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

The Electric

The Electric.

The Electric, a staunch ship built in California in 1854, was unfortunate in striking boisterous weather and meeting with huge icebergs on the two voyages made to New Zealand. She came first to Port Chalmers in 1863, in command of Captain Marshall. Sailing from Greenock with 120 Scotch immigrants on the 22nd January, she encountered very severe gales in the Channel, and was compelled to put into Lamlash Bay, where she remained until the 5th February, when another start was made. In running down her easting, the Electric encountered more severe weather, and passed through an immense pack of icebergs. She arrived at Port Chalmers on the 3rd June, 118 days from her final departure.

In 1867, the Electric, under Captain Lethwaite, came to Auckland, bringing out 55 passengers. She sailed from Gravesend on the 30th September, 1866. In latitude 49 deg., in which parallel the easting was run down, she fell in with a large mass of icebergs. She continued running amongst them for three days and four nights. Captain Lethwaite said it was a wonderful sight, but very dangerous, the ship being obliged to run under easy sail at night. When in latitude 47 deg. and longitude 112 deg. east, the ship again fell in with many icebergs, although nothing like so large or so numerous as on the previous occasion. Many of these ice-islands were from 265 miles long, and varied from 400 to 800 feet in height. Tasmania was rounded on the 6th January, the ship arriving at Auckland on the 22nd January, 1867.