EARLY SAILING SHIPS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20354, 10 March 1928, Page 2

EARLY SAILING SHIPS.

IRON CLIPPER WAIMATE. LOST WITH ALL HANDS. In the ’seventies and ’eighties many famous clipper ships were employed in carrying immigrants and cargo from London to Now Zealand. The New ' Zealand Shipping Company, which came into existence on January 6, 1873, had much to do with the populating and the prosperity of this country, and tho principals of this enterprise acted with energy from tho very start. Until suitable ships could bo built four small vessels were bought and a number hired. Those bought were the Glasgow-built Hindustan, 833 tons; Dunfillan, 853 tons; Scimitar, of Hull, 1188 tons, and Doretto, of Hamburg, 848 tons. These ships were all given Maori names, and became, respectively, Waitara, Mataura, Rangi tiki, and Waimoa. The first two ships to bo specially built for the new company were the sister vessels Rakaia and Waikato, launched from Blumer’s yard at Sunderland in the winter of 1873-74. Then in the summer of 1874 another pair of sister ships came from Blumer’a yard. These were the Waitangi and Waimate, tho first being launched in June, and tho second in August. These two very handsome passengercarrying iron clippers were not only the largest, but the fastest of tho sailing ships which were built for tho New Zealand Shipping Company. Both had long, successful careers, with but few mishaps and no very serious accidents. The Waitangi made 25 voyages to New Zealand before being sold to the Norwegians at the end of the nineteenth century. The Waimate’s record was 22 voyages before the Russians bought her in 1896 The Waimate was considered tho clippoi of the New Zealand Shipping Company's fleet until the beautiful City of Perth came on the scene. Although it cannot be claimed that the Waimate was ever the equal of the Turakina, as tho City ol Perth was renamed, on any point cf sailing, yet the former made the better outward passages of tho two. The Waimate’s passage from London to Lyttelton in 1880-81 was considered a record for many years. Her nearest rivals were the Scimitar, later known as tho Raugitiki and the Westland. Tho following are the best passages made by the three ships;— • ’Scimitar left Plymouth, December 24, 1873, arrived Port Chalmers March 5. 1874, 71 days; from land to land, 67 days. Waimate left London October 24, 1880, arrived Lyttelton January 6, 1881, 74 days; from land to land. 65 days. Westland left London April 13, 1883, arrived Port Chalmers June 25, 73 days; from Ushant to Otago, 68 days; from land to land. 66 days. . The New Zealand Shipping Company always justly prided_ itself on the liberal way in which its ships were outfitted and kept up, and tho Waimate was no exception to the rule. She was, in fact, a flrst-class ship in every respect, •well built, splendidly fitted up for passengers, and smartly rigged with the old-time long ]ib boom and tho aristocratic mam skysail Her tonnage came to 1124 net, and 1150 ‘Th the New Zealand Shipping Company’s ships were small vessels, according to modern standards, the largest in its fleet, the cllpp cr Turakina, being only 1189 tons net. _ , . On her maiden passage Captain took the Waimate out to Lyttelton m 89 days. On her second voyage Captain Peck took over tho command, and the 74-day passage was his seventh and last voyage. After leaving Gravesend on October 24, 1880 the Waimate had a rough time m the ‘English Channel until, when off Falmouth, with the barometer down to 28.30, she was forced beck by a furious southerly gale to the Eddystone, when she took her departure on October 30. The ship crossed the equator on November 16, only 16 days 8 hours from the Eddystone, a performance which could only be accomplished by, a really, fast ship. She crossed the meridian of. the Cape of Good Hope'on December 7, which was also exceedingly good work. Captain Peck went - as far south as 48deg. when running Ins casting down, and the Waimate passed the south Cape of Tasmania on December 30, only a little over 60 days out. The Snares weto abeam at 4 a.m, on January 4, only 66 days from the Eddystone, and Lyttelton was reached on the evening of January 6. , SHIP NEARLY WRECKED. On her homeward run this voyage the Waimate was very nearly wrecked in the neighbourhood of Cape Horn. Captain Peck was carrying a press of sail, running heavy before the westerlies, and it was a dark and dirty night. Suddenly there came a wild cry from the look-out man, and at the same moment that particular