The "Royal Tar"
pp. 41-42 · Read in the full issue
WHEN Mr. Norman Nelson was exam ining the papers of his father, Mr.
Ivan Nelson, well-known Islands merchant and head of Nelson and Robertson Pty., Ltd., who died in Syd ney in July, he came across an inter esting old document, linked with a now almost-forgotten chapter of Australian history—the bill of sale of the 597-tons barque, “Royal Tar”.
No doubt there still are some Pacific residents in whose memory the name “Royal Tar”, largest sailing ship built in Australia, will strike a responsive chord.
She was purchased by Mr. Nelson for the New Australia Co-operative Settle ment Association and he supervised her refitting to carry Australian colonists to South America, where, under a Bristol born visionary and writer, William Lane, a new Utopia was to be established. The site chosen was in Paraguay, a small state in the centre of the huge continent.
Two hundred men and women made the voyage across the Pacific from Syd ney in July, 1893—a voyage marked by bitter dissension, for all were willing to command but few to obey. Settled in their new land, the colonists bravely faced hardships, disappointments and wrangling among the leaders.
Finally, as letters and documents in the Mitchell Library (Sydney) show, the enterprise failed. Most of the settlers returned to Australia, though descend ants of the handful who stayed are still there to-day, scratching out a bare existence from the land.
After her return from South America, the “Royal Tar” traded for a time in New Zealand, where ultimately she ended her career.
An Eventful Voyage
A COUPLE of years before the New Australia venture, the “Royal Tar” was owned by a Sydney business syndicate, which sent her to German New Guinea with coal. Having unloaded her bunkers, the officers and crew went ashore, shooting, in the bush; with the result that the Anopheles mosquito had a very busy time. The entire comple ment contracted malarial fever.
At sea only a day or so, en route to the Pacific coast of America to take aboard timber, Captain Franklin died; the second in command, Rodgers, took charge, but he too fell a victim to the disease. Others of the crew were laid low, leaving only the third officer, John McColl, and two weakened seamen to carry on. For days, the barque just drifted lazily across the Pacific; eventu ally, when some of the crew recovered slightly, they got back on their course and reached San Francisco.
Their troubles were not over, even then —the US marine authorities wanted to sink the “Royal Tar” outside the har bour to prevent a possible spread of fever. However, McColl and a commit tee of inquiry convinced them otherwise.
Mrs. Martha Bish, wife of Mr. Gideon Bish, of Lami, Fiji, died recently at the age of 71. She went to Fiji with Mr.
Bish in the 1890’s, and for many years they lived in Ba District. Mrs. Bish is survived by her husband and six child ren—Messrs. Leslie and Leonard Bish, of the Fiji Public Works Department; Messrs. John and Albert Bish, of the Suva firm, Bish Ltd.; Mr. Frank Bish, of Auckland: and Mrs. Grace Bentley, who also lives in NZ.
Miss Gwen Lewis, of Western Austra lia, has joined the Methodist Mission in Papua as the District Chairman’s Assist ant at Dobu.
More Fiji Men For RAF
A FURTHER batch of 17 young men, residents of Fiji, who have been accepted for service with the Royal Air Force, will shortly proceed overseas for training. They are Messrs. E. Brad man, A. and K. Brooks, W. Garnett, V.
Jackson, R. Kerkham, and J. McLauch lan, all of whom were born in the Colony; and Messrs. J. Clough. D. Cum mings, L. Guest, R. Harricks, W. McCloy, D. Rounds, J. Potter, K. Thompson, V.
Tuckwell, and K. Underwood.
Answer To Correspondent: You
are quite right. We find, on inquiry, that there is considerable difference between the George Cross and the George Medal. The George Cross is awarded for outstanding acts of great courage, and is the civil equivalent of the Victoria Cross. The George Medal is given for notable and distinguished con duct, but does not rank with the George Cross.
Mr. R. McLaughlin, of Burns, Philp and Co.’s Shipping Department at Rabaul, New Guinea, is at present on a health visit to the East.
Dr. Montfort, former medical officer at Vila, New Hebrides, is serving with the Free French Forces in the Lake Chad region, West Africa. With him is Dr. Lamy, formerly of Wallis Island. In letters to New Caledonian officials, Dr.
Montfort says that he intends to seek a transfer so that he may serve with the Free French contingent from the South Seas.
Miss Margaret Hanlan, of the Marist Mission, recently arrived on Bougainville Island, TNG, from Sydney. Miss Hanlan, who is a nurse, has joined the Mission’s child welfare centre at Pororan, Buka, where three Sisters have established a station for the Marist Medical Mission.
Dr. Alfred Metraux, French anthro pologist, who carried out investigations some years ago on Easter Island, and subsequently worked in Hawaii, has now completed his field work in South Amer ica, for which he was awarded a Guggen heim Fellowship. Recent advices state that he was at Yale revising his material.
Among the Polynesian material that he examined in the National Museum at Rio de Janiero was a collection left there by the Hawaiian Royal couple, Liholiho and Kamamalu, when on their way to England in 1820. Among his dis coveries was one of the ancient and much prized feather cloaks of Hawaii.