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

The Monarchs

page 312

The Monarchs.

Well-named Ships—Beautifully-fitted Craft.

Three handsome ships of between 1000 and 2000 tons register, the Eastern, Western, and Northern Monarchs, made periodical visits to New Zealand during the Vogel immigration scheme in the 'seventies and early 'eighties. All three ships were owned by the Royal Exchange Shipping Co., London, and were chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Co. They were splendidly equipped for the convenience and comfort of passengers.

The Eastern Monarch.

the Eastern Monarch, a vessel of 1706 tons, made a sensational passage to Lyttelton. She sailed from Plymouth on
Barque Alice Cameron.

Barque Alice Cameron.

May 7, 1874, with 560 Government immigrants, in command of Captain A. Donaldson, having, in spite of contrary winds at the commencement of the voyage, made the run in 71 days 19 hours from Plymouth, one of the fastest passages ever experienced to Lyttelton. The Equator was crossed on June 5, and the meridian of the Cape on June 23. The Snares were sighted on July 18, and the ship, having a good run up the coast, sighted the Lyttelton light on the 20th, and anchored early the following morning. the Eastern Monarch, an iron vessel, built at Sunderland by Messrs. Mounsey and Foster, was on her maiden voyage when visiting Lyttelton. She was beautifully fitted up, each cabin being luxuriously adorned with velvet pile couches, handsome Brussels carpets, and elegant mirrors. In fact, the accommodation was in all respects similar to that of a first-class ocean mail steamer.

The Western Monarch.

the Western Monarch was another handsome ship, and had fine accommodation for passengers. The vessel was of 1315 tons, built and launched at Barrow by the Barrow Shipbuilding Co. in 1875. She made four voyages to the Dominion, and brought out a large number of our early settlers. Her first voyage was to Port Chalmers in 1878, when she made an excellent run of 85 days from Gravesend, and 79 land to land. She came again the following year to Port Chalmers via the Bluff. She arrived at the Bluff on January 20, and Port Chalmers on January 27, 1879. Thepage 313 passage to the Bluff was made in 76 days, where she landed 400 Government immigrants, and then proceeded to Port Chalmers, arriving there seven days later. She ran from the Cape to the Solanders in 24 days. the Western Monarch also made two smart passages to Wellington.

the Western Monarch, sailing for Port Chalmers, was in collision with a schooner shortly after leaving the docks for Gravesend in December, 1877. The damage sustained by the Monarch was not serious, and the necessary repairs were made at Gravesend. She had left the docks on the 23rd, and finally sailed from Gravesend on December 28. Captain Watson was held responsible for the collision, and had to pay the costs. During this voyage, when in the tropics, the Jessie Osborne was in company, and several of the passengers of the Monarch visited the Jessie Osborne.

The passages she made were:—

To Wellington.
Sailed. Arrived. Captain. Days.
Oct. 1, '79 Jan. 2, '80 Watson 85
Dec. 16, '86 Mar. 19, '87 Cawse 93
To Port Chalmers.
Dec. 28, '77 Mar. 23, '78 Watson 85
Land to land 79
*Oct. 30, '78 Jan. 27, '79 Watson 83
To Bluff.
Oct. 30, '78 Jan. 20, '79 Watson 76
*

* Via Bluff.

The Northern Monarch.

Wrecked Off Egmont.

the Northern Monarch, another fine powerful iron ship of 1230 tons, built at Dumbarton in 1875, had also excellent accommodation for passengers. In 1879 she brought out 350 Government immigrants and six saloon passengers to Lyttelton, making the passage in 93 days, port to port. She sailed from Plymouth on October 31, and experienced fine weather, but only two days of easterly winds, instead of the regular north-east trades, and when running down the easting bad very unfavourable weather. After sighting the Snares a heavy gale sprang up, the vessel being under lower main topsail for 25 hours.

the Northern Monarch met with severe gales on the passage to Wellington in 1897. Captain Nixon reported it was one of the roughest passages he had ever experienced.

The barque, when still in command of Captain Nixon, stranded on the Taranaki coast on November 7, 1903, and became a total wreck. She was then rigged as a barque, and was bound from Newcastle to Callao, loaded with 1730 tons of coal. The scene of the wreck was about 34 miles from New Plymouth and between Cape Egmont lighthouse and Opunake Bay. She was lying in much the same position as the Northern Co.'s Gairloch, previously wrecked on this coast. Although the weather was described as being fine, with a north-east breeze when the ship struck, the crew managed to save only the things in which they stood. An attempt was later made to reach the wreck to enable them to save their clothing, but this failed, as the wind drove the boat eight miles from the wreck. Captain Nixon's personal loss was estimated at £200.

