1883: Burns, Philp & Company Limited incorporated in Sydney

James and John Burns arrived in Brisbane in December 1862. After a couple of years jackerooing at Springsure - Central Queensland, they set up as storekeepers at the Gympie goldfields in 1865.  By the mid-1870s,  James Burns and Robert Philp had gone into a more diversified Townsville-based partnership, which included shipping links to Brisbane and Sydney for inter-colony and overseas trade.  After 1876, James Burns worked from an office in Sydney, where Burns, Philp & Company Limited was incorporated in 1883. They were the first company to offer tourism to New Guinea, in 1884, advertising the ‘New Guinea Excursion Trip’. By 1914 the Burns Philp Tourist Department was established advertising tours on Lord Howe and Norfolk Island. Acquisition of the Port Moresby Hotel occurred in the same year, with the Papua Hotel purchased some years later. Burns Philp “maintained a near monopoly on passenger services to Melanesia until the outbreak of the war in the Pacific”^.

More:

1. Douglas, N. and Douglas, N. (1996) “Tourism in the Pacific: Historical factors” in Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J. (eds.) Tourism in the Pacific: Issues and Cases, London pp. 65-80
2. Sydney Morning Herald, 16 February 1884 in Douglas, N. (1994) “Electric Shadows in the South Seas: The Pacific Islands in film” in D. Aoki (ed.) Moving Images of the Pacific Islands: A Guide to Films and Video, Center for Pacific Island Studies: Honolulu, p. 40
3. Douglas, N. (1994) ‘Electric Shadows in the South Seas: The Pacific Islands in film’ in D. Aoki (ed.) Moving Images of the Pacific Islands: A Guide to Films and Video, Center for Pacific Island Studies: Honolulu, p. 40
4. Douglas, N. and Douglas, N. (1996) “Tourism in the Pacific: Historical factors” in Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J. (eds.) Tourism in the Pacific: Issues and Cases, London p. 27
5. Buckley, K. and Klugman, K. (1983) The Australian Presence in the Pacific: Burns Philp 1914-1916, George Allen & Unwin: Sydney

1908: Robbie Kaad Co bought by Burns Philp

In about 1908 Robbie, Kaad Co. Ltd, was bought by Burns Philp, and managed by CARPENTER, Sir Water Randolph (1877-1954). He was born on 31 October 1877 at Singapore, Straits Settlements, son of John Bolton Carpenter and his English wife Emma Frances, née Griffin. John, a merchant, whaler and sea captain, came from New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America. Restricted by the American Civil War he had made the Straits Settlements his base and been naturalized a British subject. In 1885 he moved his family to Sydney and became a skipper for Burns, Philp & Co. In 1891, while commanding the company’s Costa Rica Packet, he was arrested at Ternate in the Dutch East Indies and then involved in the long struggle for compensation.

Burns Philp buys Robbie, Kaad Co. Ltd, To help the family, Walter left Forest Lodge Public School at 14 and joined the Sydney office of Burns Philp. After a year at Esperance, Western Australia, about 1896 he moved to the Thursday Island branch. There on 18 December 1899 he married Edith Anderson, daughter of a sugar-planter. That year he left Burns Philp, bought three luggers and set up a family pearl-shelling business, registered as J. B. Carpenter & Sons Ltd in 1901; Walter was managing director at a salary of £300. In 1905 he was chairman of the Torres Shire Council. Leaving his brother William in charge, Carpenter left Thursday Island late in 1908 and rejoined Burns Philp. After a year in Sydney, he went to Fiji and managed Robbie, Kaad Co. Ltd, recently bought by Burns Philp.

Partnership with Morris and Hestrom: In 1914 Carpenter returned to Sydney and in September registered W. R. Carpenter & Co. Ltd: its first shareholders apart from himself, were P. A. Morris and (Sir J.) Maynard Hedstrom, who later founded Morris Hedstrom Ltd, Fiji.

Copra trading; When World War I began Carpenter realized the importance of copra in making munitions and for food, and bought it wherever he could find it and raise credit, chartering ‘almost anything that would float’, including an old sailing ship, to get it to England.

