COMPANY OF MARINERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20087, 26 October 1928, Page 12

COMPANY OF MARINERS.

NEW ZEALANDER HONOURED.

SERVICE TO MERCHANT NAVY.

[BT TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON. Thursday.

Captain H. S. Blackburne, of Oriental Terrace, Wellington, formerly nautical adviser to the Marine Department, has been advised bv cablegram that he has been unanimously elected an honorary member of the Honourable Company or Master Mariners for great services rendered to the merchant navv.

Captain BJackburne was formerly 'with the P. and 0. Steam Navigation Company, whose service he left over a matter of principle. He came out to New Zealand in 1909, and took up the duties of nautical adviser to the Marine Department, from which he retired on reaching 'lie age limit. Captain Blackburne,- who is quito sensible to the honour conferred upon him, can only suggest that it came through his authorship of various books on navigation, notably his " Hour Anglo and Altitude Azimuth Tables," his " Excelsior Ex-meridian and Position Finding Tables," his " Modern Up-to-date Navigation" and his A B C Azimuth Tallies," standard works which are known throughout the world, but which havo yielded their author practically nothing in cash, although they havo given valuable assistance to navigating officers. The cablegram notifying Captain Blackburne of his election was signed by Sir Burton Chadwick, deputy-master of tho company, who is eminent in tho nautical world, and is deputy to tho Prince of Wales, who ranks as Master. The honorary membership is a jealouslyguarded honour, to which distinguished men only havo been elected.