Captain Edwin Sinel Babot, Marine Superintendent of the Shaw-Savill and Albion Company for New Zealand, was born at Southampton, England. He was educated at Greenwich College, and in 1846 went to sea as an apprentice in a vessel trading to South American ports. Four years later he passed page 783 his examination as a second mate, shipping on board the Catherine, a vessel engaged in the Indian trade. Subsequently Captain Babot joined the ship “John Bunyan” in Liverpool as second mate, but before leaving the Mersey had to take the position of chief officer. After one voyage he passed his examination as master, and took charge of the same vessel. This was in the year 1855. Captain Babot remained in command of the “John Bunyan” for about two years, and for a like period lived in London, where he was engaged in preparing officers for examination. In 1859 he joined the ship “Wild Duck” as chief officer, and made two voyages to Wellington. Captain Babot afterwards took the command successively of the ships “Vicar of Bray” and “William Miles,” in each of which he made several voyages. During the American war, in the sixties, he became part proprietor and captain of the ship “Lovebird,” a Baltimors clipper, and made a notable voyage from London to Mexico with a cargo of contraband goods, consisting of 75,000 Enfield rifles and a large quantity of ammunition. Successfully running the blockade, he entered the harbour of Matamoras—between Texas and Mexico—where he was taken prisoner by the French, who seized the “Lovebird” and her cargo. After twelve months he was released, and as the seizure of the ship was held to be illegal, Captain Babot regained possession. He now chartered a Spanish steamer, which he loaded with the firearms, etc., and going to Havannah, turned them into cash. His vessel, the “Lovebird,” which had followed, was loaded with sugar, and sailed for Havre, and after disposing of her cargo, he returned to London, where he sold the vessel. Captain Babot next accepted the command of the ship “Water Nymph,” which he brought out to the Bluff, being the first direct ship to land cargo at that port. After the succeeding voyage to Auckland, Captain Babot went to Camaru, where this vessel was lost. Returning to England, he took the command of the ship “Hydaspes,” in which he traded for some thirteen years, till she was sunk off Dungeness after being run into by a steamer. In 1880 Captain Babot made a voyage to Wellington, in charge of the s.s. “Northumberland.” He then superintended the building at Glasgow of the s.s. “Kent,” for Messrs. Money, Wigram and Co., in which he afterwards made a voyage, calling at Australian ports., Returning to London, Captain Babot became Marine Superintendent for the Shaw Savill and Albion Company in the Metropolis, and in May, 1884, arrived in Wellington to take the same position in New Zealand, which he still holds.