Took over failed plantations: He took enormous risks but made huge profits, and was ideally placed to expand into New Guinea after the Australian government had expropriated German property. Under his able management, the company helped to finance, and later took over, the plantations of some Australian ex-servicemen who became heavily indebted when copra prices fell; it became large storekeepers, traders and property owners in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands — in 1922 he had set up W. R. Carpenter & Co. (Solomon Islands) Ltd.

‘Would Rob Christ’ : Although much abused by some planters and small traders — W.R.C. was said to stand for ‘Would Rob Christ’ — Carpenters’ also earned the gratitude of those who survived on long-term credit and who looked to it to transact all their business.

All round commercial genius; Carpenter took advantage of the development of the rich Morobe goldfields in New Guinea; he acquired hotels in Wau and Bulolo, set up electrical power plants and cold stores in various centres, operated a small fleet of inter-island steamers, built and equipped a slip in Rabaul, and operated a desiccated coconut factory. In 1933 he established the first air service between Salamaua and Wau with two De Haviland Fox Moths and next year a direct shipping-line between Australia, the Western Pacific and European ports: most of his ships were built in Australia. Between 1924 and 1934 the company never failed to pay an 8 per cent dividend and extended its trading operations into the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. In 1935 Carpenter set up the Southern Pacific Insurance Co. Ltd, next year acquired a controlling interest in Jobson Brown & Joske Ltd of Suva, Fiji, and soon expanded his airline when he successfully tendered for the government-subsidized route between Rabaul and Australia.

Built copra-crushing mill near Vancouver: On the outbreak of World War II Carpenter’s ships and aeroplanes were commandeered by the British and Australian governments. However in 1940 he visited the U.S.A. and managed to purchase two freighters ‘under conditions which allow him to operate in the Pacific free of European control’. He then formed a new company in Canada, built a copra-crushing mill near Vancouver and found a healthy North American market. Although his buildings and plantations in New Guinea and the Solomon, Gilbert and Ellice islands were destroyed when Japan entered the war, he did well from the wartime prosperity of Fiji, and later received compensation for war damage. Soon after the war he bought two British ships for the Australian-Canadian run. In November 1941 he had settled permanently in Vancouver and in May 1948 he and his wife took out Canadian citizenship.

“He was a brilliant manager, farsighted and enterprising, kind to his employees but tough with competitors. Having survived high risks in early trading, he later built up huge internal reserves to cope with fluctuations in marketing conditions”. Carpenter died on 1 February 1954 at Killara. His sons succeeded him as managing directors of W. R. Carpenter & Co. Ltd, and in 1956 bought a controlling interest in Morris Hedstrom Ltd. His estate was valued for probate at £50,387 in New South Wales and $923,481 in Canada.

Journal (Legislative Council, New South Wales), 1894-95, 53, pt 2, 345-437; Pacific Islands Monthly, Jan 1936, May 1941, Feb 1954, Dec 1955; Rydge’s, June 1936; J. B. Carpenter papers (National Library of Australia). Author: H. N. Nelson Print Publication Details: H. N. Nelson, ‘Carpenter, Sir Walter Randolph (1877 - 1954)’, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, Melbourne University Press, 1979, pp 567-568.

1852: Royal Hotel built in Levuka

Levuka’s main hotel, the Royal, was established in 1852, and although destroyed by fire in the 1890s, Captain David Robbie rebuilt it in 1913. “By the 1860s, ship’s masters, plantation owners, even the notorious blackbirder, Bully Hayes, frequented the Royal.

Owner of the Royal: Earliest owners of the Hotel were sea captains Volk and Robbie. Captain Robbie played an important role in the Royal’s history and the town of Levuka. He purchased the hotel from Captain Volk as a base for his tea export business. Here he built a storage shed, for tea that was bought over from his plantation on Vanua Levu for export to the markets of Europe. The building still stands on the hotel grounds to this day, though is now used for accommodation. During his ownership, a fire razed the building, Robbie rebuilt the hotel. He was also instrumental in having the Levuka Town Hall built.

Next owner was Captain Kaad: “Captain Kaad, a Danish copra merchant who was the present owner, Mrs Dorothy Ashley’s grand father and business partner to Captain Robbie, followed them. The hotel was then sold to Morris Hedstrom and Co.

