CIRCLING THE WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20367, 23 September 1929, Page 12

CIRCLING THE WORLD.

STEAMER'S VARIED VOYAGES.

iTWENTY-SIX PORTS VISITED.

FROZEN NORTH TO THE TROPICS

EXPERIENCES IN THREE YEARS.

Since leaving England in October, 1926, 1 / the cargo steamer Prunus, which reached j Auckland from Bluff on Saturday evening, has steamed over 98,000 mile 9 and has been round the world nearly threo times. She ha 9 visited 26 ports and has carried 11 cargoes, totalling about 91,300 16ns. Many and varied climates havo been experienced, ranging froin a tomperaturo of 40 degrees below freezing point in Russia to 103 degrees in India. Next month it will bo three years since the crow of tho Prunus was signed on and . '■ plio sailed from Newcastle on-Tyne for Java with a cargo of coke, which was unloaded at five ports in the Dutch East Indies. From Java she went to Japan for bunkers and then to Vladivostok, Russia, whore a cargo of soya beans was ' loaded for Hamburg. It was nn extremely cold Christmas and New Year that the crow spent at Vladivostok. Tho temperature waj 40 degrees bplow freez ing point and tho vessel was frozen in the port foi three days. The conditions were so cold that with steam heaters in cperation 5 degrees of frost was registered in the officers' rooms and it was difficult to got warm Three members of the crow had their fingertips frozen and > Lad to receivo medical attention.

Strange Waterfront Types.

/ In spite of tho cxtremo cold tho vessel put up a record for the port for loading cargo. The soya beans were in bags and 5450 tons were loaded in one day Mongolian Chinese of a muscular type stowed tho cargo in tho holds, but tho bag 3 of beans were handled on the wharf by Russian men, the tallying and branding of tho bags being done by women. / After discharging the cargo at Hamburg the Prunus bunkered at Newcastlo-on-Tyne, only spending ono night in port. Her next port of call was Casablanca, Morocco, whero she loaded a phosphate cargo for Anckland. After discharge she bunkered at Westport and then went to Nauru Island and loaded phosphates for Australia At Fremantle she loaded a wheat cargo, which was discharged at Naples, and then the vessel went to Gibraltar, where she was docked and had her bull cleaned and painted. Severe Storms Encountered.

The Prunus then returned to Casablanca and loadod phosphates for Australia. After discharge a wheat cargo was loaded at Melbourne for Calcutta. She remained in Indian waters for over five months, carrying coal from Madras to Ceylon/ From India she went to Sey- ' chelles Islands to load her present cargo. From Seychelles she went to Durban to bunker and then proceeded on the great circle track to Albany, where the bunkers were again replenished. During th 9 voyage across the Indian Ocean a succession of hard westerly gales end mountainous following seas was encountered for 10 days. The storms were exceptionally severe and blow in terrific ■jr. squalls, accompanied by snow and hail. (C Tho vessel laboured heavily m the high i seas and .vavos repeatedly broke on board and flopdcd the deck. The saloon door j was smashed by a wave and tho saloon and officers' rooms were flooded. A heavy sea hit two boats and lifted them out of tho chocks When somo ol the crew .were securing tho bunker hatch, abaft the saloon, they were struck by a ?ea and .washed to leeward, but were not hurt.

Seach lor Mizsing Vessel.

When the Prunus was in the vicinity of tho Crozet Islands sho was in wireless communication with tho Mexico, which was searching the southern portion of tho Indian Ocean fcr the missing sailing ship Koebenhavn, and the Prunus was requested to assist in the search.

This sho did and kept in touch by wireless with the Mexico for some days. Off Kerguelen Island tlio Prunus was in touch by wireless with the Juneo, which was also searching for tho missing ship. No signs of wreckage were signted by tho Prunus, and tho master and officers state it would be almost impossible for a sailing ship to livo in the tempestuous conditions that were experienced by the steamer dnring the search. From Albany the Prunus proceeded to z Bluff, via Bass Strait, and when rearing .Tasmania she collided with and killed a largo whalo. The incidont occurred at mid-day, when tho whale was swimming

on tlio surface across the steamer's bow. .The Prunus was steaming about ten knots and her stem almost cut the whale in halves. The weight' of tho Prunus and her cargo was about 13,800 tons and tho impact with the whalo was hardly .noticeable.

Soon To Be Home Again.

Tho Prunus unloaded 5600 tons of guano at Bluff and has come to Auckland to complete discharge. Orders have been 'received for tho vessel to proceed from Auckland to Whyalla, Australia, to load a cargo of iron ore tor Antwerp. Tho news was received with great pleasure by .those on board, because from Antwerp ,tho vessel will go to England and tho .voyage will then end. Although now a steamej the Prunus ,was formerly a motor-ship She was then ©>vned by tho Ellerman-Bucknall Lino and her name was tho City of Stockholm. Tho vessel was sole' to her presont owners, Messrs. Howard Tenens, London, who had her converted into a steamer.