PURCHASE OF WEST INDIA MAIL BOAT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1217, 28 August 1911, Page 4

PURCHASE OF WEST INDIA MAIL BOAT.

I3Y UNION COMPANY. (By Teleuraiili.—Press Association.) Duncdin, August 28. The Union Company has bought tlifl steamer Port Kingston from the imperial Direct West India Mail Service Company, and intends to use her in ('lie Wel-ling'ton-San Francisco trade. The Port Kingston has been running in the mail eervieo between Kiiglaml and Jamaica, and is said to lie admirably suited for the passenger service, most of the accommodation being on Clio bridge deck. Sho will bo renamed Tahiti, and will leavo for New Zealand in about a month a time, after the alterations have _ bc«n made to lit her tor the now svrvieo. A Press Association message was toreived from ]«>wlon at !>.!i p.m. yesterday in connection with this transaction, stating (hat the price paid for tho vessel was iioo.oou. |The Port Kingston is a steel twin-screw steamer of 7555 tons gross, and was built by A. Stephen and Sons, Glasgow, in 1(101. tier principal dimensions are MO feet by 55 feet bv 21 feet 'I inches. She wa.s tho largest steamer of the ownery from which she iuts now lven purchased bv the Union Oimpanv. Tho line was subsidised for (en years for tho coyvcyanfe of Uriti.sh and Weft Indian mails, and all (lie livo steamers belonging to it were aho special, ly fitted up for conveying fruit.]