A DARING VOYAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2584, 19 August 1909, Page 7

A DARING VOYAGE.

TWO THOUSAND MiLES IN A LAUNCH. A PARTY OF FIVE ON BOARD. The Sheila, a little 40ft motor launch, yawl rigged, sailed out of Rushcutter Bay, Sydney, on August 4tli, on one of the most daring voyages undertaken for a considerable time. She belongs to the Mombiri Rubber Plantation Company, and is bound for Samarai, in Papua. • The party on board consists of five persons—Mr Tweed Baird, the general manager of the Company, Mr L. 0. Bell, who will navigate the little craft, ,Lr J. Williams, who will drive the motor, and Messrs F. Bernier and William Morgan, surveyors, whose services have been secured by the company. Tlie Sheila left Sydney well stocked with petrol, and with sufficient stores to last for over a month. Just before sailing Mr Baird expressed the opinion that with motor power and a complete set of sails the Sheila will arrive at her destination in about 21 days.^ The Superintendent of Navigation, Captain Henry Newton, after making exhaustive inquiries, permitted the launch to sail. He sent one of tho departmental surveyors to thoroughly examine tho Sheila, and he found everything in order and in good condition. Subsequently the Superintendent had a conference with the manager of the company and with the captain, and having satisfied himself that all tho regulations of the department had been complied with he granted permission to put to sea. The Sheila is a privately owned yacht, and it was not, therefore, necessary for her to secure clearance papers at the Customs. She was built in Brisbane about five years ago for Mr Bestic, now of Rose Bay, who sold her a few days ago to Mr Tweed Baird on behalf of the Mombiri Rubber Company. The Sheila is Bft 6in in breadth, and draws only 'Bit 6in. She is fitted with a Gardiner 16-h.p. motor, and carries jib and mainsail. . _ The Mombiri Rubber Plantation Cornpany was recently formed in London by Mr Tweed Baircl with a capital of £52,000, Mr J. Hamilton Holdsworth, a director of the Caledonian Railway Company of Scotland, being the chairman. Mix Cecil Do Winton a Ceylon planter of 27 years’ experience, ■ has also a large interest, ana the other directors are Mr Hale, of Mincing-lane, Colonel and Mr De Courcey Hamilton. Tho company has acquired a lease of 10,000 aertes in Collingwood Bay, on the north-east coast of. Papua, the land having been specially selected by Mr H. A. Wickham for growing the Hevea (Para) rubber. A 50ft motor cargo launch has been built by Messrs Thorneycroft, of Chiswick, England, specially designed for Paupuan waters, and fitted with a 53-b.h.p. motor engine. A motor whale boat, built at Southampton, is also coming out for the company’s use. These vessels arc expected in Sydney in about two months’ time, via Java. Mr H. A. Wickham has arrived from Loudon as the rubber planter, and Mr IV. J. Downs, tho horticulturist, sailed for Panua by the steamer Moresby a few weeks'ago. Mr Stringer, another botanist, is coining out via Java, and will shortly reach Sydney.