The Rival Steamers.

Southland Times, Issue 9164, 13 March 1886, Page 2

The Rival Steamers.

Some correspondence has recently op peared in the New Zealand Times relative to the comparative speed of the N.Z.S. Co.'s B.M.S. Aorangi and the S.S. and A. Co. 'a s.s. Arawa. The former veß6el was credited with having beaten the fastest on record passages of the latter, acd thia, of course was a thing not to be tolerated by the admirers of the Arawa. Mr J. Saw, navigating officer of the Arawa, states the position as follows : — The AorsDgi leaves Plymouth on January 16, 1.20 p.m , arrives at Port Chalmers February 25, 3 20 p.m. ; gross timo,_ 40 days 2 hours 40 ruins., minus difference of time, 11 houre 23 coins.; actual paßsage, 39 days 15 hours 17 mine. Stoppages, 14 hours — that leaves actual passage 39 days 1 hour 27 mins. steaming time, as |against 37 days 3 hours stated. The time of the last, not the quickest voyage o£ the Arawa is : — Left Plymouth January 2, 9 p.m. ; arrived Cap 9 Saunders, February 13, 2 a.m. ; gros3 time, 41 days 5 hours, minua difference of time, 11 hours 23 mics. ; actual passage, 40 days 17 hours 37 mios. Stoppages — 2 days 2 hours, leaving the actual steaming time 38 days 15 hours 37 mins. This is not quoting the Aiawa's fastest passage on record of 38 daye 0 houra 30 mine., but merely putting one trip against the other, The Aorangi did not call at Hobart, making her total distance 12,415 miles. The Arawa'e call at Hobart made her distance 12,738 miles, and as the Arawa's arrival is always counted at Cape Saundere I fail entirely to see how tho Aorangi can claim one hour and a ha!f, but in all fairness | ought to be contented with the laurels she has wot!) aad allow etern facta and dates to docMe i ,at ehs is beaten by 1 day 0 hours bi snina, attd 823 miles on the Arawr.'a n'sumkabie passage, und 9 hours 50 mirjb'. on the passage iv question, CutiitJientiß^ on the uorrtisponderjce, tbe Times B3\« that lha Aoraugi's steaming time was bO days 3 hours — not ' 37 days 3 hours?,' as telegraphed. The telegraphiac evidently mistook a "9" for a " 7." It is a curious coincidence that a mistake of this kind should have occurred in both of the Aoraogi's beßt outward voyages, and an equally curious one that each of these passages was made iv the same steamiDg time— 39 days 3 hours. Tim, although not rivalling the Arawa's time, is splendid work, and the remarkable uniformity of running over such a long distance is particularly admirable. It is noteworthy also that, through the briefness of her detentions, the Aorangi has unquestionably reached New Zealand in a shorter gross time than any other direct steamer, She has delivered her msilß in 5 days 10 boura under contract time, aod is consequeatly entitled to the very handsome bonus of L6so— the largest, be believe, that has yet been secured by any of the New Zealand Shipping Company'd steamers.