The name Queen, both by itself and in combination with other words, has always been popular on the sea, and in the history of sailing ships in New Zealand there have been some handsome bearers of the name. In going through my records I find about twenty "Queens" that have traded out to New Zealand, and must have brought many hundreds of people in the early days of the colony. In previous articles I have dealt with the Queen Bee, Queen of Beauty, and May Queen, and now add others to the list. Many of the Queens came out under charter to the Shaw, Savill Co.

Queen Of The Deep.

the Queen of the Deep, a fine ship of 1257 tons, was when launched at St. John's, New Brunswick, in 1863, given the name of Our Pearl. Her first voyage was to Liverpool, where she was purchased by Messrs. Rylands, Seddon and Co., who had the name changed to the Queen of the Deep. On February 14, 1864, she sailed from London for Auckland with many saloon and second-class passengers; also 130 Government immigrants. She cleared the Channel two days after leaving the Downs, and then experienced a succession of calms and light winds. The south-east trades also proved indifferent, being light and baffling. Owing to these unfavourable circumstances she was 61 days out when she crossed the meridian of the Cape. In running down her easting she encountered some strong gales, which again impeded her progress, but from Cape Leeuwin she made a good run across to the Three Kings, which were sighted on June 12, and two days later she dropped anchor at Auckland, the passage having occupied 117 days from the Downs.

The ship had a narrow escape of going ashore off Teneriffe. She was standing close in shore when the wind dropped suddenly, and the vessel, being becalmed, was carried almost ashore by the tide. All the ship's boats were launched and succeeded in towing her out of danger.

The ship came out in command of Captain French. Among the saloon passengers arriving by the Queen of the Deep were Captains Clark and Halstead, of the 57th Regiment; Captains Brett and Lieut. Blythe, of the 43rd Regiment, at the time stationed in Auckland. Owing to many of the officers of the 43rd having been killed in the war, the two junior lieutenants were immediately promoted to fill vacancies in the commissioned ranks. Two other saloon passengers were civil engineers. One was Mr. Rotter, who erected the Tiritiri lighthouse, and the second was Mr. Aylmer, who erected a lighthouse at Mana Island, off Wellington. the Queen of the Deep sailed from Auckland for Callao, and did not return to New Zealand.

Queen Of The Mersey.

the Queen of the Mersey, another American-built ship of 1227 tons, was built in 1860 for Mr. H. Melvain, of Newcastle. In 1862 she was chartered for two voyages to New Zealand. On July 3 she sailed from London for Lyttelton with 349 Government immigrants under Captain Aitkin, and arrived on October 19, 1862, making the passage in 108 days. Ten deaths occurred, mostly children, from measles, During the passage a serious mutiny took place among a portion of the crew. The cause of the offence was the old story, "grog," some of the crew having contrived to broach cargo and get at the spirits. After the men had been placed in irons Captain Aitkin was violently assaulted and struck by one of the sailors with the handcuffs, by which he was seriously hurt. On arrival of the ship at Lyttelton five of the men were brought up at the Police Court and sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

The following year Captain Aitkin brought the ship to Auckland. She sailed from Gravesend on August 1, 1863, having on board a number of returned colonists and a full complement of immigrants. The ship occupied nearly four months on the passage, and the provisions became very scarce. After leaving the Downs she experienced a succession of light and variable winds until crossing the Equator on September 17, 47 days from Gravesend. She encountered a fierce gale off the Cape, during whichpage 246 the cargo shifted, and the vessel was thrown on her beam ends, her yards dipping in the water for nearly 24 hours. With a lull in the weather she was righted, but strong easterly winds continued for a week. The ship then had a good run to the Three Kings, which were sighted on November 23, thence baffling winds to the Little Barrier, when a gentle northerly breeze brought her into port on November 26.

