THE DIRECT STEAMERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15449, 9 May 1912, Page 6

THE DIRECT STEAMERS.

LONDON, May B.—Sailed: Ktikoura. for Wellington.

The Invereargill sailed yesterday mom inc for Invorcarsill. Tlio Kotarc will sail 10-dsiy for Itivorcaruill and Ijtiverton. The Orari is expected to visit Port Chalmers about the end of this month to load gemal cargo lor London,

Tho Rotoiti will comir.caco running in tliu Wellington-West Coast, service on Monday, in place of tlw Rosamond. The I<> Aiia.ii went into commission yesterday, ami a, crow waa signed on. Sho will sail today for Wcstport and New Plymouth, via coastal ports. Tim I'akeha went down to Tort Chalmors yesterday morning to load frozen meat and general cargo, and sailed last evening for Lyttollon, where sho will complete her discharge and continue her Homeward loading. The Ulimaroa steamed down lo Port Chalmers yesterday morning, and failed ill the afternoon for Sydney, via. Cool: Strait. On arrival at Sydney this trip tho Ulimaroa will Ira docked for cleaning and glinting, hut this will not afToct her timetable movements.

Tlio Maunganui was docked at Melbourno yesterday for cleaning and painting, hut a cablegram slates that sho left as usual for llofcart and New Zealutd ports. Tlio Union Company's Calcutta trader Waitemata is due at Auckland to-day or to-morrow from Calcutta, via Singaporo am! Newcastle. At tlw last-named port she loaded 3000 tons of coal, and is to call at Auckland, Wellington, J.yttolton, add IJunedin to land cargo. Tlio Kaiajioi is at present discharging the balance of her Newcastle coal at Otimnru, and is expected to leave on Saturday for fireymoiith. At the latter port she will load a. cargo of timber for Melbourno and Sydney.

A strong demand continues in Melbourno and Svdnev for New Zealand produce. (Jrair. lias Imlked largely in most (Virgoes U-iind for those [torts (luring the post few weeks, and another la.Y|;o quantity wa-5 shipped by the Ulimaroa yesterday for Sync.v. To cope with tho demand for spare, tlio Whiingape is to load produce at l«yttelton, Oamaru, and UlulF shortly for K\dney, and the Wainina is to load at Lyttclton, Tiinaru, and Bluff for .Melbourno and Sydney. Both vessels will take bit? cargoes of oats, etc.,.from Now Zealand ports, iuiil these two shipments should easp tlio demand for tpaco on tho passeuKcr steamers for <1 week or two.

A copy of the Wairoa's registry certificate ra mo to hand yesterday, and her I iiinsoli mark whs soou located. It was then found that the Wairoa had four inches of freeboard to sjiaro before being loaded down to her limit. Yesterday her two lifeknits were bailiff provisioned and equipped with compasses and other gear required Inlaw. To-day will be occupicd in putting the finishing touches to her drek gear, iiud. judging by ap|>oaraiices, the Wairoa will not be ablo to leave lieforo to-morrow at tliu earliest. Tlio Wairoa. will bo comnui ruled by Captain Pcrriiim, Mr Richardson is chief mate, Mr Rcid sccond mate, and Mr M'Keegan chief engineer. Mr May, who is iu charge of tho arrangements, states that tho Wairoa will make two trips lo the Auckland Islands with stores and gear before he goes down, and iu tho meantime it is expected that most of tho preliminary work will be completed. The Surrey completed tho discharge of licr Liverpool cargo on Tuesday night, and was docked at Port Chalmers yesterday morning for cleaning and painting. An examination in tlie dock showed that n number of rivets wcro loose iu places near the turn of her bilgo plates. Some of iho rivels were so looso that they could be turned round in tho holes with one's lingers, and a start was made to remove them. During her hist, visit to Liverpool several new plates were put in, and as tho New Year holidays intervened whilst Iho work was in progress, it is sup|xised that the rivet, work was not done so ofiicieiitly ,is her owners had a right to expect. II is net known exactly how long tho repairs will lab. hut several days iniisl elnpso before sho can come out of dock, as a large amount of her insulation got damaged by Hit) bilge water, and it is (jjlimuted that il will cost about £500 to mako «:o<kl tlio clatnagQ <lono to itic insulation in tlio walls of Iter rofrhjorniinfl spare. " An Old Auckland Shipmaster " writes lo a northern exchange as follows:—"It may interest the general public, .is well as navigators, to know that, according to measurements of different charts, Iho Tusman Sea is stretching. The distance from tho North Cape to Sydney by careful measurements on the Admiralty chart of 1877 was 1050 miles; iu the New Zealand Pilot- of 1837 it wa-s sot down at 1086 miles; and on the Pacific track chart of 1E97 il wus put. down as 1093 miles. l!y Iho latest Admiralty chart (1007) the distance is stated as 1105 miles, thus showing nu increase in the distance of 55 miles during 30 years. Workinp tho distimco out by Mercalor sailing. il is now, ns it was 30 yc-ars ago, 1089.3 miles. Now, v.liich chart is corroct!"

A NEW STEAMER FOR NEW ZEA LAND.

Tho building achievements of Mr 11. Davis's vnrd at Rlachvall wore cclipsed lately (says a Sydney paper), when the largest vessel built in tho State left tho ways. Tho new vessel was named tho Rcil l'ilic—a useful typo of steamer, intended for the New Zealand coastal trade. She is not only tho largest, but the finest, vessel of her class built in New South Wales. Tho vessel is intended for the Red Pino Steamship Company (Ltd.), of Wostland, New Zealand, of which Mr E. A. -Wickcs is managing director. Sho is for tho timber trade from tho port of Groymouth to various ports'ou tho Now Zealand coast. Ilcr dimensions aro as follow:—length b.p., 147 ft: length over all, 153 ft; moulded breadth, ?.sft; moulded depth, 10ft 9in; draught (full loaded), alxiut 9ft 6iu. The Imiler and main engines will ho supplied and fitted by Mcssts Wildridgo and Sinclair. of. Pitt street. Sydney. Tho machinery consU". of a set of campauiitf surface condensing engines, with cylinders 16in and 33in in diameter, with 21in stroke. Sho will have a multitubular boiler, with thrco furnace.), the working boiler pressure being 1301b. llolical geared sleam winches and a »tejvm windlass will be lilted. On completion the vcs>e| will lio lilted throughout by Messrs nnd Frnnki with electric liuht. The vessel is not intended (or passenger traffic. All specifications have Ix'on carried out by Caplaiti S. Willis, under whoso supervision Iho vessel has been built. Mr A. 11. Hunter, chief engineeV, will supervise as regards tho engines and lioilers, the plans Wing drawn bv Mr Waller Reeks.

The vessel has been built of hardwood, with Oregon decks, and latest cargo discharging near. Sho has a forepeak and tipping tanks holding 20 tons, and two after tanks for fresh water of ,10 tons each. The vessel left the ways in splendid stvto, and was iiraceftillv christened by Mrs Ivan Nelson, wife of Air Ivan Nelson, of Messrs Nelson and Robertson. After the launch Captain Willis proposed " Success lo the Red Pine," and congratulated Mrs Nelson on the success of tho launch. Tho toast of " Tlin lliiildcr" was also given by Mr Ivan Nelson. The now vessel will be towed to Svdnov lo have her machinery fitted. She is without doubt a line iyne of steamer, and reflects credit on the builders, owners, and all concerned.