SCOTLAND TO THE FAR EAST

S A I L S 1 1 T H S E P T E M B E R 1 9 5 6

A U G U S T 1 9 5 6

Ajax I, sister ship to Diomed I, in a Typhoon, about 1872.

Though we are known as the Blue Funnel Line our ships actually are owned either by the Ocean SteamShip Co., The China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. or the Nederlandsche Stoomvaart Maatschappij“Oceaan” of Amsterdam. We are also known by other names – “Holts”, “The China Company”, “The Blue-ees”, or still today in Malaya “Kapal Bogaardt” – “Bogaardt’s ships”, from the name of ourfirst agent in Penang.

In the history and life of a shipping company names – particularly ships’ names – have a very specialsignificance. Perhaps this is because ships are not long lived and because each has her owncharacteristics, even sister-ships, and quickly acquires a reputation, good or bad, with those that sail inand manage her. “Diomed” is a notable name in our history. “Diomed” I, built in 1868, was the firstBlue Funnel ship to make the passage of the Suez Canal. “Diomed” II, built in 1895, and “Diomed” III,built in 1917, both by Scotts of Greenock, were sunk by enemy action in the First World War. “Diomed”IV, built in 1922, survived the Second World War and was broken up after thirty years in service.

“Diomed” V joins a fleet of 77 ships under the Holtand Glen house flags, which include 57 ships built oracquired during and since the war in replacement ofnormal obsolescence and 44 ships lost by enemyaction.

Diomed IV, Built 1922. Sold 1952.

The ‘ A ’ Class.

The “Diomed” is the twenty-fourth of a group of sister-ships, the first of which was delivered to us in1947. We call these single-screw motor ships our “A” Class, and basically they are all alike, whichgives us the advantages of standardisation. However, there has been much technical development overthe past nine years, particularly in propulsion, and the results of this have been incorporatedprogressively into the ships of this class. It is noteworthy, for instance, that whereas the main enginesin the early “A” Class ships are rated at 6,800 S.H.P. and require an engine-room of 69 feet mean length,the “Diomed’s” machinery can develop 8,500 S.H.P. in a 63-foot engine-room.The leading particulars of the “Diomed” are as follows: -

Length B.P. 452 ft. 9 ins.Beam 62 ft. 0 ins.

Draft, summer 28 ft. 5 ins.Bale capacity 13,980

Cargo oil (in 7 tanks) 2,200 tonsMachinery 6-cylinder Harland/B. & W. opposed

piston turbo-chargedService speed 16.5 knots

Cargo gear includes a 70-ton derrickRefrigerated chambers for a limited tonnage of special cargoes

Passengers 12

Diomed V is launched, April 1956.

The “Diomed” is the thirty-fourth ship to be built by

the Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. of

Dundee for the Blue Funnel and Glen Lines, and our

connection with this Scottish yard goes back to 1903.

Amongst many fine Caledon-built ships particular

mention might be made of “Glenearn” and

“Glengyle”, which under the White Ensign formed

part of “Z” Force in the Mediterranean. Both ships

were engaged in the evacuation of Greece in 1941,

when “Glenearn” was seriously damaged, but was

repaired in time to take part in the Normandy

operation in 1944. “Glengyle” was engaged in the

operations off Crete, in a number of Malta convoys,

the landings in North Africa, Sicily and Anzio, and

ended up her Naval career in Far Eastern waters. A

further sister-ship was taken over by the Admiralty

while on the stocks in 1942 and was completed as

H.M.S. “Activity”, an escort carrier. In this capacity she had a distinguished Naval career in theprotection of Atlantic and Arctic convoys and was engaged in a notable action against a large force of‘U’ boats in the Arctic Circle in 1944, when three of the attacking submarines were sunk. After the warshe was acquired from the Navy, and after extensive reconstruction was commissioned late in 1947 asm.v. “Breconshire”.

In recent years the Caledon Shipbuilding Co. have built the three ships of the “Nestor” Class, which areremarkable in having what is still probably the most advanced design in turbine machinery in servicetoday in the British Merchant Navy.

