CAPTAIN RAMSAY RETIRES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18751, 3 January 1923, Page 3

CAPTAIN RAMSAY RETIRES

HARBOURMASTER AT OAMARU. Captain James Ramsay, who has been harbourmaster at- Clamant since 1806, retired from that position on Saturday. Captain Ramsay fir-t went, to sea in 1868, shipping as an apprentice in the barque Kaulah, trading to the Far Tin sc. I.aimin' served in the Annie Lady Bamfield, in (lie New Vork-Antwerp trade; in vessels of the Allan bine, running to Canadian ports, and in the Wild Duck, a. smart passenger clipper trading tielwcen Kn gland and New Zealand. During one of the outward (rips of the latter vessel Captain Ramsay, who was then second ollicer, nearly 10.-t hw life in an attempt, to save a. boy who bad fallen overboard from the. rigging. He nailed for volunteers and took one of 'He shin’s boats out, to search for the boy, but the boat overturned in the heavy .-pas. and only (wo of its crew, one of whom was the second officer, wore rescued about four hours later. Several persons now living in Oamarn were passengers by the clipper on that, occasion. Captain Ramsay subsequently became chief officer of the Wild Hack and of the William Davy, and after trading to New Zealand for some years, ho joined (he steam service from Fngland to Rangoon. During the Zulu war he was chief oflicer of a Castle bine troopship running to the Cape. In December, 1884, he sailed from Glasgow ns chief officer of the steamship Taupe, which was sent out a.s an addition to the Union Steam Shin Company's fleet, and on arrival in New Zealand ho was transferred to the Wakatipu, which was engaged in the intercolonial service. While on (hat vessel, between Wellington and Sydney, Captain Ramsay, in his capacity as second oflicer. took out a boat's crew to search for a woman who had jumped overboard during a gale. The boat was smashed to matchwood and its crew was saved with difficulty. From the Wakatipu, Captain Ramsay went a.s second officer in the Tarawera and then as first officer in the Australia, in which he succeeded Captain Crawshaw ns master. While skipper of the Australia, trading on (ho East Coast, of (he North Island, Captain Ramsay took part in another exciting adventure at Tolnga Bay. A woman passenger, who wished to land there, and her three children, were taken off the boat at evening by a native in his boat. There %as a big sea running and the small boat got into difficulties. Captain Ramsay put off from the Australia in a ship's boat, and Constable Stagnonlc Hater SonioFsergeant at. Oamant with others went, out in a flat-bottomed boat from the shore. The latter boat was capsized and the woman and children in the native’s boat were lost. Captain Ramsay, by splendid management of bis own boat and crow, saved Constable Stagpoole and a Maori, but (ho other six persons were drowned. On leaving the Australia, Captain Ramsay served in the Hanroto and the Te Anan, and subsequently held the positions of master of the steamers Brunner, Dingndee. and Corinna. He left (he hitter vessel (o accept the position of harbourmaster at Oamarn in succession to Captain Sewell. Captain Ramsay’s record as chief officer of the port is a remarkably good one, for during his full 26 years’ service there has boon no mishap in berthing and piloting vessels in Oam.tnt,