Dorothy and Eddie Ashley buy hotel: ” In 1940, the Ashley’s Eddie and Dorothy took the reins from Eddie’s father, who was running the establishment for Morris Hedstrom. Dorothy was just 21 yrs old. Dorothy and Eddie eventually purchased the hotel, and with the passing of her husband in 1978, she continued on, determined to keep their dream alive, which she did up until her death , May 5th 2004.
More at: http://www.royallevuka.com

More information at: The Fiji Oral History Project Part 1:Part-Europeans and Europeans.This oral history audio media project, called the Fiji Oral History Project Part 1: Part-Europeans and Europeans, comprises 28 taped interviews with 26 senior members of these communities living in Fiji and Australia. The interviews were conducted from 1998 to 1999. They trace the history of a number of Part-European and European families in Fiji through the 19th and 20th centuries, beginning with the first arrival of their European ancestors. The project has been conducted by Ms Marsali Mackinnon. The USP Library and the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau (within the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at the Australian National University) formally present a copy of the collection to the USP Library in December 2002.Copies of the collection are available on CD and also with the Yale University Library, the Melanesia Resource center at the University of California San Diego, the Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaii, the University of Auckland Library, the Turnbull Library, the Mitchell Library, the National Library of Australia and the Australian National University Library. A set of the CDs will also be lodged with the Fiji Museum, an original partner in the project.

Public Access to the Collection open: All public access to the collection, in both Australian and overseas archives, was embargoed for 4 years (from April 2001 to January 2005).
Those interviewed comprised:
• Selected members of Fiji’s Part-European and European community aged 60 and above, particularly those still living in Fiji. In addition, there were three other interviewees - the Tui Levuka, Mr Henry Sahai of Levuka, and Mr Bill (WWA) Miller, a retired District Officer with the former British colonial administration. Interviews were conducted in Suva and district (including with residents of Suva’s Pearce Home for the Elderly); Levuka (Ovalau); Savu Savu (Vanua Levu); the Korolevu area of Viti Levu’s “Coral Coast”; and Lautoka. Interviews were also conducted in Australia and New Zealand.
In chronological order of interview, the participants are:
• Lady Moira Hedstrom (nee Deitrich)
• The late Hubert “Jumbo” Sabben
• Mr Bill (W.W.A) Miller
• Mrs Dorothy Walker (Order of Fiji)
• Mrs Maureen Southwick (nee Storck)
• Mr Henry Sahai
• The Tui Levuka
• Mr George Gibson
• Mr William Moses
• The late Mrs Dora Patterson
• The late Captain Fred Vollmer
• Mrs Nicky Yoshida (nee Ashley)
• Mrs Bertha Wendt
• Ms Alice Mahabir
• Sir Len Usher
• The late George Mitchell “Pa” Hazelman
• Mr Thomas Fenton
• Mrs Jess Jackson (nee Hibbs)
• Mrs Betty Simpson (nee Ashley)
• Mrs Lema Low (nee Price)
• Mr Rodney Acraman
• Mr Daryl Tarte
• Mrs Judy Zundel (nee Ferrier-Watson)
• The late Sir David Ragg
• Mr Don Burness
• The Hon. the late Mr Bill Clark (Order of Fiji).
“Intangible Heritage” resource

Video interviews: The Museum video-taped two of the Levuka interviews – with the Tui Levuka, and with long-time local resident Mr Henry Sahai. The oral histories collected in Levuka were designed to provide an “intangible heritage” resource to support an application by Fiji to the World Heritage Committee for Levuka/ the Island of Ovalau to be declared a World Heritage Site.

http://rspas.anu.edu.au/pambu/newsletters/Pambu15November2002.html

1861: Cotton prices rise sharply

Almost unanimously, Southerners believed they could use cotton to lure England and France into recognizing the Confederacy. Since the administration of Jefferson Davis wanted to avoid any appearance of international “blackmail,” the Confederate Congress never formally approved an embargo, but state governments and private citizens voluntarily withheld the crop from the market in hopes of causing a “cotton famine” overseas. Theoretically, widespread shortages would shut down European mills, forcing governments to recognize and perhaps come to the military aid of the Confederacy, or to declare the Union blockade ineffective and disregard or break it in order to reopen Southern ports.

