REMARKABLE RECORD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 23 May 1936, Page 3

REMARKABLE RECORD

NINETY=THREE TIMES ROUND THE WORLD

CA PTA IN G 1! EENSTREET'S DEATJI AT SUTTON The following is an extract from the "Sutton Advertiser,’ Croydon Louden; .1 iie. sea lias lost one of its most remarkable figures in (he death, at ids borne at Wickham read, Sutton, of Captain Herbert Edward Greenstreet. Captain Greenstreet, a former commodore. captain of the New Zealand Shipping Company, bad sailed round (lie world more times than any other man in history, and had probably travelled more miles. Eighty-Four years of age when, lie dild, lie served fifty years at sea, including three years during the war.

: Born in 1851, lie wont to 11.M.5. Worcester ns a cadet in 1856, and began bis | sea career on the sailing ship Helmsdale, one of .Shaw Maxton’s fine clippers engaged in (he Australia and China trade, in 1868. After serving as an \.R on the Minima chi in the North Ailantic timber trade, he passed as second mate, •■'ll Hr Gain ten. After several years he joined the Now Zealand Shinning Com nany as second mate of the Waimate, in July, 1876, and remained will, the ,om. panv until bis retirement in 1917. Tlis first command was of the Matanra. and il was in Hint ship that be brought back the first cargo of frozen meat, from New Zealand over handled bv the comjinny. Captain Oroenstreot made ninety- three voyages round the world —more than any man before or since—and was prevented from making a bund red onlv bv the far! that the company changed (heir route • and sent, shins through the Panama Ca- ] mil. Captain Oreenslrcet had the re- ' markable record of having travelled over two and a half million miles without a serious mishap to one of his ships. During the, war he saved his ship by an audacious ruse. Downs being eha«< l il by a Gorman commerce raider, but the enemy commander gave up the pursuit, and turned awav v/hon he intercepted a wireless message—'Am coining to your assistance.’ lie thought i! came from a Brilish cruiser, but it bad been sent by Captain f'reenslreet, himself. Captain Greonstreel bad made bis I home in Sutton since 1995. ■ Henresental.ive.s of the Ncj; Zealand Shipping Company attended the crema tion which look niaco at Norwood.