THE ARMADA OF WHALERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1480, 1 July 1912, Page 5

THE ARMADA OF WHALERS.

ANOTHER ONE IN POET. No sooner had the first fleet of Norwegian whaling vessels got clear' of. Wellington for their prospective hunting grounds, than another vessel belonging (o a different company put in an appearance. The new arrival is called the Sorrell, a steamer of 4G toils net register, under command of Captain A. Ellefsen. She arrived at this port at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday.

Tho Sorrell has been engaged in hunting for whales oIV the Newfoundland coast and in the vicinity of Iceland, and eaine down to this part of the world via Colombo, Brisbane, and Whangnrei. Hho put into Brisbane on Jnne 14, to-replen-ish coal and water.

There aro also two other whalers which are now on their way.out—one called tho Campbell, and a sailer called tho Loch Tay, all belonging to the same company. ■In addition there is an SOOO-ton steamer— a floating faclory. Captain Elicfsen reports "all well" on board, and stated that before his vessel reached Colombo a fire occurred in the bunkers, l'ivo days were spent in putting it out. liough weather was encountered most of the way, and more particularly between Port Darwin and Brisbane. This part of tho.journey occupied seventeen days, and |Wlicn she arrived at tho latter port, tho Sorrell had less than a. ton of. coal in tho bunkers, and only twenty gallons of fresh wafer on board.

Captain Kllofsen is quite a young man for a skipper, being only 28 years of age. Hβ has, however, been engaged in whaling practically all his life. The fleet is owned by Mr. Alt. Hansen, of Lonsberg, Norway. Tho Sorrcll is exactly similar to the Hawk, Eagle, and Co.—the, four Norwegian stenmers that were at 'Wellington recently. While hero the steamer will be slipped for cleaning nntl ' painting,' and then pVoceed.ib' tho Bluff IW-'ordefSC'