Rangitiki

[shipstamps]

The full-rigged clipper Rangitiki, one of the original four ships bought by the newly-formed New Zealand Shipping Company in 1873, is depicted on the 23 c stamp. She was in many ways the pride of the sailing ships trading to New Zealand, being one of the largest ever owned by company. A record pace-maker, she completed an astonishing career of some 60 years service, during which she played an important part in bringing immigrants to New Zealand. The Rangitiki was an iron barque of 1,227 gross tons. She was built in 1868 by the Humber Iron Works Company, at Hull. Her length was 212 ft., beam 35 ft. and depth 22 ft. 8 in. Moulded depth was 24 ft. 1 in. The above dimensions are from Lloyd's Register of 1897-98. The register of 1866-67 gives her the following dimensions under her original name of Scimitar, 1,188 tons; length 210 ft., beam 35 ft., depth 22 ft. 7 in. Her master was then Capt. J. Potts. Built by Samuelson, at Hull, for her owners Finlay and Company, London, she had two bulkheads and was then an iron full-rigged ship, wooden sheathed. By 1872-3 her owner was J. K. Welch, of London; she was then ship-rigged, her length being 210 ft., the other particulars unchanged. At that time she was sailing between London and India, before being bought by the New Zealand Shipping Company. After her New Zealand service she was sold to the Norwegians and renamed Dalston. She was resold in 1909 for £1,500 and went to California as a hulk. SG1074

[aukepalmhof]

The iron full rigged ship RANGITIKI (an amended spelling of either the Rangitiki River flowing into the south Taranaki Bight or the Rangitaki River flowing into the Bay of Plenty, both on the North Island of New Zealand, was built by the Humber Iron Works Co. (Martin Samuelson) at Hull, U.K. for their own account.
July 1863 Launched under the name SCIMITAR.
Tonnage 1,227 gross, 1.188 net, 1,659 dwt. ton. Dim. 212.0 x 35.0 x 22.8ft.
Passengers 20 first class and 300 emigrants.
1863 After completing registered in London.

The same year already sold to Finlay, Campbell & Co., (registered owners given as J.H., H.H., C.H. Allen) so most probably already sold before she was completed.
25 November 1863 she sailed from the U.K. for her maiden voyage under command of Captain Potts, arriving 11 March 1864 in Auckland after a passage of 106 days.
She was a fast sailer, during this voyage she caught sight of smoke ahead, she had a good breeze, and all sails were set, she rapidly caught up with what proved to be the Brazilian mail steamer, under sail and steam. Before evening she left her well astern
1875 Her register was changed to Bombay by her owners
25 March 1871 sold to A.H.Campbell at London, and the same year resold to J.K.Welch, London.

December 1873 sold to the New Zealand Shipping Company for £25,000, registered in London.
24 December 1873 sailed from Plymouth for Dunedin still under her old name.
She made a sensational run to Port Chalmers under Captain Fox; she left from Plymouth on 24 December 1873, with on board 430 people. Four days after sailing scarlet fever broke out. Two days before sailing two families from Jersey had been removed from the SCIMITAR as the children were suffering from this complaint. The fever was followed by bronchitis, measles and diarrhoea, which were confined to children under seven years with one exception. During the voyage there were 26 deaths.
After sailing from Plymouth it took about one week for her to get a favourable wind, but after catching this she made a splendid passage to Tristan da Cunha, where she took on a supply of fresh meat and poultry.
She anchored at Port Chalmers on 05 March 1874, 71 days out from Plymouth and 67 days land to land.

17 October 1874 renamed in RANGITIKI.
In 1876 she made again a remarkable run to Lyttelton under Captain Scotland, she left Plymouth on 04 December 1875 and arrived at Lyttelton on 16 February 1876, a passage time of 73 days, and from land to land in 67 days. She had on board that voyage 301 emigrants. The equator was crossed on Christmas Day and the meridian of the Cape on 21 January. She had remarkably fine weather and the main skysail was not taken of the ship from the time she left Plymouth until she reached the coast of Tasmania. She dropped anchor off Ripa Island, Lyttelton on 16 February 1876.

The 1883 passage under command of Captain Millman sailed from Plymouth on 30 January with emigrants it was an eventful voyage.
On 3 February the crew sighted what they took to be a raft with live human beings on it, all awash. The lifeboat was lowered and two men were rescued. The two men had been on a deck house, and not a raft, told they had been on the deckhouse for two days and nights. First there were 8 men on it but six were washed off. They were from the KENMORE CASTLE which was underway from Liverpool to Singapore.
On 8 February a dismasted Barquentine was sighted, at that time the weather was very bad and the RANGITIKI was running under fore and main topsails. The Barquentine was the MARIA AGATHA under command of Captain Ownes. A lifeboat was lowered on the RANGITIKI with many difficulties, and the master, mate and five men were rescued.
On 2 March a passing ship signalled for a doctor, and Doctor Dr. Erson went to the vessel where he found a young man with a broken arm, the arm was broken 28 days ago and got infected. The arm was amputated.
After this all was going well, and she dropt anchor in Auckland on 17 May 1883 after a voyage of 107 days.
22 May 1888 registry transferred again to London.
1889 Rerigged as a barque.
05 December 1890 broke from her moorings and got adrift, collided with the ship BALCLUTHA at Napier. She was towed to Wellington for repairs.
1897 Made a voyage from London to Dunedin under command of Captain Pottinger in ballast for orders, on arrival Otago Heads, she got orders to proceed to Napier for loading.
When passing the Cook Straits she met a strong gale. On arrival at Napier 13 January 1897 the mate, Porteous was injured by letting go the anchor.
On Fryday it started to blow from the eastward, and at two o’clock next morning the second anchor was dropt after the vessel was dragging, but still with all anchor cable out the vessel slowly dragged towards the shore.
At nine o’clock when the captain and the second mate were standing on the main deck, a large wave hit the vessel and crashed on board, carried away some of the deckhouse and was filling the decks. The captain was washed overboard when pulled out of the water by the mate and the steward, it was found out that the captain had his neck was broken, and instantaneous killed when he was thrown against the mainmast..
Her last voyage was to Dunedin when she sailed from England under command of Captain Fosdick on 4 October 1897, arrived at Dunedin on 30 January 1898; she made the voyage in 118 days. Altogether she made 24 round trips to New Zealand and this was the longest.

November 1898 sold to A/S Dalston (H.C.A. Michelsen manager), Sandefjord, Norway, and renamed DALSTON.
1899 Sold to Skibs A/S Dalston (A.J.Grefstad manager), Arendal, Norway.
1905 Owners homeport was moved to Kristiansand (Oslo)
1909 Sold to Paul Ballande et Fills of Noumea, New Caledonia.
12 October 1910 arrived at Noumea from Callao, Peru, dismantled after arrival and used as a hulk, renamed PAUL BOUQUET.
During the 1914-1918 World War, when everything that could float was sought after the PAUL BOUQUET (or PAUL BOUKET) left Noumea in tow of the steamer SAINT JOSEPH for Sydney to be recommissioned, she broke from her towline, and drifted for 40 hours before she was recovered, towed back to Noumea and again used as a hulk till she was so far rotten away that she sank.

Source http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-B ... -d169.html