EASTBOURNE FERRIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 179, 24 April 1920, Page 8

EASTBOURNE FERRIES

KEYNOTE OF BY-ELECTION . THE PROPOSED NEW STEAMER ( - . ' .. The forthcoming by-election at Eastbourne is arousing interest on both sides of tho harbour, and in the opinion of r those concerned, the keynote of the w'holo j - business is tho ferry/ service between Eastbourne and ..the city. The .two boats'which have maintained the service up till now are admittedly old. Tho providing of a new and fast steamer has ' engaged the recent council's attention- ■ for-some time past. And tho'informa-' ; tion elicited by the world-wide inquiries , which have been ' made by the town . clerk. Mr. S. S. Heath,, is of interest at the present juncture. In the first place inquiries were, made , iu England and America for a twin-screw steamor suitable for tlio service. All the replies received indicated that there was no chance of buying such a vessel, as during the war such vessels had beeu • taken for mine-sweeping -work, and-many - had been lost. . The 'Agent-General and ' the builders of the Duchess were among those who replied, to this effect. A letter was then sent to Mr. Walter Reaks, u, the .designer of most of the ferry boats liow runninu on Australian harbours and '..livery. Mr. Reaks advised the council to get a boat of 14 knots. ■ He said that the .longest run in ..Sydney Harbour, from Circular Quay to Manly, 7J miles ' in.all, was accomplished in comfortable, timo by 135-kndt'Vsteamers. .Quick a'cceleration'of .pace was a desirable factor. The distance from/Wellington to Rona. Iky is six and. one-third miles. Such it boat,, capable of carrying from'looo to. 1200 passengers, would cost approximately .'<£33,000. About this tim'e Mr. H. MTlae/ of Dunedin, hearing, that Bast- ■ bourne .was after a boat; submitted a •plan,', and was asked to come ' to Wel■'linßton r to, consult with, the council. • ' Subsequently lie ivas engaged at a fee of to prepare working plaiis and.speci-' ■ • fications. Thesp. have been--received,. : ;-and provide, for a.vessel with accommodation for. 1500 -passengers iand a. speed of-11 knots.'. The.cost of this steamer' estimated at £15,000, and no increase Vt.of rates will bo required to, pay for it. .The alternative to securing a vessel ,of ? ' this kind is to equip x the Duchess with:a v new-boiler, at a cost of .£IO,OOO. To an j . .'.Veneineer this might seem;an outsizo " price for such; a modorate-sized boiler; J but to, take out . the old boiler and put a new ono;in would mean the removal of, the funnels, fiddley, and other, super- , structures,, much of:which would prob- " ably be found so old that it, too, would have- to be replaced. - Tlio Duchess is twenty-three years old, and sho stands on the books \at ; '.£3ooo.; The" cost of the new boiler would bring this up to. iEIS.OOO. It is estimated that it ■■would' take ten years to pay- this off from, her earnings, and' at the end of the time the council would have an obsoleto • steamer. No difficulty is anticipated -by tho town clerk in financing the proposal.