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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900

Great Turn Of Speed

Great Turn Of Speed.

the Crusader had certainly an excellent record for consistent passages made to the four chief ports of the Dominion, which averaged 91 days. The fact that between 1871 and 1897 she completed no less than 28 voyages out and Home again demonstrates that she had remarkable speed, and justifies the claim that she was one of the fastest sailers afloat at the time.

the Crusader is credited by Mr. Basil Lubbock with having made a remarkable run in 1877 from Lyttelton to the Lizard in 69 days. This statement is corroborated by several commanders of ships trading to the Southern ports at the time. On this occasion no single day's run exceeded 300 miles, and it was remarkable that the ship never once had the wind on the port side from the time she cleared New Zealand with a westerly wind until her arrival Home. the Crusader was then commanded by Captain Llewellyn.

When she first traded to New Zealand the Crusader was owned by the Peter Henderson and Albion Line, and was painted black, with a yellow streak; when this company amalgamated with the Shaw, Savill Company, she had painted ports.

Captain C. H. Renaut, who was in command of the Crusader for two voyages, previously commanded the ship Celaeno, from 1864 until 1873. Upon leaving the Crusader, he took command of the Pleione, and sailed for Wellington, arriving there on March 31, 1877, and was later appointed London manager to the Wellington Gear Meat Company, a position which has been filled by one of his sons, Mr. F. W. Renaut, after his father's death, which occurred during 1915. Mr. C. H. Renaut's father, Captain William Renaut, arrived in Dunedin as far back as 1848 in the ship Blundell. This was the first ship to enter on the Customs records at Port Chalmers, and was also the first ship that came out in connection with the Otago Settlement scheme.

Captain C. M. Renaut, another son of Captain C. H. Renaut, has an interesting record of sea service. He served for eleven years in various sailing and steam vessels belonging to the Shaw, Savill and other companies. In 1897 he entered the service of the Union S.S. Company. Later he was appointed Government surveyor of ships to the New Zealand Marine Department, and was acting in this position for several years in Auckland. Recently he was promoted to senior surveyor at Lyttelton, and prior to his departure in April, 1923, was entertained by the masters of vessels in Auckland.