VOYAGE OF THE ALBION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2000, 28 May 1868, Page 4

VOYAGE OF THE ALBION.

AVo have been favored by a passenger from Dunedin, with the following account of tbo voyage of the Albion, which will be read witli interest :—

In whatever country, among whatever people, a man has iived a considerable time, although, generally, the latter may have held no high place in his estimation, and the climate of tho former been the reverse of delightful, for him—yet, habit chains his memory to fchem, habit, whoso links allpowcrful time alono can sever. Thus, in imagination, I Btill walk the streets of Dunedin, meet familiar faces, mark their woful or smiling expressions as the scale of the barometer of their varying fortunes ; and, while my thoughts roam from " fresh fields and pastures new," to elder associations, I wonder if I and my fortunes are erased from the memories of those with whom I havo so recently held companionship. However it may bo, T. must have a talk with my quondam friends, and so will give them some account of tbe lasfc relic of their mercantile steam navy—viz., the Albion.

Vividly do I remember the formation of tho Steam Shipping Company, its glowing prospects depicted in eloquent language by your sanguine selves, the boast of Dnnedin's becoming or having become an important seaport, the monopoliser of its intercolonial trade by its own merchants, and of their successful rivalship of tho Melbourne steamboat proprietors, yriio had hitherto the monopoly of the traele. When tho company's first boat, the Scotia, arrived, tlien, indeed, all that had been predicted seemed about to be fulfilled. She was a beautiful ship, superior in size and in elegance of fittings to the Albion. The names of these two ships were appropriate, as indicative of the relafcivo merits of those two divisions of the Empire, Scotland and England. Such, afc least, must havo been the modest opinion of the directors of the Company. Howovcr, tho poor Scotia had a. short career, and an unfortunate end. The Albion ran successfully, and earned an immense deal of money. Everybody tjas wondered why she did not pay. Was it mismanagement ? She was sold, sold for a song ! Where was tho great enterprise ot the Dunodin merchants, that could thus permit the only ship that was a credit to the port, to be thu3 sacrificed .

The Albion's new owners sent her round to Hokitika, where she took on board 300 miners for Sydney, bound for Queensland. Their passage-money must havo been sufficient to cover all expenses of her voyage from Dunedin to Sydney. 1 must digress to notice these passengers: they wero nearly all professed Fenians, came on loard swaggering, with long green ribbons flying about; them. When wo; arrived afc Sydney and heard of the cruel and cWardly attempt to assassinate tho young Prince, and ifc was thought tho result of tho foul deed would be fatal, "some of them professed pleasure; but when they went on shore, and saw copies of tho Treason Act posted on tbe walls, they becamo loyal; and I have no doubt, if any of thorn were of a business that would require the custom of confiding Britishers, they would express great indignation at being called Fenians; and be ready to sign a document purporting loyalty to England and the Queen.

After the arrival of the Albion in Sydney, she had a thorough overhaul, and she was, with tho exception of her dimmed paintwork, pronounced as good aa new. Sho i was placed on the slip ; her bottom was foul with encrustations, yot, no part of her plating was found unprotected by paint. Not a new rivet was required. She was scraped, painted, and coated with a patent composition. Her cabins hava been re-decorated. The cngiucs required but slight adjustment, and her boilers bore the test of a pressure of 421bs on the square inch, without a sign o£ weakness. While working, V their load is only 201bs to the inch. She has now 500 -tons, of coal .on board, and .will Stake 250 tons more beforo proceeding oii ber voyage, 1 hinre heard many good judges say, sho is the prettiest steamer in Sydjiey. As she lies at tbe buoy, looking at lier from tlio quay, she is indeed a "sight to glad i&£ eyea of him -whoso 307' is in

beauty and grace. Yesterday, May iJfcb, she made a trial trip, and came off with, flying colors. Her speed, though she was deeply laden, was, by the moasnrcd mile, afc the rate of abovo twelve knots an. hour. Tho Government officials, and all on board, were delighted with her performance. Ifc was quite a day of enjoyment. The weather, as ifc almost always is here, was superb — neither too hot, nor too cold. A balmy air moved gently over the waters, not the blustering:, boisterous, thumpings of tho Otago "Itutlo Boreas," but tho soft breathings of the loving: Australian Zophyrus. Business was performed under the auspices of pleasure ; a party of ladies, attended by their swains or lords, graced the proceedings ; tho owners generously provided an elegant cold collation, and " all went merry as a marriage boll." You, Dunedinitcs, aro proud of your harbor. Well, I find no fault with you for that; but, if you wish to keep in love with it, never visit that of Sydney ; if you do, your souls will bo filled with rapture at ita beauty, its unequalled loveliness, aud, if you return to Dunedin, it will bo to die of ennui and regret.

Tho Albion will sail for Japan via the Fiji Islands, ou the Oth inst. I believe her passenger list is quite full.

If you insert this, I will write to yoit from Japan, giving you, as far as my poor powers of description will permit, an account of the voyage and anything of tho Fijis and Japan that I .may think will bo of interest to you and tiie friends I may have left for over.—lam, &c.,

Ou> Du.nkdinitk. Sydney, Gth May, 1808.