The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 September, 1912.
ADELAIDE STEAMSHIP COMPANY.
ADELAIDE, Monday.
At the twenty-fifth general meeting of the
shareholders of the Adelaide Steamship
Company, Mr. James Harvey, chairman of
directors, who presided, said that, in addition
to the unfortunate mishaps referred to in the
directors' report, the trading results for the
financial year had not been so satisfactory
as they could wish, not from want of trade,
but because the rates of freight and passage
money had not advanced proportionately to
the increase in expenses. The company had
been six times before the Arbitration Court
in connection with various sections of Its
employees, and in consequence of the decisions
arrived at and the increased cost of labour
generally, the expenditure had increased
enormously. Strikes had occurred in Sydney
and Brisbane, and some of the ships had been
laid up for weeks In the former port with full
cargoes on board. The company had not been
directly concerned in the strike at the latter
port, but had been brought Into it, and the
effect on shipping was most disastrous.
Experience had not been that the increase in
wages had increased efficiency. They had
also to deal with the great delay to their
steamers, both in Newcastle and In Sydney,
in obtaining coal and coke cargoes. It was
not uncommon for steamers to be delayed in
Newcastle for ten days in obtaining coal cargoes;
whereas formerly forty-eight hours was sufficient.
Strong representations had been made to the
authorities to increase the wharfage and loading
facilities, and they had reason to believe that those
representations were bearing fruit. Another matter
disturbing them was the proposed Navigation Bill.
It looked as though they were to be burdened
with additional heavy expenditure, without
corresponding advantages.
The Express and Telegraph, 27 March, 1913.
ADELAIDE STEAMSHIP COMPANY.
A Promising Outlook.
'26th ordinary' general meeting of
shareholders in the Adelaide Steamship
Company was held at the office, Carrie-
Street, on Thursday morning, when the
chairman (Mr. J. Harvey) presided. . . .
The Chairman said that at this time of
the year, as they were aware, no accounts
were published. The directors regret that
the results of the all-years' trading, for
various reasons, had not been more favor
able, and did not justify paying more than a
dividend of 3 percent for the half year ended
December 1912.The Queensland trade had
not recovered from the set-back it received
during 1911 and the production of sugar last
season was consequently very small. Indeed,
the Commonwealth imported from oversea
over 80,000 tons of raw sugar. Had that been
grown in Queensland the company's steamers
would have carried a large proportion of it,
besides which men would have been required
to work it, and the necessary stores for their
consumption. Last year he made reference to
the number of awards and agreements under
which they were working, and since then the
engineers had obtained an award of the Arbitration
Court, while in July last the award of eight hours
to deckhands came into force. All these added
enormously to their expenses, and it took
a long time to adjust fares and freights to
meet such increases. In February, 1911, the
directors, observing that the market
"was favorable for building, an order
for two passenger steamers, and subsequently
when the Yongala was unfortunately lost, ordered
a third one. Owing to delays occasioned by strikes
in Great Britain, the Warilda. the first steamer to
arrive, only reached Adelaide on September 8,
1912, and the second (the Wandilla) on
January 3, 1913. The third (the Willochra) arrived
at Fremantle on Monday last. The Warilda had now
made six voyages, and was popular with the travelling
public. The financial results were satisfactory, it was
hoped her sister ships would be equally successful.
The full benefit of that investment of capital, however,
had not been experienced in accounts for the period
under review. In order to meet developments, it might
be advisable, when a favorable opportunity occurred,
to have the share capital of the company increased,
and the directors would carefully consider the position.
The cost of repairs was materially increasing - no
light matter on the coastal trade, where the wear and
tear on the ships in the tougher cargo trades was very
great." After a long period free from serious accident,
the company had had a run of bad fortune.
The outlook, however, was promising. Their
policy would be to husband their resources
and strengthen their position, so that no
substantial increase in dividends could be
expected for some time.
 |
| SS Wandilla, courtesy Wikipedia. All three vessels were identical. |
Built by W. Beardmore and Co.
7785 gross tons
4477 net tons
411 ft.
57 ft.
34 ft. (depth of hold?)
16 knots
service speed 14.5 knots
Twin screw, quadruple expansion, 626 nhp, 6 boilers
These steamers were significantly larger than Koombana and also built for speed. This translated into higher running costs and given the admissions above, not a good time for such grand expansions. But the march of progress and competition demanded such acquisitions.
By 1929, a review of the Adelaide Steamship Company was as follows:
Western Mail, Perth, 11 July, 1929.
ADELAIDE STEAMSHIP COMPANY.
Review of Progress.
The commissioning of the motor ship
Manunda marked the re-entry of the
Adelaide Steamship Company into the
inter-state passenger trade after an absence
from it for several years. The company's
connection with the trade dates back to
its inception over 50 years ago, and it has
employed many fine ships. The names of
the Innamincka, Wollowra, Grantala,
Yongala, Warilda, Wandilla, Morialta,
Rupara, and Paringa are readily recalled,
but in the Manunda the Adelaide Company
has something better than the best of
these.
The Adelaide Steamship Company, Ltd.,
was founded in 1875. The States, or
colonies as they were then called, were
engaged chiefly in primary production, and
with increasing population it was evident
that the existing state of isolation could
not continue, Therefore a movement was
made in South Australia to establish a
steamship company which would improve
the sea lines. The company , was duly
formed and registered on October 9, 1875,
with a nominal capital of £100,000, in
10,000 shares of £10 each, of which it was
intended to call up £60,000.