 Bumper crop in 1860 had glutted the marketplace : The “King Cotton” mentality was seriously flawed, not the least in overestimating the value of “white gold.” First, a bumper crop in 1860 had glutted the marketplace, lowering prices and allowing mill owners to stockpile.

Cotton prices rise sharply late in 1861, fall in 1863: In 1863 imports from India, Egypt, and Brazil sufficiently replaced Southern cotton. Second, Davis, never an astute diplomat, failed to recognize how much Europe feared the possibility of war with the U.S. Private European citizens and industrialists invested in speculative ventures tenuously backed by Southern cotton securities, but their governments would not antagonize the North by recognizing the Confederacy for the sake of guaranteeing those investments or increasing supplies of the staple. Further, Southern society tied cotton inseparably to slavery, and England, the example Napoleon Ill would follow, led the abolitionist movement in the world community. Europe’s wait-and-see attitude hardened into unassailable neutrality after the Southern armies suffered reverses beginning at Gettysburg, and Davis and his supporters realized the cotton strategy had failed as a diplomatic tool. They had unwisely hoarded their one great asset and undermined their best chance of financing the war.
Source: “Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War” edited by Patricia L. Faust

December 1838: Wesleyan reinforcements from Britain came to Lakeba

Wesleyan reinforcements from Britain came to Lakeba in December 1838, bringing supplies sufficient to compensate Cargill, Gross and their families for the loss of their household goods. The three new missionaries, John Hunt, James Calvert and Thomas Jaggar, all came direct to Fiji in response to appeals in the English religious press. Jaggar, a printer, soon transferred his machinery from Lakeba to Rewa, and later to the

Scandal: The mission was deprived of his skill following a sexual encounter with a young Fiji girl on Viwa in 1848. Calvert manned Lakeba for ten years at the beginning of his long service to Fiji; he became an expert on the islands and lived to be present at the celebrations of the mission’s first quarter century and half century. Hunt, the other member of the gifted trio, ranks with the most able and dedicated Christian missionaries of any period.

Source unknown.

1835: Power of Fijian chief converted in Tonga, Josua Mateinaniu of Fulaga, eased the entry of David Cargill and William Gross first Wesleyans to Lakeba

1835: A Fijian chief who had been converted in Tonga, Josua Mateinaniu of Fulaga, who accompanied the first Wesleyans to Lakeba in 1835 , was a person of far greater importance than most previous accounts allow.

Educated and high status: His status and his command of both Tongan and Fijian eased the entry of David Cargill and William Gross of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society. Recognizing that effective Christian mission in Fiji depended to a large extent on the attitude of Bau, Rewa and the Tui Cakau, the Wesleyans sent Josua Mateinaniu westward alone from Lakeba toward the end of 1835 to mingle with the many Tongans who were spread out through the islands and to sound out the situation in the strongholds of the high chiefs. He was a well informed scout who advised on the future course of gospel warfare.

Josua Mateinaniu brings in a big congregation: By September 1836 he was back at Lakeba. On the Sunday after his return Cargill’ s small chapel was overflowing with a congregation `of 300 or 400 Tonguese from the Leeward Is. of Feejee. ‘ Many of them had embraced Christianity through the instrumentality of Joshua, an accredited Preacher whom we sent among them 10 Months ago. He has acted with great zeal and fidelity’.

John Garrett, “To Live Among the Stars”(book reviewed in the Journal of Pacific History, Sept, 1998, by Roderic Lacey) . Geneva/Suva: World Council of Churches in Association with the Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific. 2-8254-0692-9

1870: Cotton boom ends, chaos rises: government needed: planters of Lau, German with business interests in Tonga, wanted Ma’afu; the men of Western Fiji preferred Cakobau

On June 5th, 1871, Cakobau was proclaimed King of Fiji at a ceremony in Levuka. This event followed a period of chaos created by the sudden fall in the value of cotton. Derrick, in his “History of Fiji” (p.196), says, “With the rapid increase of the foreign population the need for government became more urgent. A leading article in the ‘Fiji Times’ of 15th January, 1870, compared the creditable manner in which the natives governed themselves with the lack of control among the Europeans; ‘It is not the natives we want the Government for, but ourselves,’ the article affirmed; and it went on to urge the need of protection for homes and families.

