A LONG VOYAGE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1849, 8 September 1913, Page 8

A LONG VOYAGE.

4 ARRIVAL OF APARIMA. UNION CO.'S TRAINING SHIP. After an eight months' absence from the Dominion, tlio Union Steamship Company's training ship Aparima is onco agaiiii in New Zealand waters. She arrived at Wellington yesterday afternoon from Auckland 1 , her "first .port- of call in the Dominion after her voyage round tlio world. Tho Aparima has on b<sard 31 cadets, who form her deck crew. These cadets, • who are being .trained for a career as . officers of the mercantilo marine, were transferred to tho big cargo carrier early in the year, when the fine ship Dart- . ford, in which they were, was ! converted into a coal-hulk at Wellington. Of the cadcts, 13 havo completed their training, and will como ashore to sit for ! thsir officer's certificates. Their places : will ba promptly taken by another lot ; of boys, for thero are many candidates for places on tho vessel. The cadets are all in excellent health, and havo ' greatly enjoyed,"" their long voyage. They are in charge of Captain Jr E. Mac- ; donald, who was formerly master of the ' Dartford. Captain Macdonald has had | a lengthy experience with tho Union Company, and has been associated with ! tho training scheme since its inception. While tho vessel was at. Cardiff, she 1 was fitted with wireless telegraphy, and ' throughout the voyage to New Zealand, ' bs way of the Suez Canal and tlio.East, } the cadets havo been instructed in the ' operation of tho apparatus. Particular • attention has also been given to physi- ' cal dirill, tho instructor bedng Sir. '• Daniels. The healthy appearance of the • lads speaks eloquently for the efficacy of 1 their training. . . ■ i Since the Aparima left Dunedin in > January last, she has had a most ini tercsting voyage, and has steamed . 30,754 sea miles, visiting many foreign ports. From Dunedin she crossed to Newcastle, tfhere she took in a supply . of bunker coal, and then proceeded to Geelong, where she arrived on January > 29. A part cargo of wheat was landed . there, .and the vessel went on to Yvilr liamstown, -where she completed her 5 loading. On February 10, sho sailed.for 3 Durban, reaching the South Africa:' 1 part on March 7. The run across was , mado in splendid weather, until tho } vessel was within two days of Durban. l A cyclonic disturbance was then encountered, and the ship was liove to for. [ 18 hours. Tho vessel took part in tho welcome to Durban of tho battle-cruiser ~ New Zealand, which was on her way to t the Dominion. On March 9 she sailed for Las Palmas, which was reachcd on t March 20. After a stay of 24 hours, sho went to Barcelona, where sho ari rivod on April 5. Part of her wheat cargo was there discharged, and on ". April 12 she left for Naples. The " British Consul at Naples arranged a most enjoyable trip to tlio ancicnt 0 .ruined city of Pompeii for tho cadets. 1 who were also taken to tho National Museum and Art Gallery. On April 22 " the vessel left for Cardiff, and arrived ' on April 30. She stayed in the Welsh I port for threo weeks, and .those cadcts 9 who had friends and relatives in Eng- ? land were allowed .to visit them. A , cargo of coal was taken in, and the vessel sailed on May 2 for. Colombo, via 0 tho Suez Canal. She arrived at Colombo '■ on June 17, and sailed for Calcutta on s June 25, arriving fivo days later. A. " stay of a montlh was made at Calcutta, II whence she finally sailed on August .2 for New Zealand, via Singapore and c Samarang. From Wellington tho Anai_ rima proceeds to Lyttelton and Diuieclin.