THE UNION COMPANY’S FLEET.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2570, 3 July 1882, Page 3

THE UNION COMPANY’S FLEET.

According to tho Union Company’s time table for July, there are five steamers building to the company’s order. Ttoae are tbo Tarawera, Waihora, Wairarapa. fianroto. and Omapere. The throe first named are identical as to size and power w.tb the Manaponri; the fianroto is 100 tons larger, bnt her power 250 i.h p. less ; the Omapare is larger than the Wanaka, bnt not'so large as the Hawoa ; bsr power is the same as that of tbo Taiaroa. The progress the company is making is not badly indicated in the list of their fleet given on tho cover of the Pocket Ouido for Jnly.' Tho Wakatipa of 1796 tons, 1250 h.p., which, comparatively speaking bnt a few months since was at the top of tho list, is now sixth down tho list as to size and eighth as to power. The Alhambra has no tnitinr part in tho list nnder notice, and tho whole fleet actually belonging to tho “red funnel ” lino is shown to bo twenty-three steamers of 24,192 aggregate gross tonnage, and 23,200 aggregate indicated horse power. Thirteen of the twenty ; tbree are what may be termed ocean- going steamers, they being for the intercolonial trade, as distinguished from the remaining ton engaged exclusively on the coast Referring to tho sketch map of New Zealand, published in tho company’s guide, it i‘ sor-n that tho position of the lighthouses which are erected on tho coast is shown, in addition to the ports at which tho steamers call. For the information also of the enrions. the position of tho Now Zealand lakes, after which most of tho company’s vessels have been named, is given. A foot note to tho guide announces that the now steamer Wairarapa is to leave the Clyde id July for Melbourne and all Now Zealand ports, and the will bo followed in October next by tho Hanroto. It may bo interesting to know, as giving tome idea of the magnitude of the company’s business, in order to fulfil the time table for one mouth, the company’s steamers, adding their services together, must travel bo hws a distance than 68,163 nautical miles. calculation is made from tho work laid out for them in tho July gnido. When the six expected new steamers arc added, the distance so performed will of course bo considerably greater. But when it is considered that tho figures just given represent a distance of something like 78 500 statute miles, which (taking the mean cirenmforonco of tho earth to be 25,000 miles) is equal to stcur'ng three times and a seventh round this planet every month, the work performed by the “ red funnel” fleet, as it is at present, is rather astounding.