Government plan: In its next issue the paper suggested that a committee be set up to recommend a suitable form of government. A meeting was held as arranged, and was largely attended. Though the meeting agreed that some form of Government was necessary, there was a difference of opinion about who should be the native head of the administration.

Planters backed Ma’afu: The planters of Lau, who were principally German, with business interests in Tonga, wanted Ma’afu; the men of Western Fiji preferred Cakobau. On this question, and on the manner in which revenue should be handled, no agreement was reached; and after appointing a committee to draft a constitution, to be submitted to delegates, the meeting broke up.”

Fall in cotton values spread dismay among the settlers: That meeting was on the 14th April, 1870, when everything from the planters’ angle seemed happy enough, but the sudden fall of France and the subsequent fall in cotton values spread dismay among the settlers generally.

Bankrupt in the midst of chaos: Many of the planters were men of education, some from the Forces, men of character, faced with bankruptcy in the midst of chaos. Concern for so many from Australia prompted politicians in Australia to urge the United Kingdom to annex the Group, but it was certain that the United Kingdom had no interest in the matter.

coup d’etat was launched: With dramatic suddenness a coup d’etat was launched, led by ex-Lieutenant George Austin Woods, the newly arrived marine surveyor.

10 March 1788: French exploration vessels, Astrolabe, Boussole, Commander Jean-Francois Galaup, Comte de la Perouse wrecked on Tucopia Island

French exploration vessel. Commander Jean-Francois Galaup, Comte de la Perouse, sailed from Botany Bay, NSW, on 10 March 1788, on the Astrolabe, in company with the vessel Boussole, with the intention of heading north, but disappeared.

Lost on Vanikoro Island in the Solomon Islands: Their fate was finally discovered thirty-nine years later when Captain Peter Dillon, commanding the vessel St. Patrick, noted relics from the French vessels at Tucopia Island, between new Hebrides and Santa Cruz group of the Solomons. He returned in 1827 in the vessel Research and discovered that the surviving crew had landed on Vanikoro Island in the Solomon Islands, where they were probably massacred. One group apparently managed to built a boat from parts of the wreckage, but they were never heard of again. It appears that the vessels had been anchored near each other and had both been driven ashore in a gale. A later expedition under Dumont dUrville in a vessel named Astrolab, visited the Santa Cruz Islands in 1828 and confirmed Dillon’s report. Perouse’s two vessels were located in 1962 by a New Zealander engineer and diver Reece Discombe, resident in Vanuatu. For his achievement he was awarded the National Order of Merit by President Charles de Gaulle.

Encyclopedia of Australian Shipwrecks

1870: 400 hopeful European immigrants arrive in Levuka: South Sea Islands cotton boom, 600 Europeans in Levuka

Immigrants came by every ship, and during the winter of 1870 there were over four hundred new arrivals: the total increase for the year was 1,035″ The 1860’s were noted for the great South Seas cotton boom. R. A. Derrick’s “A History of Fiji” records that 1870 the European population in Fiji “now numbered fully 2,500, of whom 600 were crowded in the narrow township of Levuka, the others being settled on plantations or trading stations–some in Lau, Bua, or Cakaudrove, but most round the coasts and the river valleys of Viti Levu. The majority of these people were British subjects, indeed men of other nationalities–chiefly Americans–did not number more than 200.

1854: Captain Frederick Howard – log of HMS ‘Herald’, in Levuka harbour for two months; read Articles of War to crew, hosts Cakobau with 10-gun salute

 29th September 1854, Levuka Harbour

AM

2.30 Observed the centre of Ovalau WNW. Hove to set spanker
4.0 Wore hove to. Centre of Ovalau NW by W
5.45 Filled
6.50 Wore
8.0 Bore up for entrance of reef, set courses and topgallant sails
9.30 Furled courses in topgallant sails standing through the Southern entrance to Levuka 10.0 Shortened sail and came to in 14 f. Moored ship with 5 shackles on each cable
Noon 30.01 78°

PM
Bearings at anchor
right arrow xeme N 30° W
Centre of Village S 56° W
Southern Entrance S 67° E
Furled sails
Out pinnace
Down royal yards
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

