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

The England

The England.

the England, a ship of 853 tons, was chartered by the Shaw, Savill Co. for six voyages to the Dominion. Her first appearance was in 1865, when she brought out to Dunedin 85 passengers and a general cargo. She sailed from London on June 9, and cleared the Channel four days later. She made a good run to Otago Heads, when she was blown off the coast for eight days. The passage occupied 95 days, land to land. The following voyage she ran out in 81 days, land to land.

The voyage of the England to Wellington in 1871-72 appears to have been made under great difficulties. For some reason the doctor in charge was off duty for nearly two-thirds of the passage. At one time, stated Captain Harrington, the best half of the ship's company was laid up with sickness in the Southern Seas, amidst gales and icebergs, All the passengers who could be spared from attending the sick were placed in watches, and even then the captain could with the greatest difficulty muster five or six in a watch, such was the strain upon them in attending their families in sickness. On arrival at Wellington, in the absence of the doctor, Captain Harrington reported 16 deaths during the voyage, including three adults. The vessel was immediately placed in quarantine and the passengers landed at Somes Island, with Dr. Buller in charge. Three days later Dr. Buller reported there were several cases of sickness among the passengers, and two distinct cases of smallpox, the patients being adults. The passengers en masse made complaints of negligence and ill-treatment against the ship's doctor, and later a commission of inquiry was held by Dr. Hector, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Halcome, but as the proceedings were held with closed doors the result of the inquiry was not disclosed.

The outward passages recorded by the England were:—

To Auckland.
Sailed. Arrived. Captain. Days.
Oct. 20, '66 Feb. 9, '67 FOX 112
To Wellington.
Sailed. Arrived. Captain. Days.
Dec. 3, '70 Mar. 19, '71 Harrington 106
Dec. 8, '71 Mar. 9, '72 Harrington 92
To Dunedin.
June 9 Sep. 25, '65 Houston 108
Dec. 19, '67 Mar. 16, '68 Fox 87
June 19, '69 Sep. 30, '69 Fox 103