SHIPPING LOSSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1917, Page 7

SHIPPING LOSSES.

WAR'S TOLL ON NEW ZEALAND

NINE VESSELS GONE

New Zealand's insular position renders her dependent on the mercantile marine as means of communication with, the outside world. Noarly everyone in New Zealand takes an interest in matters pertaining to slapping—the city dweller, because lie is in touch with the waterfront most of his life, and the up-coun-try farmer because he is wholly dependent on steamship traffic for the dispatch of his produce to the Home markets. It is obvious' that the loss of the two liners Rotorua and Otaki, of the New Zealand Shipping Company's fleet, which was reported by cable on Monday, is a matter of much concern to this country. Ever since the war began the vessels of the various lines trading between the United Kingdom and New Zealand have carried on their cargo and passenger services with little or no interruption. But it couid hardly be expected that the ships would.be absolutely immune from the submarine menace, and every now and then news is received of disaster. Still, New Zealand has' been very fortunate in this respect, and after two and a-half years of submarine warfare we have lost only nine of our ships, but one of which (the Rotorua) was a passenger liner.

A HEAVY LOSER

The New Zealand Shipping Company is perhaps the heaviest loser in* the number of vessels lost during the war. Three of its fleet and one of its chartered vessels have been sunk, and another of its vessels, the Tongariro (8073 tons), was wrecked on the New Zealand coast a few months ago, although not as a result of the war. The first of their vessels to go was the fine cargo liner Kaipara (of some 8000 tons), which fell a prey to an enemy raider in the Atlantic during* the first weeks of the war. Swift retribution followed, the German craft being sent to "Davy Jones's locker" by H.M.S. Highflyer almost before her victim had disappeared. Then the New Zealand Shipping Company's chartered steamer Ashburton (4445 tons), with a load of New Zealand produce, sailed from Wellington and was sent to the bottom when nearing the end of her journey, and now after a break of about a year, news is received that the lner Rotorua, (11,500 tons), one of the biggest Teasels trading to New Zealand, and the cargo liner Otaki (9575 tons), both of the same fleet, arc sunk. The New Zealand Shipping Company has thus lost since the war three vessels of a total of 28,875 tons, not including the- Ashburton (chartered) and Tongariro (lost on the coast), which brings the total up to about 41,00 tons. The Commonwealth and Dominion lino appears to be the next heaviest loser, three of its flfeet having gone ( since that memorable August |in 1914. Of these the biggest was the .Port Nicholson, of 8500 tons, better known in Wellington as the Makarini, which was Bunk about a few weeks ago, about the same time as the Port Adelaide (8181 tons). The other ship of the C. and D. fleet was the Marere, of Q443 tons, sank last year in the Mediterranean. The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, although it runs regular services betwen the United Kingdom au>l New Zealand, has fortunately suffered only one marine loss as a result of the war, although in other respects, notably the total loss at Capetown last year of the almost new liner Rangatira (10,000 tons), and the disastrous explosion on board the Matatua at St. John's (Canada), it has Buffered Considerably. The vessel,sunk was the Tokomaru, which met her fate in the Channel in February 1915. ■ . •>

THE CLAN MACTAVISH.

One of the greatest fights put up by a British merchantman against overwhelming odds was that of the tramp steamer Clan Maetavish, a vessel of 7400 tons, 'commanded by Captain Oliver. She sailed from Wellington for London about a year ago, and on the way fell in with the German raider Moewe. Although she was finally sunk, the Clan Maetavish put up a thrilling fight with her. single gun, which continued firing until the waves engulfed the ship. There are two other vessels, both, strange to say, belong to the Red Funnel fleet, which although they were not sunk by mine or submarine, have, nevertheless been lost as a result of the war. The vessels in question are the Aorangl (4208 tons), and Haupiri (715) tons). They were sunk by order of the Admiralty to block the passage to certain harbors which the Germans were likely to make use of. 'lt is hard indeed to realise that the fishes and other denizens of the '•Grey North Sea," now hold high carnival in the rusting interiors of two vessels which at one time were as well known in Wellington as the Monowai and Maori now are.