In 1877, when commanded by Captain Renaut, she ran from Lyttelton, N.Z., to the Lizard in 69 days, and on her next outward passage in 1878 she went from London to Port Chalmers in 65 days, a performance which has never been beaten. She was eventually sold to the Norwegians for £2950 and was still washing about the seas, rigged as a barque, at the outbreak of the Great War.
“Helen Denny” and “Margaret Galbraith.”
The little Helen Denny was the last of the fleet to remain under the British flag. She once ran from the longitude of the Cape to New Zealand in 23 days, a really remarkable feat for a small iron barque. She was built by the great Robert Duncan, of Port Glasgow, and was eventually sold by Shaw, Savill, to Christie, of Lyttelton, N.Z., who resold her to Captain F. Holm, of Wellington, N.Z.; she ran regularly in the inter-colonial trade until the end of 1913, being latterly commanded and owned by Captain S. Holm, a son of Captain F. Holm. She was finally converted into a coal hulk.
Margaret Galbraith was another little Duncan beauty, and for many years a regular passenger ship to Otago. It is surprising to think of these little ships carrying passengers right up to the eighties. Their measurements were:—
Helen Denny, 728 tons; 187.5 feet length; 31.2 feet beam; 19.1 feet depth.
Margaret Galbraith, 841 tons; 198.5 feet length; 32.2 feet beam; 19.9 feet depth.
The Margaret Galbraith was sold to the Manica Trading Co., of London. She left Colonia on 26th March, 1905, for Buenos Ayres with a cargo of grain and crew of 13 all told; and whilst in charge of a pilot grounded on Farollon reef, and as she was badly holed her captain abandoned her.
End of Some of Shaw, Savill’s Earlier Ships.
Zealandia was a Connell built ship. After being sold to the Swedes, she was resold to the Russians, and her name changed to Kaleva. She was stranded in March, 1911, but refloated and again sold to Charles Brister & Son, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Pleiades was built by McMillan, of Dumbarton. As late as 1893 she made a good run from New Zealand to the Lizard. She was wrecked at Akiteo, when bound round in ballast from Napier to Dunedin to load wool home.