 29th September 1854, Levuka Harbour

AM
Employed watering and as requisite
Carpenters repairing ladder
Noon 30.00 - 79°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up boats
Midnight 30.00 - 77°

Remarks Saturday 30th

AM
Employed watering and cleaning ship
Artificers as requisite
Noon 30.00 79°

PM Employed as before noon
Loosed small sails to dry
4.0 Unbent small sails
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Remarks Sunday 1st October

AM
10.0 Mustered by divisions
Noon 30.00 74°

PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.00 - 77°

Remarks Monday 2nd

AM
Employed watering
Blacking down rigging &c.
Carpenters making cases for plants
Noon 29.95 78°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up boats
Midnight

Remarks Moored off Levuka Ovalau Tuesday 3rd October 1854

AM
8.0 Loosed sails
Employed watering blacking down rigging
Carpenters making cases for plants
Noon 29.97 - 77°

PM Employed as before noon
Completed water to 67 tons
Furled sails
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.05 - 77°

Wednesday 4th

AM
Gave one watch liberty
Employed as most requisite
Noon 30.00 - 79°

PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Liberty men returned
S
Midnight 30.05 - 75°

Thursday 5th

AM
One watch ashore on liberty
Carpenter making specimen box and repairing skylights
Noon 30.07 80°

PM
One watch on shore
Sunset liberty men returned up and moored boats
Midnight 30.30 - 77°

Friday 6th

AM
Boats away surveying
Carpenter making specimen box
Noon

Boats away surveying
Sunset moored boats
Midnight

Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Saturday 7th October 1854

AM
Employed cleaning ship
Boats away surveying
Noon

PM Boats away surveying
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Sunday 8th

AM
10.0 Mustered by divisions and Per open list
Performed Divine Service
Noon

PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Monday 9th

AM
Scrubbed hammocks and washed clothes
Carpenters repairing ladders
Noon

PM
Employed as requisite
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.10 - 77°

Tuesday 10th

AM
Boats away surveying
Employed making spun yarn
Sailmaker making canvas shoes for boats crews
Noon 30.00 80

PM Swing ship for deviation
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.02 - 78°

Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Wednesday 11th October 1854

AM
Boats away surveying
Employed repairing ratlines
Noon 30.00 81°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.00 - 79°

Thursday 12th

AM Boats away surveying
Employed making spunyarn, fitting topsail yards &c.
Sailmaker making canvas shoes for boats crews &c.
Noon 30.05 82°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.00 - 80°

Friday 13th

AM Boats away surveying
Scrubbed hammocks and washed clothes
Employed making mats fitting topgallant rigging &c.
Sailmaker making canvas shoes for boats crews
Noon 30.07 - 80°

PM Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.10 - 77°

Saturday 14th

AM
Boats away surveying
Employed cleaning ship
Noon 30.08 - 80°

PM
Employed making and mending clothes
Midnight 30.13 - 80°

Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Ovalau Sunday 15th October 1854

AM
10.0 Mustered by divisions and read articles of war to ships company
Noon 30.10 - 81°

PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Monday 16th

AM
Down topgallant yards and lowered topgallant masts. unbent jibs. Secured foremast with [indecipherable] and tackles in jib and flying booms, unclothed bowsprit
Carpenter making saddle for dolphin striker. Sailmaker repairing sails
Noon 30.06 - 79°

PM Employed refitting ship
Artificers as before noon
Unbent fore topsail
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.05 - 79°

Tuesday 17th

Unbent mainsail down main yard
Employed refitting ship
Artificers as yesterday
Noon 30.02 - 77°

PM Employed as before noon
Setting the bobstays &c.
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.00 - 70°

Wednesday 18th

AM Employed staying foremast setting up fore rigging and refitting
Carpenter making saddle for dolphin striker
Sailmaker repairing sails
Noon

Employed as before noon
Out jib boom up main yard
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour - Ovalau Thursday 19th October 1854

AM
Down fore yard – unbent sails
Employed refitting &c.
Sailmaker repairing sails
Boats away surveying
Noon 30.03 - 79°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up boats
Midnight 30.07 - 78°

Friday 21st

AM Employed rattling down rigging and refitting
Carpenters making clothes rack
Sailmaker repairing sails
Noon 30.04 - 81°

PM
Employed as fore noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.05 - 78°

