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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900
Captain Cowan
Captain Cowan.
Captain Cowan, commanded the Wellington when she was first launched, and he made 19 voyages to New Zealand, bringing many thousand immigrants from London and Glasgow to the chief ports in New Zealand, but mainly to Lyttelton and Port Chalmers. Captain Cowan was much esteemed by his passengers as a gentleman, and he was a very fine sailor. Before taking over the Wellington he commanded the Wild Deer, Helenslee and Margaret Galbraith and other ships running to the Dominion.
the Wellington made some very good passages to New Zealand, her best run port to port being 74 days from Glasgow to Port Chalmers (70 days land to land)page 50.gif)
in 1877-78. On her first voyage Home in 1875 the Wellington ran from Port Chalmers to London in 69 days. The ship put a fine finish to her record in the trade. This was in 1904. She left Lyttelton on February 13 of that year, loaded with wool, and ran to the English Channel in 75 days. At the end of this voyage, her last under the British
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flag, she was sold by the Shaw Savill Company to S. O. Stray, of Norway, for the low sum of £3150. It was on December 3, 1906. that this craft of many adventures met her doom. She was being towed from Gulfport, U.S.A., to Rosario, Argentine, and had to be abandoned on her beam ends, and afterwards foundered.
in 1877-78. On her first voyage Home in 1875 the Wellington ran from Port Chalmers to London in 69 days. The ship put a fine finish to her record in the trade. This was in 1904. She left Lyttelton on February 13 of that year, loaded with wool, and ran to the English Channel in 75 days. At the end of this voyage, her last under the British
Captain Cowan.
Following is the list of the Wellington's passages to New Zealand:
| To Auckland. | |||
| Sailed. | Arrived. | Captain. | Days. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 2, '81 | Jan. 2, '82 | Cowan | 90 |
| To Wellington. | |||
| June 26 | Oct. 6, '97 | Canese | 102 |
| NOV. 9 | Feb. 17, '02 | Thomas | 100 |
| To Nelson. | |||
| Oct. 9 | Jan. 14,'03 | Thomas | 97 |
| To Lyttelton. | |||
| Sep. 4 | Oct. 11, '86 | Cowan | 99 |
| Sep. 12 | Dec. 12, '87 | Cowan | 91 |
| Sep. 10 | Dec. 19, '88 | Cowan | 100 |
| Oct. 11, '90 | Jan. 16, '91 | Cowan | 82 |
| Land to land | 74 | ||
| Dec. 19, '91 | Apr. 2, '92 | Cowan | 103 |
| To Port Chalmers. | |||
| Dec. 4, '74 | Feb. 25, '75 | Cowan | 82 |
| Lana to land | 70 | ||
| Dec. 18, '75 | Mar. 17, '76 | Cowan | 88 |
| Dec. 17, '76 | Apr. 1, '77 | Cowan | 105 |
| Nov. 23, '77 | Feb. 6, '78 | Cowan | 74 |
| Land to land | 70 | ||
| Nov. 29, '78 | Feb. 17, '79 | Cowan | 79 |
| Nov. 12, '79 | Jan. 29, '80 | Cowan | 77 |
| *Nov. 7, '80 | Jan. 24, '81 | Cowan | 79 |
| Dec. 9, '82 | Mar. 12, '83 | Cowan | 92 |
| NOV. 29, '83 | Feb. 17, '84 | Cowan | 80 |
| NOV. 22, '84 | Feb. 5, '85 | Cowan | 76 |
| Dec. 12, '92 | Mar. 25, '93 | Cowan | 102 |
| Sep. 21, '00 | Jan. 5, '900 | Thomas | 90 |