NEW HARBOURMASTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2423, 31 March 1915, Page 6

NEW HARBOURMASTER

CAPT, DAWSON'S CAREER SAILED IN THE RECORD-BREAKING CLIPPER CUTTYSARK To-morrow Captain Edwajd Dawson, Chief Pilot, takes over the duties of Harbourmaster of the Port of. Wellington in succession to Captain Henry Johnson, retired on superannuation. Captain Dawson, who is a New Zealand native, was born at Mahuraugi, North of Auckland, and when only 15 years old went to sea in schooners and brigantines trading round the coast. From such coast-hugging craft he drifted naturally to tho deep-sea sailer, serving on board th© Longston, the famous clipper Cuttysark, and was for four and a half years in the New Zealand Shipping Company's employ on the Mataura, one of the last of the frozen meat sailers in the New Zealand trade, ah'd the Waimate, for years in the wool trade between Now Zealand and London. It was in the years 1891 and 180i5 that Captain Dawson sailed the main in the famous tea clipper Cuttysark, which a well-known writer 011 maritime subjects, in a. volume entitled "Fast Tea Clippers," called the fastest sailing vessel afloat 011 beam and quartering winds. The Cuttysark was built 011 the model of another fast vessel called the Tweed, which she could outsail, and in recalling her sailing powers, Captain Dawson's eye lit up with an affection that only an old sailorman can really feel when recalling the "darling" vessel of his experience. At all times the Cuttysark did not do her best. She wanted a driver in command. About the Cuttysark, "Masters of sailing vessels are born, not made," said Captain Dawson, "like leaders in any other profession. They know instinctively what amount of sail a vessel can stand in any wind, and similarly know just the right time to make or shorten sail. We had a driver when I was on the Cuttysark in Captain Woodgate, and we did some pretty sailing. I can remember on one occasion the Cuttysark registered 353 miles for one day, which is a very fine performance. On one occasion she sailed' from Loudon' to Brisbane in 09 days. Her great rival in the trade was that fino vessel the Thermopylae. On 0119 occasion they had a race Home from Calcutta. _ The two vessels kept well together in the Indian Ocean, where the Cuttysark's rudder carried away, and sis days were lost in rigging up a jury-rudder, and that meant that she' could not be driven for fear of the rud-' der goin" again. This did actually hap-; pen in the Atlantic, where another two. days were lost making and fitting an- ; other jury-rudder. Even then, and; having to go at a reduced speed, she' readied London only sis days after-the' 7iiermopylae. On another occasion, in', the Indian Ocean, it looked all up with, the old ship—she was 21 years old when I joined her —and others on shared my opinion. It was a pitch dark' night—one of those intensely dark nights you get in the Indian Ocean, with no light save the will-o'-the-wisps ; that bespangled the yards. It was blowing a gale with mountainous seas, and still we tore along under our topgallant sails. Suddenly seas rose 011 either side as high as the main yard, combed inwards and fell with, a crash on the decks. _ The vessel stopped suddenly and shivered, and the skipper yelled out: 'She's gone!' I found myself sprawling on another man's back in deep water in tho scuppers. We all thought it was the ond—submerged. But gradually tho old ship waddled up, shook herself free of the water she had taken 011, and in a few minutes was again bounding over the waves. When we arrived at our destination we fnun i that the hatches underneath a lot of piotective planking and coils of rope, had been broken by the weight cf water shipped, hut 110 water to speak of had found its way below. "She was a dandy vessel and no mistake. After the steamers had cut her out of the tea trade, she went into the Australian trade, and never made a voyage of over 100 days." ,ln the Days of SteamAfter leaving the Waimate Captain Dawson came out from Home as chief officer of the Government steamer Tll- - under the late Captain Fairchild, in 1896, and on arrival hero joined the Union Steam Ship Company as a junior officer, serving in the Rakanoa. Flora, Hauroto, and Wainui. Ho was only twenty months in the company's service, finishing up as relieving chief officer. He gained his chief oili" cer's and master's certificates at Home. In 1898 he joined the pilot staff of theWellington Harbour Board, iu which he has remained over since—a hardworking and efficient officer always.