SHIPPING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3018, 17 January 1912, Page 5

SHIPPING NOTES.

ACCIDENT TO THE OTAKI

NEW P. AND O. LINER. (From Odr Own Correspon dent.* LONDON, December 18. A double misfortune befell the triplescrew New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Otaki on Saturday night. She was outward bound for Wellington, when she grounded above Chapman Lighthouse, near Gravesend, at 7.15 p.m. Four hours later she refloated without assistance, but just at the crucial moment the Austrian steamer Bitinia, from Alexandria, ran into her. The Otaki returned to Tilbury with damage to the port side above water abreast of No. 4 hatch. All the damage is above the -water-line. The cargo is not touched at all, and the vessel will resume her voyage on Tuesday.

The Bitinia is a steamer of 3125 tons. She sustained damage to her port bow, and some water was in the fore peak. The Otaki was built in 1908. She i 3 a vessel of 7420 tons, and is valued at £130,000.

Two features have stood out prominently of late respecting the passenger traffic to the Antipodes. One is the remarkable number of large steamers which have been introduced into the trade. Of those the most recent is the Orient Company's triple-screw mail steamer Orama, of 13,000 tons, which began her maiden voyage a week ago. Another type of vessel is the twin-screw steamer Ballarat, one of the two new "'one class" ships which the P. and 0. Company has had built for its Australasian branch service via the Cape. This vessel begins her first trip from London to-day.

The second feature is that, although the passenger capacity of the liners trading to Australasia is now infinitely greater than ever it was, and has been especially strengthened in the matter of third-class accommodation, it is really unequal to the demands of the present boom in emigration. The two new P. and O. vessels are the Ballarat and the Beltina. The former is of 11.000 tons register, with a displacement of 20,000 tons, a length of 520 ft, a width of 62ft, and a depth of 41ft. She has nine water-tight compartments, and carries a powerful installation of wireless telegraphy. There are two unusually spacious promenade, decks, and the main deck provides accommodation for a large number of assisted emigrants, to whom the cost of passage has been reduced to £6 and upwards. The highest priced berths are £2l. All the passengers are third-class, and have the run of the entire vessel, a freedom which is greatly appreciated. In addition to accommodatincr

1100 passengers, the steamer will be capable of carrying about 10,000 tons of cargo. She has be-en specially designed to meet the requirements of the 13,000mile journey from London to Australia, via the Cape, and offers advantages and facilities not previously within the reach of those who require to study strict economy.