Handsome Ketch

Bsi Mission Acquires

LAST month the Marist Mission at Honiara, British Solomons, secured the well-known diesel auxiliary ketch “Capricorn” for use in mission work at Guadalcanal and adjacent islands.

The vessel (50 ft. long, 14 ft. beam, draught unload 6 ft.) was formerly em ployed as a tourist ship on the Queens land coast and Barrier Reef. The sale was negotiated by William E. Reed, Islands agent in Sydney.

The “Capricorn,” which cleared Sydney early in April with two pedigree calves, a bull and a heifer included in her general cargo, arrived safely in Rock hampton. He skipper is youthful George Wyeth and her crew includes the inter nationally-known American yachtsman Billy Weld, as navigator. Weld inter rupted his round-the-world cruise in his 28 ft. Colin Archer ship to make the cruise in the “Capricorn” to the Solomons.

The senior member of the firm of Capri corn Charters, of North Queensland, Mr.

Max Matthews, and Brother Channell, representing the Marist Mission, com prised the rest of the crew of the vessel when she cleared Gladstone late in April on the 1,200 miles voyage to Honiara.

With 33 tons displacement, “Capricorn” has a 4-berth cabin as well as 3 bunks in the main cabin. Powered with a 4-cylin der Southern Cross diesel, which drives the ship at 7 knots, her equipment includes 24-volt electric lighting, washroom, galley, toilet, deck house, chart room, and an 80cubic-feet ice chest. She was launched in Gladstone in 1945.

The live stock aboard will be welcomed at Guadalcanal, where the Japanese des troyed all animals, and replacement has been difficult because of shipping shortage.