Beat Them All.

On this particular voyage, which was in the wool season, the Westland was the last of the fleet of 20 sailing ships to leave New Zealand; yet she arrived Home 22 days before any of the others. She cleared the Bluff one hour after the Wairoa, a full-rigged ship, and had discharged and was loaded again at London before the Wairoa put in an appearance. In fact, this latter vessel, which made the voyage in the respectable time of 91 days, was only just arriving as the Westland was being towed out of the dock.

On the arrival of the Westland at Wellington in 1881 she was placed in quarantine owing to the presence of smallpox. During the voyage, on 6th October, a squall struck the ship, carry-page 29ing away several yards and throwing two sailors who were making fast the yard royal into the sea. Both were drowned. On the 18th of the same month an apprentice fell from aloft into the sea. A boat was lowered, but he was not seen again.

The voyage of the Westland to Wellington in 1895 was remarkable for the tempestuous weather encountered at the meridian of the Cape. A terrific hurricane from the north-west was met with. The ship was hove-to for 16 hours, during which time the main lower topsail burst and the foretopmast staysail was split into ribbons. Mountainous seas swept over the forepart of the vessel, carrying away the whisker, the flying jib, the boom, and the forecastle rail, starting the forecastle deck, and doing other damage. The ship was squared and the foresail set, but again fearful seas broke aboard, sweeping the deck from stem to stern, carrying away two of the forward boats and everything movable on deck. The heavy seas started bolts, split skids, and smashed the forecastle doors and ladders. The compass stands and binnacle were also injured.

In the passage made in 1893 Captain Kelly reported that the long voyage of 119 days was due to a series of gales at the outset, during which sails were blown away and all deck fittings damaged. The ship put back to Lamlash Bay for repairs, and was detained there 16 days. Very heavy gales were also met with in the Southern Ocean.

On September 8th, 1900, when the Westland was bound for Wellington, Captain Kelly died at sea, and the ship was brought on by the chief officer, Mr. Samuel. Captain Kelly had been seven years in the Westland and 25 years in the service of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company.

In 1885, when bound to Dunedin, in command of Captain McWilliams, the Westland ran from the Cape of Good Hope to Shag Point in 16 days.

the Westland is also credited with having on another occasion made the passage from Wellington to London in 71 days.

Captain White, a partner in the firm of Nearing and Co., now carrying on business in Auckland, who was for 12 years at sea in sailing vessels, was second officer and first mate on the Westland during many of her fast runs; and Captain Fox, also a partner with Captain White in the same firm, was apprenticed on the Westland, and later rose to be second and chief officer of the ship. Captain white states that the Westland, under the command of Captain Kelly, ran from Wellington to Astoria, Oregon, in 44 days, thence with a cargo of salmon to Liverpool in 79 days round Cape Horn.