At the nautical inquiry the Court found that the first mate was responsible for the disaster, having altered the course of the barque during the night without the permission of the captain. His certificate was suspended for twelve months, and he was ordered to pay costs. The captain's and second officer's certificates were returned.

Passages made by the Northern Monarch were:—

To Wellington.
Sailed. Arrived. Captain. Days.
Feb. 16, '97 June 5, '97 Nixon 109
To Lyttelton.
Oct. 31, '78 Feb. 1, '79 Ransom 93
To Port Chalmers.
*Feb. 16 June 27, '97 Nixon
*

* Via wellinngton.

page 314

The Monarch.

The Monarch, at one time a fine frigate-built ship of 1450 tons, was launched from Green's yard at Blackwall in 1844, and at that time was owned by R. Green. She was in the Australian trade for many years. Early in the 'sixties she was purchased by Mr. Savill, and was one of the first Ships owned by the Shaw, Savill. The Monarch made two voyages only to New Zealand. She came to Auckland in 1866, in command of Captain Macey, arriving on July 26, to the great relief of friends of passengers and consignees, after an eventful passage of 151 days.

On this voyage the Monarch was not a dry craft in more senses than one, as before a fortnight had elapsed some brandy was broached. She was decidedly leaky, and this meant pumping once a watch, or in other words once every four hours. Towards the end of March the crew, who had been showing signs of unrest, flatly refused duty, saying it was unsafe to proceed further on the voyage in such a vessel.

The Navy Takes a Hand.

On the 31st, the ship then being off the coast of South America about the latitude of Pernambuco, she fell in with H.M.S. Stromboli, the captain of which decided that there was no necessity for abandoning the voyage to New Zealand, but he recommended that the ship be headed for Rio de Janeiro in order that a proper examination might be made, and also that a second pump might be obtained.

Eventually, after further trouble, on April 10 land was sighted. Three days later the leaky old craft was safely anchored at the discharging ground in Rio, and at that time she was making an inch of water an hour. Again the Navy came to the rescue. The captain of H.M.s. Megaera, that happened to be lying in the harbour, ordered an examination of the Monarch's hull, the trouble was located in the forefoot and before it could be rectified the ship had to be lightened in order that some of the copper might be stripped off and some recaulking done.

While the ship was in Rio there was much trouble with the crew, and at one time a guard from the Megaera was ordered aboard. It was not until the end of April that the ship was once more nosing her way to New Zealand, but her troubles were not all over yet.

The cargo seemed to have an irresistible attraction for the crew, and on May 30 we find the skipper mustering the whole crew, announcing that one of the bulk-heads had been broken open, and threatening that if it were tampered with after the carpenter had made all safe he would prosecute the whole lot of them when the ship reached Auckland.

Passengers at the Brandy.

Yet once more we find a little cargo-broaching incident. This time it is two passengers who are the culprits. Cutting a hole through the deck in their quarters they got at some spirits and other cargo, and of the success of their foraging there was ample evidence in their boxes—bottles of brandy, boots, sardines and clothes being among the articles recovered. Both men were made prisoners by the simple process of locking them up in a cabin. Another passenger was added to the number on a charge of being an accessory to the cutting of the hole in the deck. A strict watch was kept on the prisoners, as they threatened to set fire to the ship if they got a chance. Before Auckland was reached on July 26 this thrice unlucky vessel met with more heavy weather, and it is quite safe to say that no logbook kept by the early visitors to New Zealand contained such a record of strange happenings as that of the Monarch.

In 1870 the Monarch, commanded by Captain John Paddle, for many years sailing the barque Strathallan, arrived at Lyttelton on September 6, after a very fine passage of 104 days, or 89 land to land. The weather during the voyage was unusually fine, a few ordinary gales only having been experienced in running down the easting. On this occasion there was no trouble with the crew, and the 200 immigrants arriving by the vessel spoke in high praise of the treatment they had received during the voyage.

In 1876 the old Monarch sailed from Bombay to Rangoon, and was never heard of again.

Another vessel of 450 tons bearing the name Monarch arrived at Auckland, via Wellington, in command of Captain Smale, on June 20, 1850. She came again under Captain Dixon, arriving at Auckland on September 4, 1854