A REMARKABLE RECORD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10016, 12 April 1910, Page 4

A REMARKABLE RECORD.

Captain Alexander Simpson, the commodore of the Aberdeen fleet and commander of the Pericles, which was wrecked a few days ago, the "Sydney Morning Herald" states, is perhaps more widely known than any other master mariner trading to Australia, and he is universally respected. His owners have always placed implicit confidence in him, and his skill and care as a navigator, as well as his genial manner, havs made him extremely popular with thousands of travellers. For 45 years * Captain Simpson has traded between London I and Sydney in Aberdeen sailing ships I and steamers, and until the loss of the Pericles, he had never met with a serious mishap. One of the most remarkable features of his career is the fact that he has never seen a man washed overboard, and until recently had never had occasion to lower a boat to save life. On account of his extraordinary freedom from accidents. Captain Simpson has never caused an anxioua moment either to his owners or to the underwriters. Over 80 round voyages between London and Sydney have been completed by Captain Simpson, who has been in command of Aberdeen liners for thirty; years. During that time he has traversed upwards of 2,000,000 miles of ocean—a record which few, if any, master mariners can e(fua'. Although 61 years of age, Captain Simpson had no thougnt when he last left Sydney of retiring from a seafaring career, his great object being to complete a century of round voyages between England and Australia without mishap before resting on his laurels. When he sailed out of this port a fortnight ago he was hale

and hearty, and in appearance was a comparatively younj,' man.