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

Sail Beats Steam

Sail Beats Steam.

Mr. Basil Lubbock publishes an incident related to him by one of the officers of the steamer Ruapehu. "In 1895 the Ruapehu was running her easting down on her outward passage when a sailing ship was reported astern. Orders were given on the Ruapehu to drive the ship, and the patent log showed a good 14 knots. Three hours later the Turakina passed along our lee side. She held her own with reduced sails until 9.30 p.m. Next day at noon we had run 315 miles. At midnight the wind came aft and next morning the Turakina had passed out of sight. It was a wonderful performance and made a man feel glad to be alive to see it." the Turakina held her own for fourteen days. She covered the 5000 miles between the meridians of the Cape and Leeuwin in sixteen days, her best runs being 328, 316 and 308.

the Turakina was originally built for Smith's famous City Line, in the Indian trade. Eventually she was sold by the New Zealand Shipping Company to the Norwegians, and under the name of Elida she is still afloat.