TRAMP STEAMER'S VOYAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19092, 10 August 1925, Page 7

TRAMP STEAMER'S VOYAGES

VISITOR TO MANY FORTS. SOME VARIED CARGOES. '■ ~ A typical example of the tramp steamer is the Hartlield, which arrived at Auckland from Texas yesterday. Since tho vessel left England eighteen months ago sho has visited dozens of ports and has carried a varied assortment of cargoes. Leaving Hull in February, 1924, , the Hartfield discharged a cargo of coal at St. Vincent and then went in ballast to Durban where she loaded for Port Soudan. From Port Soudan sho took motor-cars to Aden .and then went to Chittagong and Calcutta. When in tho Red Sea the Hartfield received an S.O.S: call from tho steamer Frangestan, which was on fire with 1400 pilgrims on board. The Hartfield reached the burning steamer shortly after tho pilgrims and crew had been rescued by the Clan Lino steamer Clan Maciver. The Frangestan presented an awe-inspiring sight. She was a roaring furnace fore and aft, with her hull and other iron work red hot. From Calcutta the Hartfield went to Nowcastle and loaded coal for Chile. En route to South America she called at Lyttelton for 150 sheep for Chile. After discharging at twelve Chilean ports, a cargo of nitrates was loaded for Eastern ports. In succession the steamer next visited Alexandria, Calcutta, Rangoon, Madras, Cocanada, Colombo, Alleppi, Cochin (India), Budagara, Murmagoa, and Bombay. At Bombay the steamer rammed the quay wall and had to spend a month in dock for repairs. Sho then returned to Aden, Port Said ind Algiers, where she loaded for Boston, New York and Philadelphia. After discharge, her bunkers wore replenished at Norfolk, Virginia, beforo sho went to Galveston, Texas, to load her present cargo of 6147 tons of sulphur for discharge at xVuckland, New Plymouth, Newcastle, Adelaide, and Wallaroo. Captain R. Hughes, the master of the Hartfield, was awarded the D.S.C. during tho war after his vessel, the Woodfield, loaded with military stores, was Eunk by a Gorman submarine in the Mediterranean. During the fight Captain Hughes was severely wounded in tho arm and .eg. In the ship's boat some of the crew, landed on tho Moroccan coast were captured by Moors and _ held foi. ransom. After considerable vicissitudes | Captain Hughes eventually reached England. - ■