THE MOUNT SIRION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 42

THE MOUNT SIRION.

The Union Steam Ship Company have received advice that the Mount Sir ion left Calcutta yesterday (20th met.) for New Zealand, via Singapore. Her first port of call will be Auckland. The arrivals at the Dunedin wharves last week were six vessels, with a total of 3957 tons, and the departures 11 vessels, representing a total of 8006 tons register. We learn that Mr Johnson, the chief lighthousekeeper at Cape Saunders, i 3 to be transferred to 3?arewell Spit., acd leaves for his new position by the C.G S. Hiuemoa. Mr Johnson, who has been for several years in this district, has maie a large Circle of frimds, wto will regret that he and •■ bis family are about to be removed. A large ship's apar, which did not appear to have been long adrift, ■was passed by the ship Loch Lomond (from Glasgow to Melbourne) on October 7 in lat. 42 49 S.and long 87 22 B. - A sailibg race from London to Sydney, a distance of 14,200 niilei, between the ships Cromd«le, 1819 tons, and Arctic Storm. 1498 tons, was concluded on Monday, 11th inst., by the arrival of both vessels ia Sydney Harbour. The ships left

London within five minutea of each other on August 1, and reai-hed Sydney within two hours of each other, tho Ciomdale being the firat to enter the heads. They sighted each other three times during tho voyage— once when 14 days out, agam when G3 days out, and on the third occasion when making the easting from Tristan d'Acunha to Sydney. Thoy averaged 210 miles per day for a distance of 81 0 miles. Beth ships were mm. ing for nearly the who'e time under two and three lower topsails and reefed foresails. The fleet of the N.Z.S. Company consists of 11 steamers, with a t-jtal of 63,711 tons, capable of accommodating 439 saloon, 268 second Baloou and 2310 ste rage passengers; while, in addition to their general cargo, these steamers are fitted to carry 583 000 carcases of frozen mutton. The company alsT possess seven sailing vessels, with a total of 7564 tons. Two of these vessels are fitted with r-frigerating machinery, one carrying 13.000 and the other 11 (100 carcases. The record from the Cape of Goo'i Hope to Melbourne has been made by Captain Whitson, of the ship Wendur. The thip ran the distance, 5700 mile*, in 20 days. During one period of 24 hours she inadi 3C53 C 5 miles, whilst for seven consecutive daya she maintained an average of 300 ktfot*. The first turret steamer ever built on the Tyne made her trial, trip on October 7. She is a fine vessel of 4/500 lons register, and was constructed ami engined by Messrs C S. Swan and Hunter at Wallsend. We are glad to notice that the first mercantile marine officer who ha* passed as master uuder the new regulation* at Port Chalmers, before Captain Gray, is Mr _F. W. Troupe, an officer of tbe New Zealand Shipping Company, and late of the ship Waimate. Mr Troupe studied at the School of Navigation conducted by Mr F W. Sim in?, and we congratulate both gentlemen on the success gained. The directors of the Union Company (says the Wellington Post) should certainly have the approbation of the travelling public for their decisive dealing with the commanders of the steamships W.«kaMpn aud Flora. That there should be much sympathy with two gentlemen who have loug Berved the company and the public ably and well is but natural, but, unfortunately for them, no consideru ion of capacity, character, or service can alter the fact which has been fully demonstrated, that in open daylight they so navigated their ships as to bring about an actual collision that might easily have resulted in the loss of many of the lives committed to their care. The mns,t popular and skilful teaman alive cannot afford to play wiih the human lives committed to his charge, and there can no question that thnsc who go down to the te» in the ships of the Union Company will sleep with a greater of security as they think of the fi tiding of the directors in the Wakatipu-Flora collision.