JAPANESE SAMPANS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19098, 20 August 1936, Page 8

JAPANESE SAMPANS

GREAT SPEED A MYTH

INYESTIG ATI ON S MADE

SYDNEY, Aug. 12.

Deports that sampans operating in Northern Australian waters are capable of speeds as high as 20 knots have been proved inaccurate, according to information received by the Commonwealth Government.

Tests made with sampans confiscated for poaching in the Dutch East Indies and other parts of the Pacilic have proved that the vessels are not capable of speeds greater than nine knots, and there is reason 10 believe that the sampans w.hieh have been sighted in Australian waters have similar limifations. Naval and marine architects were puzzled by the reports which credited tho sampans with very high speeds, because of the difficulty of designing a.comparatively small vessel combining high speed with the qualities of seaworthiness obviously necessary for the type of voyaging done by the sampans. The experts were sceptical even of the reports of eye-witnesses, because of the difficulty of judging tho speed of small craft.

As a result of the information now received, the Government is confident that- the patrol boat built in England and now stationed at Darwin has ample speed for this type of work should it be necessary.

The vessel, which will be built, probably at Cockatoo Dock, for patrol work in New Guinea- waters, will also possess a good margin of speed, will be larger than the Darwin boat, and will be suitable for longer inter-island

voyages. The precise design of Hie boat; is still Ihe subject of discussion between the Government and the Now Guinea authorities. The experience rained with these craft will probably determine the designs of several other patrol boats which, it is expected, will be built later for northern waters.