OTAGO DAILY TIMES
31 December 1883
TREVELYAN from Clyde to Port Chalmers 1883
The ship Trevelyan, with Immigrants from the Clyde, was
reported from Cape Saunders on the forenoon of December
29, "All Well," and the Harbour Board's tug Plucky at
once proceeded out to meet and tow her in, but after
getting her up to the Heads the strength of the
prevailing S.W. gale was too great, and the ship was
compelled to anchor outside for the night. Yesterday
forenoon the P S Koputai steamed out to her, and taking
her in tow brought her up to the anchorage in Deborah
Bay at 1.30 p.m. On reaching the lower harbour she was
met by the Customs steam launch, having on board
Captain Thomson, the health officer; Dr Drysdale,
medical Member of the local Board of Health ; Mr C.
Allan, Immigration officer; and Mr McDonnall, the
surveyor of Customs. The question put by the official
party in reference to the health of the passengers and
crew having been answered in a satisfactory manner, the
Trevelyan was boarded, and after inspection was at once
cleared in. Since her last visit here the Trevelyan
has changed commanders, Captain Edwards, who then had
her, being replaced by our old friend Captain A. T.
Roberts, a gentleman well known as having brought out
the ship White Eagle, now the New Zealand Shipping
Company's Pareora, some eight years since. We heartily
greet Captain Roberts on his return to Otago, and are
pleased to find that without exception he has gained
the esteem of every one on board his ship - a fact
which is apparent from the very numerous testimonials
presented to him, not only by every class of his
passengers, but from his ship's company, and which
amply prove our old friend has lost none of that
geniality which has made him at all times so popular.
The Trevelyan brings about 1000 tons of cargo,
principally deadweight and has 9 saloon and 320
steerage passengers, from one and all of whom we hear
favourable mention of the ship and her commander. The
officers Mr Sanders, chief; Mr Dickson, second ; Mr
Galloway, third; Dr Jennings, who was last here as
Medical superintendent of the ship Oamaru, occupies a
similar position in the Trevelyan ; and Mr D. Spalding,
late of the Wild Deer, as chief steward, has attended
to the creature comforts of the passengers. The general
health was very good, though we have to record 6 deaths
- two adults and four infants - who died as follows,
October 12, Ebenezer Campbell, aged 12 months,cause
bronchitis; October 18, Mary E. Glover, aged 6 months,
cause bronchitis; October 29, Charles Johnstone, aged 6
months, cause bronchitis; December 6, Duncan Brodie,
aged 37 years cause phthisis; December 12, Windam Smyth
aged 20 years, cause phthisis; December 12, Trevelyan
Edwina Roberts Boardman, aged 27 days, cause marasmus.
Against this there have been three births - Mrs James
Boardman being confined on Nov 15 of a daughter, named
Trevelyan Edwina Roberts; Mrs Andrew Harper on Nov 26
of a daughter, named Isabella Mowat Roberts; and on
December 58; in NZ waters, Mrs Daniel O'Kane, of a son.
The Trevelyan comes into port in that excellent order
which always characterises vessels under Captain
Roberts' command, and has made the passage from port to
port, in 93 days, and from land to land in 89 days and
this would have been considerably lessened but for the
prevalence of the light wind, which have attended her
throughout the passage. The representatives of the
Press, on boarding the good ship, were cordially
greeted by Captain Roberts, who willingly supplied them
with all the details of the passage necessary for
publication, while Dr Jennings accompanied them in the
inspection of the passenger compartments, and afforded
them every information in his power.
The compartments allotted to the single females, of
whom exclusive of the matron and the sub matron, there
were 65, is situated on the after part of the
'tween-decks. Access to it is gained from the main
deck, and this is really the only objectionable part
about it. Dr Jennings very properly demurs to his
unmarried charges, being compelled to go on to the main
deck before being able to gain the poop. Access to
this compartment is gained by part of the saloon being
partitioned off, and from which a companion-way leads
to the 'tween-decks. We found this part of the vessel
extremely clean, and very suitable for the purpose to
which it had been devoted. The ventilation is
excellent, and the height of the 'tween-decks, 7ft 6in,
makes the place most comfortable. An excellent hospital
is formed from one of the saloon state rooms, and there
is ample space for baths and lavatories. Miss Neverson,
the matron, speaks in very favourable terms of the
young women under her charge, as do both Captain
Roberts and Dr Jennings. They appear to be far above
the average class of immigrants. The greater number
are, we are informed, domestic servants, while others
are coming to friends in the Colony. The compartment
devoted to the married people, of which there are 38
couples with 104 children, is in the midship part of
the 'tween-decks. It was found in good order, and its
occupants appeared perfectly satisfied with the
treatment they have received. The usual open-berth
system prevails, we are sorry to say, in the Trevelyan,
as it does with all vessels coming from the Clyde.
