GHOSTS OF OLD FERRIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 7, 30 March 1927, Page 9

GHOSTS OF OLD FERRIES

j SYDNEY’S EARLY CRAFT (From Our Resident Correspondent .) SYDNEY’, March 25. The ferries of Sydney are among the largest and fastest in the world, and the increase in their efficiency goes steadily on. What they will be in 50 years from now is difficult to forecast, but it helps a little to look back 50 years. If the same progress is made in the future as in the past, Sydney will always continue to be proud of her ferries and the men who run them. In 1876, there were live distinct ferry enterprises operating in Sydney Harbour—four companies and one private concern. The companies were the Balmain Ferry Company, which provided access between the city and the fashionable suburb of Balmain; the Parramatta Ferry Company, which was a long run for those days; the Watson’s Bay Ferry Company, and the Manly Beach Ferry Company. The private line was owned by Messrs. James Mil son, Frith Tucker and Lord, and ran between Circular Quay and Milson’s Point. • Though none of the ferry masters of those days are now in active service, there are several still living in Sydney. One of them is Captain A. Bedwell, now retired from the service of the Sydney Ferries, which have absorbed all the lines save that running to Manly. Captain Bedwell was for 40 years a master in the ferry services of Sydney. In the Port Jackson and Manly Ferry Company's service to-day is Captain J. Hart who, during his 40 years of command, has been in charge of every vessel of the company’s fleet. These two men can recall many interesting facts of the ferries of old. About 1878 the Milson Point ferry passed into the hands of a company which took over from the four founders the following steamers: —Waratah, St. Leonards, Darra, Coombra, Gomea. Galatea, Nell, Cammeray, Victoria, and Bunya Bunya. These vessels were of various sizes, ranging up to 60ft. in length and all were paddle boats, run by two men only, a captain and an engineer. Often in approaching a wharf the paddles would stick on a “ dead centre,” and the captain or engineer had to climb out on the sponson and push them over by hand till the steam could move them again. Some of the little craft were steered with a tiller, and several had awnings to shelter passengers from the sun. But when a gale sprang up this awning made them steer so badly that all hands had to leave engines and tiller and furl the awning before they could proceed. When the first North Shore Ferry Company was formed the steamer Wallaby was built. She was the first double-ender with a screw at each end. She was followed by the. Kangaroo, now being broken up at Waugh's yards at Balmain.

The first horse ferry in Sydney was the Herald, which ran from Blue’s Point to Windmill Street, between Dawes Point and Miller’s Point. The Herald was small, yet she carried both passengers and vehicles. And if a sailing ship hove in sight and required a tug to help her to berth, the Herald would do the job, with passengers and waggons on board, for trade was slack and every pound earned counted.

On the Manly run the old Narrabeen was a popular ship, though she took well over an hour on the run. Other steamers of the old times were the Mystery, Phantom, Brightsides, Royal Alfred, Fairlight, and Brighton. The Brighton was running till about ten years ago. She had oscillating cylinders, and a small crowd always gathered around her engineroom to watch the huge cylinders swaying to the swing of her cranks and connecting rods.

When tlfe Manly was built, a new era of construction started. She was built on the turtle-back plan and the whole hull was braced by the humpback curve of her decks. The Manly had her propeller behind her rudder at first, but she was so erratic in her steering this had to be altered. Even so, she often gave her captains an anxious moment. But she pioneered the way for the present safe, fast and useful type of vessel on the Manly run. If ghosts of steamers walked the spectres of the old ferries would make a striking sight to-day. as they fussed with their foaming paddles to and fro on their busy errands. Many a happy memory lingers round their names, just as to-day men and women are forming happy recollections which will be looked back to when the present ferries are dim phantoms too, ' fifty years from now.

With a lofty bridge soaring high where the pioneers travelled, making a link from shore to shore. Sydney Harhour will have a different aspect then. But however modern a big port and city becomes, always the old ghosts and memories remain.