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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900

A Popular Ship

A Popular Ship.

the Lady Jocelyn was built in 1852 by Mare, of London. Some years later she was bought by the Shaw, Savill Company, and under their well-known flag—which by the way was originally the design for the national flag of New Zealand—she made several successful voyages to Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers. She was one of the most comfortable passenger ships in the run, and was always very popular with the travelling public. Captain Jenkins was in command for about seventeen years, from the early sixties until the end of 1881, when he was succeeded by Captain Watt, who was formerly in command of the Wanganui. When the frozen meat trade between the Dominion and the Old Country was being developed, the Lady Jocelyn was fitted with refrigerating machinery and carried cargoes between this country and London. For some years past the Lady Jocelyn has been owned in London by the Shipping Federation (a ship owners' organisation), and used by them as a strike-breaking vessel. When a dock strike happens, if the Federation takes action, they engage free labourers, put them on board the Jocelyn, tow the ship to the affected port, and the free labourers do the work of the strikers, living and feeding on board. Thus they escape molestation. The Jocelyn has London as her home port, and now is a hulk at the West India Docks. Owing to her sturdy construction, she may serve this purpose for many years to come.