Saturday 21st

AM Employed cleaning ship
Boats away surveying
Carpenters making Log rack
Sailmaker repairing sails
Noon 30.05 - 79°

PM
Employed as before noon
Up fore yard
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.03 - 78°

Sunday 22nd

AM
10.0 Mustered by divisions and Performed Divine Service
Noon 30.03 - 84°

PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.03 - 78°

Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Ovalau Monday 23rd October 1854

AM
Boats away surveying
Employed watering and as requisite
Sailmaker repairing sails
Carpenters repairing Log Rack
Noon 30.03 - 80°

PM Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Tuesday 24th

AM Boats away surveying
Employed rattling and blacking down rigging
Noon 30.10 - 75°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.95 - 77°

Wednesday 25th

AM Employed rattling and blacking down
Carpenters making clothes rack
Sailmaker repairing sails
Noon 29.92 - 79°

PM Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.85 - 76°

Thursday 26th

AM Boats away surveying
Fidded topgallant masts
Employed staying topgallant masts and fitting topgallant backstays
Artificers as yesterday
Noon 29.95 - 77°

PM Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.95 - 74°

Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Friday 27th

AM
Employed making mats &c.
Ropemaker making spun yarn
Artificers as yesterday
Noon 30.05 - 77°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Saturday 28th

AM
9.0 Arrived the American barque Seagou from Sydney 10 days
Employed cleaning ship
Noon 30.04.77

PM. Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Mr Nugent (Mid.) and 2 men proceeded in the schooner Glide (Niece Master) to V’antavu in search of 2 men supposed to be runaway convicts

Sunday 29th

AM
10.0 Mustered per open list
Noon 30.05 - 80°

PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.05 - 77°

Monday 30th

AM
Employed watering ship and as requisite
Carpenters making clothes rack
Noon 30.05 78°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.02 - 78°

Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Tuesday 31st October 1854

AM
Employed watering
Carpenters making clothes rack
Noon 30.00 - 77°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.01 - 76°

Wednesday 1st November

AM
Employed watering and as req.
Carpenters making clothes rack
Noon :

PM Completed water to 67 tons
Bent sails
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.00 - 76°

Thursday 2nd

AM
Employed as most requisite
Carpenters making clothes rack
Noon 29.95 81°

PM Boats away surveying
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.97 - 79°

Friday 3rd

AM
9.0 Cleaned hawse and unmoored ship
Bent small sails courses topgallant and royal yards and loosed sails
Employed preparing for sea
Noon 30.06 80°

PM Employed as before noon
Furled sails in pinnace
Midnight

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Remarks Anchored in Levuka Harbour Saturday 4th November

AM
Employed cleaning ship
Loosed sails
Noon 29.96 - 83°

PM
Employed as before noon
Furled sails
Sunset up boats
Midnight 29.97 - 79°

Sunday 5th

AM
10.0 Mustered by divisions and per open list
Noon 29.95 82°

PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Monday 6th

AM
Loosed sails
Employed as most requisite
Noon 29.88 78°

PM
1.0 Furled sails
Boats away surveying
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.84 - 79°

Tuesday 7th

AM
Loosed sails
Employed as most requisite
11.30 Furled sails
Noon 29.85 78°

PM Employed cleaning pump wells
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.90 - 79°

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Remarks At Single Anchor in Levuka Harbour Wednesday 8th November 1854

AM
Cleaned sail bins
Aired spare small sails and awnings
Employed making mats&c
Noon. 29.91 80

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Thursday 9th

AM
8.0 Dressed ship in honour of the Anniversary of the Birthday of His Highness the Prince of Wales
Noon Fired a general salote of 21 guns

PM
1.30 “Thacamban” Chief of Ambau came on board saloted ditto with 10 guns
Sunset moored boats
Midnight 30-00 80°

Friday 10th

AM
Boats away surveying
Employed making mats
Noon 29.95 83

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.92 78°

Saturday 11th

AM
Boats away surveying
Employed cleaning ship
Noon 29.85 78°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Remarks At Single Anchor in Levuka Harbour Sunday 12th November 1854

AM
10.0 Mustered by divisions
Noon 29.80 - 82

PM
sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.81 - 79°

Monday 13th

AM
8.0 Loosed sails
Employed cleaning sail room and airing spare sails
Noon 29.85 85°

