A WONDERFUL SHIP.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5081, 28 January 1927, Page 3

A WONDERFUL SHIP.

LIFE ON A TANKER.

NO MATCHES OR SHOE NAILS.

“Have you a match ?” is so commonplace a question nowadays that a Dominion representative was caught unawares when he sought admission to the Miramar Wharf, Wellington, recently (says the Dominion). His confession that he carried matches barred his entry. This was hard, for he had “wangled” a full box of “safeties” from the home pantry barely an hour before. He. retires up the road and gave his matches away to a surprised wayfarer who had not even asked for a “light.” He was then allowed to pass the whai’f barrier, but another surprise, awaited him at the ship’s side. “Have you any nails in your shoes,” was the next question. The. newspaperman presented the smooth soles df his shoes for inspection, and was then free to board the ship. It reminded him of the oldtime sailormen who used to tell of Yankee clipper shipmasters who would never allow a man who had nails in his boot soles on the poop deck, lest they scored the Smooth white surface of the deck planks. FINEST TANKER AFLOAT. The reason for tJie precautions at Miramar was that the tanker Plume, carrying some 12,000 tons o,f bulk benzine, was pumping part of her cargo ashore through a big 10-inch pipeline to* the storage tanks on the hilltop. The Plume, which is owned by the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary, Ltd., is claimed to be one of the finest and most up-to-date sihips of her type in the world ; and after a detailed inspection it is difficult to believe that any tanker could be a better ship. Of 8621 tons gross register, the, Plume is 460 ft in length, with a beam of 62ft 6in and a moulded depth of 36ft 6in. On her full loaded draught of 28ft she has a total displacement of 17,800 tons. She is fitted with tripleexpansion e,nginesi, driving a single screw, taking steam from oil-fired boilers, and giving her a speed of 12 knots. ” Like most tankers, the Plume’s propelling machinery is right aft, and the navigating bridge, with the master’s and officers’ quarters, is amidship.