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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Mr. Edwin Fairburn

Mr. Edwin Fairburn was born at Paihia, the Bay of Islands Church Mission station, in 1827, and was a son of Mr. W. T. Fairburn, catechist of the Church Missionary Society. He was educated at the Church Mission school at Waimate, Bay of Islands. From 1842 to 1848 he was engaged in farming at Otahuhu, and then entered the Survey Office in Auckland. In his capacity as a surveyor he travelled the Colony, surveyed the town of Oamaru, and subsequently did good professional work on the Thames goldfields, and elsewhere. Mr. Fairburn is the author of a work entitled “Ships of Tarshish,” in which he advocates an entirely different form from that of the present for battle ships, and ships in general. He has also published a pamphlet entitled “Ships of the Future,” in which he shows now, in addition to the essentials of perfect stability in all weathers, and unsinkability, laid down as indispensable in the former work, great speed may be attained; and also suggests the utilisation of wave power as a motor.