had to form a queue arid food was ladled , out to them as they passed the cookhouse door. t There were no stewards, and. they had to' keep-the ship clean themselves, while, though the ship was fitted with wireless, there was no operator. On November; 17 they .reached Colombo. where a deputation waited on the Italian Consul, who reported the state of allairs to the Harbour Attendant and Lloyd’s surveyor. This, step resulted in the ship being ordered into dry dock, where it Svas found that the plates under the waterline were totted through, and one portion, 16 feet in length, had been covered with cement.'

WIRELESS -DEFECTIVE

The Amazonia left for Fremantle on November 23, ‘ after the necessary repairs bad been made. The Colombo authorities forced the captain to engage a wireless operator, who discovered that while ho could transmit messages, he could not'receive with the set installed. There was no refrigerator, on the vessel, and the problem of fresh meat was solved by taking live bullocks on •board. Four were .shipped at Port Sa—, and three at Colombo. ;. / . V 1 v The passengers in the rholds lived mainly on boiled rice and white beans, and as meat was given them only twice' weekly the seven bullocks sufheed tor the voyage to . Fremantle. 1 Further' trouble-' commenced as soon as the vessel berthed, for the passengerswere then informed That they would have to leave the Amazonia, , as, mantle Nvas the terminus of her voyage. Same of t-Bosb on ' board had tickets to Adelaide; 1 Melbourne, and. Sydney, and' many have friends m the different States whb have guaranteed to look after them when they arrive. - ’ The Amazonia has no articles, and the crew,’ it is expect ed, will vanish at the various ' Can. sular agents- imo/atf present’.' busy attempting- to. straighten, oufc the. position.