Among the passengers by the Queen of the Mersey were Mr. and Mrs. James Stuart Milne and family of three sons and two daughters. The Misses Milne opened a millinery business in Wyndham Street in 1866, and carried on at that address for some years. After her marriage to Mr. Choyce, Miss C. Milne retired, and the former joined Miss M. J. Milne in partnership, and the firm became Milne and Choyce. In 1880 the business removed to Wellesley Street, and attained such proportions that in the year 1901 it was turned into a joint stock company. The site of the present magnificent block in Queen Street was acquired in 1909. Mrs. H. C. Choyce is the sole surviving member of the Milne family that came by the Queen of the Mersey, and her nephew, Mr. Stuart Milne, is the managing director of the present company.

Other passengers were: Mr. Breeze and a family of four, who pioneered at Fernlea, Warkworth; the two Creeks, who later took up land at Kaipara Flats, and whose descendants are now working five farms; the Davis brothers, who pioneered at Samoa, and later purchased Makarau Island, Kaipara; also Mr. and Mrs. Meddins and family, who settled in the Thames Valley.

Queen Of India.

Another fine ship built at New Brunswick in 1859 for the Merchants Trading Co., Liverpool, was the Queen of India, a vessel of over 1000 tons. She was engaged in 1864-5 for two voyages to Otago, Captain Grainger being in command. Her first appearance at Port Chalmers was in 1864. She sailed from London on March 23, and made a smart run to the Equator—25 days. She was delayed by calms in the tropics, and rounded the Cape on the sixtieth day out. Unfavourable weather followed the ship when running down her easting, and she arrived at Port Chalmers on July 14, 100 days port to port. In the following year, under Captain Thornton, the ship made a smart run of 86 days, port to port, arriving at Port Chalmers on June 21, 1865. the Queen of India had good accommodation for only a few passengers. On each voyage she brought out about thirty.

Queen Of Nations.

the Queen of Nations was described on her arrival at Auckland in 1874 as an Aberdeen clipper built in 1861. She made only one voyage to New Zealand. She sailed from the Mersey on March 17, and proceeded to Belfast to take in a full complement of immigrants, and finally sailed on March 21, under Captain Donald. She carried light winds and fine weather to the Equator, which was crossed on April 23. On the 22nd of the following month the meridian of the Cape was passed. She experienced a succession of south-east gales, which ran the vessel down to 54 degrees south. A few days before sighting the Three Kings, on July 2, the vessel was in company with the James Wishart, and the two ships sailed in company until arrival at Auckland on July 5. Three deaths occurred during the voyage. The passage occupied 105 days from Belfast, and the James Wishart took 106 from Gravesend. About a week before the arrival of the Queen of Nations at Auckland great excitement was caused by a false report being circulated that the ship had been wrecked and all the passengers and crew had perished.

the Queen of Nations was wrecked at Woollongong, N.S.W., on May 31, 1881, when outward bound to Sydney. All hands were saved except one.

Queen Of The Age.

The N.Z. Shipping Co. chartered the smart barque Queen of the Age for one voyage only to New Zealand. She was a vessel of 757 tons, built at Sunderland in 1855. The vessel sailed from Gravesend on November 16, 1873, for Auckland with 165 immigrants, and after a somewhat eventful voyage arrived at that port on March 2, 1874, making the passage under Captain Montgomerie in 105 days from Torbay. She struck heavy weather at the start, followed by light north-east trade winds, crossing the Equator on December 18, 32 days out from Gravesend. The south-east trades, which were fallen in with two days later, were also light, and the meridian of the Cape was not passed until January 12. The vessel made a good run thence to Tasmania of 29 days. Here she encoun-page 247tered severe gales from the north-east, which continued for several days, followed by calms and light winds, until sighting the New Zealand coast. At this stage one of the immigrants, William Denny, died, and during the gale one of the seamen was knocked overboard and drowned.

During the heavy squalls off Tasmania some of the sailors, led by a bully named Thitbourn, created a mutiny, which necessitated the captain putting them in irons. The men broke open several cases and appropriated their contents, and when charged with the offence threatened to burn the ship. Having saturated the men's quarters with oil, their intention was, after firing the ship, to get away in the lifeboat, which was discovered packed with stores. After the men had been placed in irons Captain Montgomerie placed a guard, under arms, over them, composed of passengers, until the ship arrived at Auckland, when the men were sent to gaol.

