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The Ashmore.

There were two ships called Ashmore. The first was one of the Willis Line, a vessel of 400 or 500 tons, which visited Dunedin and Lyttelton in 1854, and Auckland in 1856. The second Ashmore was a fine vessel of 1099 tons, chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Co., which visited Auckland twice. Leaving the Start on May 2, 1881, she made Auckland on July 31, 93 days port to port, or 87 days land to land. The Cape was reached 52 days out, and there to Tasmania the ship had strong gales, her average daily run for 25 days being 220 miles. During a gale of wind the ship lost two gaffs, and for three weeks before making port had no sails on the mizzen mast. Leaving the docks on May 19, 1882, and Gravesend two days later, the Ashmore reached Auckland on September 1, a passage of 103 days. During this voyage she experienced some very heavy weather. On August 6 she lost her jibboom and one of her top-gallant masts, and the repairs took four days to effect. When running down her easting between 43 and 44 south she made some good runs of 300 miles a day. Captain Whitmore was in command on both occasions when the vessel visited Auckland.