Following “Diomed” we have four further ships on order from the Dundee yard.

H.M.S. Activity, Escort Carrier, now M.V. Breconshire.

6-Cylinder opposed piston turbo-charged Engine on Shop Trials at Greenock.

We have a long and close connection with John G. Kincaid & Co., the builders of “Diomed’s” main engine

which is the seventeenth set of diesel engines built for us by the Greenock firm over the past fifteen years.

“Diomed” is propelled by a B. & W. / H. & W. 6-cylinder single-acting two-stroke opposed piston turbo-

charged engine rated at 8,500 S.H.P. – the first turbo-charged engine of this type to be built in Scotland.

The fuel injection which operates on the Archaouloff system was supplied by Wilson & Kyle.

John G. Kincaid & Co. are building six further sets of similar machinery for Blue Funnel ships now on order.

The Midshipmen’s Accommodation.

“Diomed” carries a complement of 72, but instead of the normal deck crew of 18 and 4 midshipmen she

is manned on deck solely by midshipmen. The “Diomed” is not a training ship in any ordinary sense.

Midshipmen spend two voyages on the ship – that is about seven months – but during the rest of their

sea time they are trained in groups normally of four on the Company’s other ships, most of which carry

midshipmen and some, in addition, engineer cadets. The “Calchas” has been manned entirely by

midshipmen since 1947, and we are satisfied that our experience with this ship has proved that during

their two voyages midshipmen acquire a competence in practical seamanship and a degree of self-

reliance which cannot be achieved by other means of training. The “Calchas” has now reverted to

normal manning, and her place is being taken for this aspect of our deck officers’ training scheme by

the “Diomed”, whose accommodation has been specially designed to provide for her high complement

of midshipmen.

The Blue Funeel Loading berth, Glasgow.

Blue Funnel ships have carried Scotland’s trade between Glasgow and the Far East for nearly 75 years.In 1880 Mr. Alfred Holt appointed Mr. Colin William Scott as Agent for The Ocean Steam Ship Co. inGlasgow, and the Blue Funnel direct service was inaugurated in 1883. The China Mutual SteamNavigation Co. appointed J. & A. Roxburgh as their Agents in 1895, which they remained until 1923,when the two agency houses combined under the name of Roxburgh, Colin Scott & Co. Ltd.

Even in the early days Blue Funnel ships maintained a regular liner service, and between the wars inspite of slump conditions Blue Funnel ships sailed from Glasgow on alternate Saturdays with clockworkregularity. Since the Second World War industrial development in Scotland and development of tradewith new areas in the East have been catered for by increased sailings to Malaya, Hong Kong, China andJapan and the inauguration of direct sailings from Glasgow to Manila, Bangkok, Borneo and Indonesia.

Our regular services from Glasgow are maintained by the 16-knot “A” class and the four 18-knot“Peleus” class vessels which latter provide for Scottish shippers the fastest service to the Far East. Itis interesting to note that as compared with 1939 Blue funnel sailings from Glasgow have been increasedby 50%.

Until 1930 the Company’s vessels were loaded at Yorkhill Basin. For some time this berth had hardlybeen adequate, and in 1930 the Company was able to establish its service to the Far East at Shieldhall,where berths were built specially for the trade and where we are in the fortunate position of being ableto receive cargo continuously throughout the year.

What of the future? In a fleet such as ours normal obsolescence calls for a building programme of 2 to

3 ships a year, and in conditions as they are today one of the most difficult problems the liner owner has

to solve is how and when to build.

Especially in the Far East political and economic conditions are such that the volume and nature of

trade is impossible to forecast over any long period ahead. Against this uncertain background the owner

must order tonnage of which he cannot get delivery for 4 years or more, at a price which may well be

25% in excess of the tender.

However, the Blue Funnel Line has served the Far East for over 90 years and we are confident in the

future of this trade. In this belief we have commissioned the “Diomed” and have nine further cargo

liners on order for delivery over the next 3 years.

AUGUST, 1956.

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