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White Wings Vol II. Founding Of The Provinces And Old-Time Shipping. Passenger Ships From 1840 To 1885

The Handy Little Brougham

The Handy Little Brougham.

Although she registered only 250 tons, the ship Brougham, Captain George Kettlewell, put on to take stores shut out of the Platina, was an admirable little sailer, and did the passage in 110 days. When the Platina was put on the berth the Government commandeered such a lot of space for the house intended for Governor Hobson that the New Zealand Company found much of its own stuff still on the docks when the Platina was loaded. The Brougham, the vessel selected to fill the gap, was a solidly-constructed craft, built throughout of teak. She was launched at Bombay, and was originally in the Indian pilot service. She possessed very fine lines for a ship of that date.

Leaving Gravesend on February 16th, 1840, she dropped anchor in Port Nicholson on June 25th. She brought a full cargo of stores and page 23 provisions, and carried only five passengers. Her size made her very easily handled, and after discharge she was used as a dispatch vessel also making passages to Australia, South America, and back again to England, on the Company's business. While on the New Zealand coast she gave an instance of her handiness by negotiating that narrow and difficult cut, the French Pass, a feat which marked her as a smart little craft in command of a real sailor.