A PUBLIC APOLOGY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3102, 19 January 1871, Page 2

A PUBLIC APOLOGY.

[From fche %o^i^MhM^^&oi [We desii*|4parttbt^l£ ./tofqasy|Mjf;i attention typtisrs Drivel Stewjirpp^ Me&srs J|o llapaj and prehjpi, \6fA.Wni^ i Francisco, contradicting ti^^taieipentßr. V madejn a recent ißßu<a:by^corresp6n» }, '.'■ dent writing under ttf-a-Vame bf "Old y Jack." From positive .. information; afforded to us it appears that the v^seis ", referred to were built in 1865, so? ttiat - our correspondent is wholly wrongln his* facts. We have to express our rflgret -_. that the erroneous statements hav<_Ween published in our columns, and we gladly - insert Messrs Driver, Stewart and Co.'a explanation, which is quite satisfac.tofy,. and must remove any impression against the service which the letter referred toy', may have had a tendency to create.] To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sib, — On the 26th inst. the Otago " Daily Times" published a letter -signed * Old Jack,' purporting to be a criticism" on the San Francisco Steam Service; and the steamers which the contractors/ propose to employ. '• That the Editor of that paper should have thought it desirable to publish statements made by an anonymous writer of such a damaging character, not only to private individuals, but to the general public of New Zealand, haa • caused very general surprise, although the tenor of the communication may be in unison with the comments that have from time to time appeared in. the columns of that paper on this. subject. When the letter referred to was first brought under our notice, we did not think it necessary to contradict the : statements made, believing it to have been written by one of its few sympathising contributors ; but within the last day or two we have, received sufficient evidence of the injurious effects of giving publicity to Buch statements to induce us, as agents for the contractors, to show how grossly the writer has mis- , I represented the facts with which he proposed to deal. Besides generally condemning American steamers, the corruption and laxity of the " American Lloyds," he made the following statements as facts . — Ist. That the steamers proposed for the service belong to the North Pacific Transportation Company, and that their age, tonnage, <&c, have been misrepre-, - sented. As a proof of which he . statea that he was on board the Nevada when visiting California in 185%. . 2nd. That the steamers are weakly fastened and weakly built, in fact, are not seaworthy except in fine weather and smooth water. Srd. That their speed is not over 8£ to 10£ knots. It is scarcely worth while to occupy' your space by replying to his ignorant statements as to American steamers generally, but with regard to "American Lloyds," it is a fact well known by all merohants, builders, owners, and masters, who have had any e.q> erience . in \ the matter, that there is not a better conducted institution ofthe kind in the world ; indeed, we have never heard its i integrity or honesty doubted. That its certificates are held in high estimation in England, the following extract from a circular issued by Mr Robert -Mackie, agent for " British Lloyds," will prove. Mr Mackie states : — " I have every confidence in their integrity and ability, and recommend their * Register', to the confidence and patronage of the commercial public." All the Cunard and Inman steamers are registered at " American Lloyds," and soveral of the steamers*of each line are classed lower than the steamers proposed for the California service. The Nevada, 2143 tons register, was builfc at New York in the year 1865; was speoially surveyed and classed Al; is half brig-rigged, built of oak and locust, . double planked, with whole frame iron strapped ; draught of water, 15 feet. The Nebraska, 2500 tons register, ,wa9- built at Green - Point, Dong Island, in the year 1865 ; specially surveyed and.olassed Al ; -.-. . half brig-rigged, built of oak ancUhank- :| ' mataok, double planked with 4-inoh oak, •'*, whole frame iron Btrapped; draught of water, 15 feet. The Dakotah, 2135 tons register, was built at Green Point, Long Island, in the year 1865 ; speoially surveyed and .olaesed Al j rig, material, fastening, draught, same as the Nebraska. '.".-.. The Moses Taylor (reserve boat), 1372 tons register, was built at TSe\r York in the year 1857 ; Bpeoially surveyed and classed Al ; brig rigged ; built of oak and hackmataok; whole frame iron strapped, has five bulk head compartments ; draught o water, 14 feet. The Nevada, Nebraska, and Dakotah, are the property of Mr W. H. Webb, of New York, and not the North Pacific Transportation Company, aa stated. They are all first-class sea going steamers, built for and for a time used in the service between New York and the Gulf of Mexico, where it must be ad-. < mitted the weather is not always fine or the sea smooth. These steamers have all the modern improvements, and steam at the rate of 18 to 14 knots per hour; and their certificate of register states that they have sufficient sail in case of disable A machinery. .y This anonymous writer further states these steamers would register 80 pqr cent, less, or about 1500 tons each, if registered by British measurement H6 has again shown his,- entire ignorance of the subject, for our own experience has been just the contrary; and we think it will be borne out by others who have had an opportunity of seeing Amerioan vessels measured fpr British register. It is a great pity th^t the editor of the " Daily Times" did not take the trouble. , to make some inquiries before publish-* ing a communication entirely devoid, ol-^ truth. We shall, however, take JMJtC^ further notice of anything that. may ;|pi ; J pear in that paper on thb subjectyif ?y anonymously written. — We yar-e, : ~'A&&A ; : ; Driver, Stewart And Cp. y u , ;y;yy; Agents fbr the Contraptors^iy :.A Messrs Holladay anpl Brenbaojl y* *>*y-; y •-,;