On An Eastern Cruise.

Rush to Join “Franklin’s” Crew.

BY last “Macdhui” a party of 19 left for Rabaul, where they will join the ex Administration yacht “Franklin,” which was sold by the Commonwealth Government last month. The new owner, Mr. W. L. Buckland was a member of the party.

Mr. Buckland purchased the “Frank lin” with the object of cruising in the East in her. Having advertised in Aus tralian newspapers for a crew of “pas sage workers” at 1/- per month, he was inundated with applications, over 1,000 amateur mariners being eager for jobs.

Most of the applicants were young University graduates and under graduates and, after a strenuous period of interviewing applicants, the re quired number were chosen. The “crew" includes a number of young women and all were in the best of spirits when the “Macdhui” left Sydney and looking for ward eagerly to the adventure.

However, they will find the “Franklin” a vastly different proposition from the “Macdhui.” Though she is labelled a yacht, the “Franklin” is a notoriously bad roller and, as the tender for the R.A.N, College at Jervis Bay, distin guished herself on several occasions by making hard-bitten destroyer seamen seasick.

Once they got their “sea legs” the crew should have an interesting cruise, as it is seldom that an opportunity occurs of visiting the many ports the “Franklin” will of necessity call at.