Among the passengers who arrived by the ship was Dr. Payne, who settled at the Thames.

Queen Of The West.

the Queen of the West was a small barque of 438 tons, built by Pile at Sunderland in 1867, and originally owned by W. Price, of London. She was chartered ten years later, and made two voyages to New Zealand. Her first trip was to Wellington, commanded by Captain T. Dalrymple. She left London on February 23. Nothing eventful occurred on the run out, and after a passage of 119 days she arrived on June 13, 1877.

The following year, 1878, the barque sailed from London for Auckland, and arrived on July 9, 119 days from Gravesend.

Queen Of The North.

This was another American-built ship, a vessel of 1668 tons. She was launched in 1860 at New Brunswick, and five years later was sent out with immigrants in command of Captain Green. She sailed from London on February 17 and arrived at Auckland on June 11, 1865.

Nine years later, in 1874, a barque of 825 tons bearing the same name brought out 217 immigrants to Napier. She sailed on October 21, 1873, under Captain Dice, and arrived there on February 2, 1874, making the passage in 104 days.

The Warrior Queen.

the Warrior Queen, a fine frigate-built ship of 988 tons, traded to Dunedin from 1865 until 1874, and always made good average passages. Captain Wilson commanded the ship for eight years, and during this period the vessel never sustained any serious damage. With the exception of the last voyage, in 1874, from Bristol, the ship sailed from London Docks. the Warrior Queen was not fitted up to carry immigrants, but she had comfortable accommodation for about seventy saloon and second-class passengers; she averaged about fifty each voyage. The records of the Warrior Queen were:—

Queen Of Cambria.

This barque, a vessel of 865 tons, made one voyage only to New Zealand. She was under the command of Captain Parry, and arrived at Dunedin on February 10, 1883, making the passage in 90 days from Deal and 85 land to land.

The Iron Queen.

the Iron Queen, a fine barque sent out by the Shaw, Savill Co., made one voyage only to the Dominion. She arrived at Auckland under the command of Captain Smith on December 28, 1877, with thirty passengers and a general cargo, the passage occupying 110 days from Gravesend. The vessel experienced favourable weather throughout the passage, and sighted the North Cape five days before her arrival in port. During the voyage several large icebergs were sighted.

Queen Of The Avon.

This was an old vessel of 460 tons. She ran out twice to Wellington. As early as 1859 she sailed from London on March 23, and arrived on July 13, making the passage in 112 days, Captain Gilbert being in command. After discharging part of her cargo, she sailed for Nelson, arriving there on July 27.

On the second voyage, under Captain Jones, she made the passage in 115 days. She sailed from Gravesend on April 16, and arrived at Wellington on August 9, 1863.

The British Queen.

the British Queen, a barque of 569 tons, in command of Captain Nott, arrived at Auckland on August 31, 1859, after a lengthy passage of 141 days. She brought out 124 passengers, who, notwithstanding the protracted voyage, arrived in excellent health. Captain Nott stated the ship, shortly after clearing the Channel, commenced to leak badly, and he returned to Plymouth, where repairs were effected; the ship had also been delayed by a succession of light baffling winds during the greater part of the run. The barque passed through Bass Straits, and the first land sighted on the New Zealand coast was Manukau Heads, on August 23.

Queen Margaret.

This vessel, a barque of 555 tons, in command of Captain Spence, was sent from London with immigrants in 1855 to Nelson. She arrived there on October 18, making the passage in 116 days.

Fairy Queen.

I have no details of the voyage of this ship. She arrived at Auckland on July 9, 1850, after a long and tedious passage of 150 days from the London docks.

Queen Mab.

the Queen Mab was a large ship of 1000 tons. She sailed from Glasgow on May 3, and arrived at Port Chalmers on August 2, 1887, 91 days out.