A BOAT A BILLET.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13745, 7 September 1908, Page 2

A BOAT A BILLET.

Tnterest' attached • 'W t the arrival , of the French barque Mjftfc at Sydney the other day, (says the Telegraph), from the fact that: she has sailed several thousand miles seeking a charter, and, what is still more remarkable, is still open for fixture. The Max is a steel barque of 2075 tons, hailing from Havre, and she has been! sailing tho ocean off and on, with nothing more than -ballast in her -holds, since November last year, on the look-out for a payable charter. Under the French bounty system, French merchantmen are able to- do this long voyaging without serious loss to owners.. In the case 1 of the Max she originally sailed from Cardiff last year for Hobart for orders. She reached the Tasmanian capital in March last, only to find instructions to proceed to San Franoisco. In due course she set out on the long passage across the Pacific, but, to the captain's surprise, When the barque sailed -into San Francisco he found order to return to Hobart, and there await orders. A depression in the freight market in Pacific Coast ports was responsible for the, vessel being ordered back from San Francisco. She left there on May 22, and, after a hard buffeting with gales for a fortnight off the coast, made Sydney Heads. The captain , intended proceeding to Hobart, but When the vessel reached Green Cape fierce gales and high 'seas beset her, and she returned North to Sydney for shelter. The captain has cabled to his owners for instructions, and meanwhile the vessel will remain at the anchorage.

The Rarawa brought from Onehunga this morning 17 tons manure, 3 tons flour, a*nd about 30 tons sundries.

The Rotoiti, to arrive from Wellington and Nelson to-morrow morning, has j220 tons of oargo for this port. The Union Company's newly pnrcltased steamer Zeafandia will coritimio to; ran in the Sydney-Hobart 'trade.

Trains will foave New Plymouth Station to connect with vessels at the breakwater as follows: —

TO-DAY. 8.10 p.m. — Rarawa, for North. TO-MORROW.

5.50 a.m. — Takapuna, from North. 8 a.m. — Rotoiti, from South. 11.15 a.m. — Takapnna, for South. 8.10 p.m.— Rotoiti, for North.