ON THE HIGH SEAS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2273, 6 October 1914, Page 7

ON THE HIGH SEAS

TAINUI'S VOYAGE OUT

AN INTERESTING STORY

In view of tho unusual circumstances attendant upon the war tho passage of _ the Shaw-Savill mail steamer Taiuui from London to Wellington was more than of ordinary interest. The time of her departure from Home was fraught with great significance—a timo when ships of her class were being oemmandeered by the Admiralty. Furllier,_it was a timo when tho course of her journey was dangerous alike to, ship, cargo, and passongers. Her arrival at Wellington yesterday morning, a day ahead of her scheduled date, is a tribute to the Navy and also her commander, Captain T.'Moffatt. A Searching Examination. Speaking to a Dominion reporter, Mr. L. J. Wahlors, the purser, gave an interesting narrative of the journey from tho Old Country. "When we loft London the tenseness of the Englishspeaking world was so great that, comparatively speaking, few people were prepared to travel, oven if permitted to do so, and as a result the first; class passengers on board the Tainui numbored only 17 out of a booking of 47. The second-class had 56, and there were 2SO in the third-class. Until the last minute," continued Mr. Wanlers, "it was not definitely known whether the Tainui would get her clearance. At 10.30 a.m. on August' 21, however, a special train, in which passengers only were allowed .to travel, left St. Paocras Station for the Royal Albert Dock. On arrival each traveller underwent a most rigorous and searching examination as to identity and race at the hands of the dock, naval, and shipping authorities. These precautions were taken with the object of seeing that neither German nor Austrian subjects wore permitted to travel by the outward-bound mail steamer." Crim, Silent Sentinolc. The precautions insisted upon by the Admiralty served only to intensify the nervousness of the people .on board, whose feelings had for weeks past been over-wrought with the excitement of the war. The Tainui finally left Gravesend about 2 o'clock on the afternoon of August 21. The journey to the mouth of the river Thames was full of interest, the numerous warships, destroyers, mine-sweepers, and other craft which had been commandeered by the Admiralty making a "scene most picturesque, sorrowful, and above all, wonderful." One felt that no ships of any kind could pass through that line of grim and silent sentinels of tho sea, with-' out being observed. Stopped. . On. the run down to Dover a torpedo destroyer was sighted escorting two German prizes urAthe river Thameß. A little later the Tainui herself wae hailed by a warship and told to stop. She was boarded by a naval officer, and after a searching investigation the order was given for the vessel to anchor and not to pass Dover till daybreak. Accordingly the vessel remained there till 5 a.m. on August 22. We left there knowing that we were being watched and shepherded by the warships of the Navy and that wo were also to be reported from distance to distance, as being safe and well, said the purser.

After the Tainui, had been out two or three days all lights on deck were dispensed with and port-holes were masked. These wero necessary precautions. The effect ■ was depressing, to say the least. This state of affairs continued till after tho Tainui had passed Tenoriffe., She had avoided that port altogether by steering a wide westerly course. Vessol Turns and Fleas. On one occasiona vessel was sighted some miles away. It was moonlight at the time, and although the Tainui was in darkness she was plainly seen by tho stranger. The latter had all her lights on and immediately her captain caught sight of the Tainui he put out all lights and turned his ship's head and made off. It was a coincidence 1 that at the time the above, incident* happened the Tainui was very close to the Kaipara, which was sunk by the German armed merchantman Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. Cape* Town was reached without..further incident. % At the South African port the Tainui's passeitgers and crew were subjected to lymsiderable scrutiny before pratique was granted. After having coaled the vessel left for Hobart and Wellington, the journey _ being accomplished without further incidents of note, no ships of any description being sighted. , While tho Tainui was crossing the Bay of Biscay a huge floating dock was seen being toired by what appeared to be four naval tugs. Speculatioft was rife on board as to the destination of the "fleet."

At Capo Town sis German prize steamers were seen in the harbour. Many troopships all ready for embarkation of troops were also to be seen there. When tlie Taimii entered the harbour cheers were exchanged, and it was subsequently found that the troops did not know their destination.