deep hollow roar of a big surf on a steep-to coast could bo distinguished above the shrill whine of the wind in the rigging. A minute or so later rugged cliffs, rising above a mist of spray were seen both ahead and on either bow All hands' realised that the ship was rushing headlong on to an unknown shore. The Waimate must either have had a stronger current in her favour, or have sailed better than the log indicated, as Captain Peck s dead reckoning was all adrift. Ha had not been able to take sights for some days previously. _ A more terrible situation than being embayed or bark-strapped on the Tierra del Fuegian coast on a black night, with the huge seas broken into spouts of foam by out-lying razor-backed rocks could hardly bo imagined. Captain Peck took the only possible means of saving his ship. The cables were hurriedly ranged and shackled on to the anchors, which were dropped outboard with all despatch. Then, as the helm was put down and the ship rounded up into the wind with a fearful clatter of blocks and thunder of flogging canvas, both anchors were let go and 120 fathoms of chain veered out, for the vessel was in fairly deep water, although close on the beam a ridge of rocks shattered each sea into flying spume. The anchors held, however, and the Waimate was saved. All on board paid chief tribute to this escape from a watery grave to Ned Parker, the bos’n, who had the difficult task of getting tho chains ranged clear and shackled on, and the anchors pinched off the bow at tho psychological moment. In the dark of that Cape Horn night, with its flying spray and screeching wind it required a cool head and superb seamanship, on that slippery, reeling fo’o’sle head, to get this heavy and dangerous work accomplished quickly and without a hitch. . ’ The Waimate had to hang on m this desperate situation until <an ease-up of the storm and a shift of wind gave her . a chance of gaining an offing. Her chains were then slipped, she managed to fetch clear and resumed her passage. WAIMATE’S SUBSEQUENT VOYAGES. When the Waimate reached London after such a sensational voyage Captain Peck handed tho ship over to Captain Mosey, who had had command of tho Orari from her launch m 1877. Captain Mosey was one of the most experienced masters in the New Zealand Shipping Company’s employ, and had charge of the Waimate for four voyages. On his first outward passage to Lyttelton, at the end of 1881, Captain Mosey managed to get a run of 554 miles out of the smart little ship in 24 hours, whilst running his easting down in 47deg. 5, This, according to Basil Lubbock, was the Waimato’s best day’s run. In the fall of 1883 Captain Mosey made tho run Homo with the Waimate from Port Chalmers to the Scillies in 71 days. This was the ship’s best Homeward passage. Her best nm to Cape Horn was one of 18 days from Lyttelton in April. 1880. In 1884-85 a Captain Tribe had command of the Waimate for a voyage, during which she made her first passage to Auckland, which was also her longest passage, the ship being 112 days out. After tins Captain Caneso took over the command, and remained in charge Wr «r voyages, from 1886 to 1892, during which period tho Waimate showed some splendid sailing, and made her best average. In the spring of 1886 the Waimate wont out to Lyttelton from London in 82 days. Captain Canese beat this on his second voyage by coming out to Port Chalmers in 78 days. Leaving London on October 20, 1886 the Waimate crossed the Equator only 19 days out from the Thames, and arrived at Otago on January 7, 1887, only 74 days from the English Channel. In 1889 the Waimate again made the passage out in under the 80 days from the Channel pilot, being 82 days to Port Chalmers from the London docks, and 78 days from land to land. On her last throe voyages under the, wellknown house flag the Waimate was commanded by Captain Worster, who had previously had tho Waikato for six years. Captain Worster brought the Waimate out to Port Chalmers in 92 d.ays in the 1 eprinfc of 1693; bo Aucßarud in dur-

ini? the summer of 1894, and his last trip was 104 days to Port Chalmers between A 1n 1 1896 *the clipper of the New Zealand fleet L her officers used to call her, was “ij to the Russians, and renamed Valkiian but she did not last long after her *95' a “’ of fln.tr In 1899 she sailed from Newcastle, New South rmerica C ,° a lnd C wL° never hlard of again. rTs probable that her cargo became heated, that *the fire got beyond control m rough werieriv weather, aiid that thus the ship was laid, and all on board perished.