There is one very grave fault to which we are compelled
to call attention - that is, the lying-in-hospital
operated in this compartment. It is well know that
absolute quietude is requisite for patients to whom
this compartment is provided, and it will be admitted
that however quiet the 76 adult occupants of married
people's compartments might have been, it was morally
impossible to subject 104 children, of various ages to
the same restraint. Indeed, Dr Jennings informs us he
was compelled, for the safety of one of his patients'
lives, to have her removed from this compartment and
placed in the hospital set apart for the single women.
The unmarried men are placed in the forward compartment
of the 'tween-decks, and considering the fact of all
the coal for the ships consumption being brought up
through this part of the vessel, it is in very good
order. The occupants, 96 in number, are principally
agriculturists, and are highly spoken of both by
Captain Roberts and the medical officer. There are the
usual galleys and other conveniences under the forward
deckhouse, and the only complaint made by Dr Jennings
is that insufficient space was allotted for the
purposes of a bakery; indeed, it was so cramped and
unsuitable that part of the hospital space devoted to
the single men had to be taken for a bakery.
We thank Captain Roberts for the following details,
vessels spoken by the Trevelyan, and for the account of
her passage, taken from his abstract log:- The
Trevelyan left the Clyde on September 23 at 2a.m.,
landed her pilot off Waterford at 4 p.m. on the next
day, and had moderate winds from the N.N.E. to N.W.
with fine weather until October 8, when slight and
unsettled winds set in from the N.W. to N.N.E.,
afterwards turning to sultry weather. She had no
north-east trades, but met light winds, principally
from E.S.E. to E.N.E., with fine weather, until October
15, when in latitude 15.85 north, longitude 25.32 west,
on which day she passed the Island of San Antonio, and
met strong winds from E.N.E. to east, with clear
weather, which continued until October 17, when light
variable airs and doldrum weather commenced; and on
October 20, in latitude 6.3 N., longitude 24.30 W., she
sent Home letters by the Italian barque Nuovo Maltes,
from Rangoon. She had contrary winds until October 30,
when S.S.E. winds were taken in latitude 1.7 N.,
longitude 24.11 W.; and on the next day she crossed the
equator in longitude 26.3 W. the south east trades
were picked up on the equator; they were steady at the
outset, but fell light towards the end, and gave out in
latitude 14.58 S., longitude 12.5 W. Thence she had
the wind from E.N.E. to N.E. by E., in variable
weather, down to November 17, in latitude 52.27 S.,
longitude 19.22 W. when very light N.W. winds set in,
and on November 30 she passed the island of Tristan
d'Acunba. Thence she met variable winds and crossed the
meridian of Greenwich on November 25 in longitude 44.13
S.; rounded the Cape of Good Hope on November 28, and
had variable winds until December 10, on which day
westerly winds set in. She passed Cape Leuwin on
December 17, and Tasmania on December 21; made the
Snares at 10 a.m. on the 28th, and anchored off Otago
Heads at 4.30 p.m. on the 29th, the tug Plucky being
unable to bring her into port that evening.
She spoke the following vessels:-
October 20 - Italian Barque Nuovo Mattio, Rangoon to
Queenstown, 123 days out, and all well;
sent letters Home by her; latitude 6.3 N.,
longitude 24.30 West.
November 7 - JCQV, American ship Riverside, Cardiff to
Rio de Janeiro 50 days out; latitude 14.58
S., longitude 23.25 W.
November 9 - QMWL, Italian barque, Swansea to Table Bay
52 days out; latitude 10.23 S., longitude
30.4 west.
November 10 - Ship Beecroft (of Liverpool), San
Francisco to Queenstown, 70 days out;
latitude 22.48 S., longitude 28.30 west.
November 14 - JCQL, American ship Conqueror, steering
north; latitude 29.44 S., longitude 22.32
west.
Provided by Rex Roberts, 2006 |