The company decided on the building
of two steamers, named the South
Australian and the Victorian. The first
increase in the fleet was the purchase of the
steamer Aldinga, 446 tons, in 1877, from
a Melbourne firm. Competition came in
1881 from Messrs. Nipper and See, with
the Claude Hamilton. There was a fierce
war in freights and passenger fares, ending
with the purchase by the Adelaide Company
of the Claude-Hamilton, which afterwards did
good service in W.A. as the Albany.
The year 1882 marked a forward step
in the affairs of the company. An
agreement was entered into with the
Spencer's Gulf Steamship Company to
absorb their fleet. To finance this undertaking
the capital was increased from £100,000 to
£300,000. The newly acquired vessels
comprised the Franklin, Investigator, Flinders,
Emu, Lubra, and Royal Shepherd. Almost
immediately the steamers Otway and Rob
Roy, trading on the W.A. coast, were bought.
It also agreed to take over Mr. Whinfram's
vessels, Penola and Ferret, trading to South
Australian ports, and at the same time contracted
with British- shipbuilders for a 1,800 tons passenger
vessel.
The next venture was the building of the
Adelaide (1,711 tons), which was prominent
in the early days of the W.A. gold rush. In 1887
the Colac (1,479 tons) was bought and entered
the Newcastle coal trade, and soon after the
Barrier was purchased. In 1891 the passenger
and cargo steamers, Innamincka (2,500 tons)
and Bullara (1,725 tons), and the cargo steamer
Ouraka (2,637 tons) arrived from England.
The Bullara served principally in carrying
the North-west Australian mail.
In 1893 a contract was entered into with
the Colonial Sugar Refining Company for
the carriage of raw sugar from Queensland
to the Southern refineries. This and the
gold discoveries in W.A. necessitated further
tonnage. In 1895 the sister vessels
Francesco Crispi and Silvio Spaventa appeared,
after being renamed Marloo and Wollowra.
The company was now represented by
51 branches and agencies from Port Douglas
in North Queensland, almost encircling
the continent to Port Darwin. In 1896 the
light draught steamers Wakefield and Herbert
were added to the fleet of small steamers in
North Queensland rivers, feeding the larger
craft, and in 1897 the Allinga was built and
the Kirklands, Karaweera, Kadina and Willyama
were bought. The next addition was the steamer
La Serena, which was repaired and renamed the
Moonta, and in 1900 the Larnaca was acquired
and renamed Miataro.
The company was reconstructed in 1900
when the capital was raised to £750,000.
A new era for interstate shipping was
ushered in during 1901 by the passing of
the Federal Act abolishing interstate Customs
duties. In 1902 the two shelter deck steamers
Tarcoola (2,647 tons) and Dilkera (2,667 tons)
were built and the steamers Winfield (3,275 tons)
and Nardoo (2.907 tons) bought. .
To maintain prestige in the passenger
trade, two fast vessels, the Yongala and
Grantala, were built and arrived in Australia
in 1903 and 1904 respectively. They were
popular steamers and held many records.
The Grantala, after war service was sold
and now runs between Marseille and Algiers.
Then came the development of the Spencer's
Gulf trade in South Australia, for which the
Rupara was built in 1905, the Paringa in 1907
and the Moria lI; in 1911, all passenger and
cargo ships.
The early promises of this trade were not
fulfilled, and all three vessels were later
employed in the Sydney-Cairns service.
Later still two of them were sold and the
Paringa went back to South Australia
The two cantilever steamers Echung
(4,589 tons) and Urilla (1,965 tons) were
built in 1907. The Echunga was requisitioned
during the war by the British Government
and converted into an oil tanker. She was
soon afterwards sunk by an enemy submarine
in the English Channel. In the same year the
Junee (2,217 tons), intended to carry cattle
and cargo was bought off the stocks, and the
Lammeroo (3,750 tons) was purchased.
The growth of the North-West Australian trade
was responsible for the ordering of the Koombana
(3.668 tons). She was a powerful vessel fitted
with ever possible convenience for tropical travel.
There were no further material additions
to the fleet until 1912, when contracts were
placed for three large steamers, each at
8.000 tons gross. The first to arrive was
the Warilda, followed by the Wandilla
and the Willochra. The Willochra never
actually traded on the coast, being
chartered to the Union Company of
New Zealand for their Vancouver run. All
three were immediately requisitioned by
the Federal and Imperial Governments at
the outbreak of the war, and the Warilda
was lost in 1918.
The company was reconstructed in 1920
when the capital was raised to £3,000,00
of which £2,325,135 was issued and the
balance held in reserve. The extension of
the railways caused a diversion of the
passenger traffic, and the Wandilla and
Willochra were sold. A 7,200 tons steamer
was bought and named the Baldina, and
in 1920 other vessels were bought, including
the Arcona and Aldinga, (5.000 tons
capacity each), Merriwa and Milluna (8,000
tons each) and the Barunga (7,200 tons)
Later the Arkaba, Allara, and Ulooloo were built.
The rapid progress in the development of the
Diesel engine claimed attention, and a contract
was placed for the. building of three 5,000 tons
cargo carriers, the Mulera, Momba and Mundalla.
About the same time the steamers Dundula and
Dilga were purchased from the Commonwealth
Shipping Board, and in the last two years two
small steamers were bought.
Fifty-four years ago the Adelaide Steamship
Company owned two steamers of about 715
gross tons each. To-day its fleet, including
subsidiary companies, consists of 50 steam
and motor vessels, of a tonnage of 85,000,
and about 30 lighters and hulks exceeding
30,000 tons dead weight.