PM Employed as before noon
3.0 Furled sails
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.90 79°

Remarks Tuesday 14th November 1854

AM
6.30 Shortened in cable to 2 shackles Up boats loosed sails
7.45 Weighed and made all plain sail on starboard tack
Tacked as requisite working out
9.30 Shaped course SSE set P. log
Up [indecipherable] trimmed as requisite to light airs up courses – very heavy rain
Noon

PM 1.0 Tacked
4.0 Wore Sounded in 217 ooze
6.0 Tacked right arrow xeme Ovalau N21° W
left arrow xeme Batiki – N 71.40 W
Midnight 30.00 78°

Remarks Wednesday 15th November

AM
Aired bedding
7.0 Set port topgallant studsails
9.0 Altered course to SW. trimmed
11.40 Obs. a schooner on starboard beam
11.0 In studsails, wore, altered course to North set starboard topg’t studsails
Noon

PM 1.15 Trimmed, bent and set staysails, spanker and main trysail
3.0 Fired 2 muskets to bring schooner to, which having no effect fired a shotted 9 pr. In studsails up mainsail wore and hove to on port tack – boarded schooner and found her to be from [indecipherable]. Mr [indecipherable] on board having left Mr Nugent 12 days previous, [indecipherable] [indecipherable] Viti Levu in search of the two men who had escaped from V’antavu , and supposed to have gone [indecipherable] [indecipherable] Filled, tacked and stood for Ovalau. 5.0 Braced round on port tack. Trimmed as requisite
6 Shortened sail to topsails topgallant sails jib and spanker. Braced up on starboard tack. 8.0 Levuka entrance of reef W by N ½ N [indecipherable] view of Nalau W by N [indecipherable] WSW.

Remarks Thursday 16th November

AM 12.30 Braced round on port tack
3.30 Tacked and hove to down jib.
4.0 Xmes of Ovalau NW by N [indecipherable] W ½ S
Trimmed as requisite standing for Levuka Harbour.
7.0 Shortened sail and let go S. B. in 15 fath. Moored with 5 shackles on each cable.
Loosed small sails to dry.
Noon 30.00 82°

PM
Furled sails
Employed as most requisite
Sunset up and moored boats
North Xme N33 W
South Xme S 8 E
Centre of Levuka West
Passage S 73° E
Midnight 29.99 - 80°

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Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Friday 17th November 1854.

AM
Boats away surveying
Sailmaker repairing pinnace cover.
Noon

PM.
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

Remarks Saturday 10th Nov.

AM
Mr Nugent arrived in the schooner ‘Glide’ having captured the two convicts and a whaleboat they had stolen at [indecipherable]
Boats away surveying
Employed cleaning ship
Noon 30.00 79

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.00 80°

Remarks Sunday 19th

AM
Mustered by divisions
Noon 30.00 - 78°
PM
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 30.04 - 78°

Remarks Monday 20th

AM
Employed as most requisite
Boats away surveying
Noon 30.05 - 79°

PM
Employed as before noon
3.0 Cleaned hawse

Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight

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Remarks Moored in Levuka Harbour Ovalau Tuesday 21st November 1854

AM
8.0 Loosed sails
Emloyed as most requisite
11.0 Furled sails
Noon 29.90 78°

PM
Issued soap and [indecipherable] to ships company
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.87 - 77°

Remarks Wednesday 22nd

AM
Issued slops to ships company
Employed as most requisite
Noon 29.84 75°

PM
Employed as before noon
Sunset up and moored boats
Midnight 29.87 - 75°

Remarks Thursday 23rd

AM
8.0 Loosed sails
Employed as most requisite
Carpenters repairing ladder
Sailmaker fitting quarter deck awning
Noon 29.91 79°

PM
Employed as before noon
3.0 Furled sails
4.30 Unmoored
Sunset up boats
Midnight 29.95 - 76°

Remarks Friday 24th November 1854

AM 6.0 Weighed and made all plain sail standing out of Levuka Harbour
6.40 Hove to and discharged pilot
8.0 Tacked set middle staysails and main topsail
Employed stowing anchors cleaning cables &c
Noon 29.95 - 79°