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

The Elizabeth Ann Bright

The Elizabeth Ann Bright.

The ship Elizabeth Ann Bright had a great reputation for fast sailing. In 1863, during the Waikato war, she was chartered by the Government to bring out troops. She was one of the celebrated Black Ball liners, a vessel of 1919 tons, in command of Captain Starkie. The ship sailed from Portsmouth with the headquarters of the 18th Royal Irish, and took her final departure from Land's End on April 10. Tin Equator was crossed on May 5, and the meridian of the Cape on the 30th of the same month. She ran down her longitude between the parallels of 44 and 45 south, experiencing moderate weather and passed to the southward of Tasmania on June 22. Eight days later, on June 30, Cape Maria Van Diemen was made, and Auckland reached on July 1, 85 days from Plymouth, Six deaths occurred during the passage, two soldiers and four children, and there were five births.

the Elizabeth Ann Bright's cargo consisted only of some 150 tons of Government stores. The whole of the officers, men, and all on board (908 in number) spoke in the highest terms of Captain Starkie and the ship.

The following officers arrived by the ship: Lieut.-Colonel A. A. Chapman; Captains Inman, Bishop, Ring, Fearnley, Koblett; Lieuts. Wray, Briggs, Corrie, Thacker, Nicolls, Minnitt, Croft, Russell, Ensigns J. B. Jackson, C. Dawson, A. J. A. Jackson. Butts, Haines, Phillips, Pringle, Bicknell, Chapman; Paymaster and Major Heatley; Lieut, and Adjutant Dawson, Quartermaster Staniforth; Surgeon Peake, Staff-Assistant Surgeon Barry (total 28); and five officers' wives and 13 children; also 688 rank and file (70 women and 102 children).