NEW ZEALAND PHORMIUM.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 160, 9 December 1874, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND PHORMIUM.

The New Zealand Gazette contains a report upon a series of trials of New Zealand flax rope on boj,rd H.M. S. Blanche:— H.M.S. Blanche, Wellington, 20th October, 1874. Sir, —In compliance with your order of 30th December, 1873, relative to the trial of New Zealand phormium, I have to report that as the ship was such a short time at sea during the fiist three months that the rope was rove for trial, I deemed it desirable to give it a further trial of three months before reporting upon it. A detailed report of all rope rove is given in the attached form, the general result of the trial in my opinion being that the fibre of the New Zealand rope, when subject to a direct and steady strain, is stronger than that from which navy rope is made, but that it is more brittle and easily broken if "kinked," and that its great inferiority to the navy rope through its stretching and swelling is, beyond this, due almost entirely to the manufacture. I am, &c, C. B. Simpson, Captain. Commodore James G. Goodenough, Senior Officer. The following are the remaiks of the senior lieutenant, the navigating lieutenant and the boatswain, Ist class. The rope was manufactured at Auckland: — July B—When about to proceed to sea, cutter's falls were considered hardly safe, but left rove. July 10—All the much-used ropes appear to be hurt by the sheaves more than the naval ropes. They become much chafed and very rough ; also many of the yarns show themselves to be slacker than the rest of the rope, and some become kinked. July 11—Tried which would carry away first —Naval or New Zealand 2.J. Latter did before the other was even well stretched. Then tried naval 2£in against New Zealand 3J. Former carried away. July 13—Maintopsail sheet-whip had to be turned end for end, in consequence of being so frayed out and chafed where it led through the main bits; the hauling end was so swollen that it would hardly reeve through block and bits. Tried, 13th July, 3£in of New Zealand rope against 3in of Naval. Latter carried away. Then B£in against SJin. New Zealand carried away. In tying the rope the New Zealand stretched so much, became so very small, and was so extremely oily, that it was with difficulty the ends could be secured, the only way being knotting behind the seizings. If hitched, it always carried away in the hitch, even though a round turn had been taken round the toggle, and nearly in all cases it carried away where one part was over another. In the case of the preventer main-brace, maintopsail sheet, and fore-brace, it was found impossible to stopper them, from their smoothness and oiliuess. August 31—The galley's and cutter's falls were considered unsafe, and were therefore uurove. The rope was very much frayed out, and many yarns kinked and broken, and the strands stretched nearly straight. All naval rope rove at the same time in good working order. Dated on board H.M. ship "Blanche," Wellington, October 20th, 1874.