IONIC
















The IONIC departed London 26th April, 1883 and arrived in Wellington on 12th June, 1883,
with Captain E O Hallett in command.








Transcribed from the "Evening Post" newspaper of 12 June, 1883. 
















Arrival of the s.s. Ionic.

The new and magnificent White Star liner IONIC, Captain E. O. Hallett, R.N., under charter to
the New Zealand Shipping Company, arrived in this harbour last night from Plymouth, making
the passage in the unprecedentedly short time of 43 days, 22 hours, including all stoppages.
She is by far the largest merchant vessel, and much the longest ship of any kind, that has
ever entered this port. She in also the first merchant steamer rigged as a four-masted ship - 
that is, with three of her masts square-rigged - that has yet been seen in any Australasian
port. The lonic was launched on the 13th. January, 1883. Her general appearance embraces all
the symmetrical characteristics of the well known vessels of the line, having a graceful, yacht-
like hull, with ample beam, four masts, square-rigged on three, thus providing effective sail-
power in the event of any breakdown of the machinery, fully equal to that of a first-class
sailing ship. Like her sisters, tho Britannic and Germanic, she has turtle backs both forward and
aft, which form an excellent shelter in wet and stormy weather for the steerage passengers.
The steerage accommodation is in three sections, approached by separate entrances, and
provided with separate lavatories, with an ample water supply, kept in constant circulation by 
a pulsometer pump. A hospital replete with every requirement is provided with each section,
and two on deck for infectious cases. The passages can be heated in cold weather. The whole
upper deck, fore and aft, forms a splendid promenade for the steerage passengers, the saloon
passengers having a special separate deck above this again. The accommodation for saloon
passengers is of the unique and perfect description. It is situated amidships, immediately
forward of the engines and boilers, in the quietest and best part of the ship. The saloon, or
dining-room, is approached by a very handsome entrance hall from the upper deck, panelled
with walnut and maple, and from it there is access to the saloon deck, already alluded to, by
an easy double staircase with bronze and mahogany balustrading. The saloon is beautifully and 
artistically decorated, and will form a most charming apartment. The panelling has the appear-
ance of embossed leather, and the relieves are delicately and harmoniously coloured, so as to 
give a most novel and pleasing impression. The sofas at the side are upholstered in a subdued
shade of rich velvet, luxuriously comfortable. The ladies' cabin and the smoking room are on the
saloon deck, and are models of artistic decoration and furnishing. The s??oping-cabins are on
the main deck - large, airy, perfectly ventilated, and lightly and elegantly furnished. Three bath
rooms and lavatories, beautifully tiled and arranged, are provided for the saloon passengers.
The ship is divided into eight watertight compartments, any of which may be penetrated
without seriously imperilling the vessel's safety. The provisions -against fire are most complete,
and the life-saving appliances are also of the most approved order. Two large life-rafts are
stowed on the deck-houses forward, ready for immediate use, and eight large life-boats hang 
in their davits, with fittings complete and ready for service on the shortest notice. The lonic is
built of mild steel, the double qualities of which insure the maximum of strength and durability. 
Her dimensions are, length, 440 ft; breadth, 44ft; depth, 32ft; and the gross register tonnage,
4368 tons. She has two double-cylindered engines of 500 horse-power. The crank shafts are
so constructed that the risk of a breakdown is rendered a remote contingency, the more so as
the engines are capable of being disconnected and worked separately at a reduced speed. The
net register of the lonic is 3070 tons, the largest ever yet entered at the Wellington Customs.
This noble steamer left London on 26th April, and Plymouth at 2 p.m. on 28th, passing the
Eddystone at 3.50 p.m. Fresh westerly winds and fine weather were experienced, and Teneriffe
was reached at 2 p.m. on the 3rd May, exactly 7 days from Plymouth. Left Teneriffe again at 
6.45 next morning. Had light airs and calms to the Equator, which was crossed on the 12th day
out. Moderate S.E. trades were met with, and the Cape of Good Hope was passed on 20th
May, 22 days out. She did not call at the Cape. Fresh to strong westerly breezes were then
experienced, increasing to a moderate gale, with high sea, on last Tuesday and yesterday.
Cape Farewell was passed at noon yesterday, and the lonic arrived  in this harbour at 11.35
last evening, thus making the passage from Plymouth, including all delays, in 43 days 22 hours.
Deducting the 16 hours stay at Teneriffe, her actual steaming time was 43 days 6 hours, a
wonderfully fine run. Her best day's work was 333 knots on the 29th ult., the next best 332 for
the previous day, and the third best 328 for the day following, while on the fourth consecutive
day she did 320, thus running 1313 in four days, or at an average rate of nearly 14 knots per
hour. Her smallest complete day's run was 261 miles, steaming against a strong southerly
breeze and heavy head swell. The ran from the Cape of Good Hope was made in just 21 days. 
Very fine weather was experienced throughout. She came right in last night without taking a
pilot, Captain Bone, formerly of the ship Rakaia, being on board as second officer, and piloting
her in. She has a most able and courteous commander in Captain E. O. Hallett, R.N. Dr. Menzies
is the Surgeon Superintendent, and the single girls are in charge of Miss Burns, as matron. Mr.
Banks, who is a second officer in the New Zealand Shipping Company's service, is acting as
third officer of the lonic, and Mr. Campbell, who is also in the service as third officer, is acting
as junior officer on board. The lonic has a double set of refrigerating machinery, which are 
worked throughout, so that fresh meat and fish were enjoyed even so lately as yesterday,
while a fine fresh salmon was brought out for a Wellington resident. The lonic brings over 400
passengers of all classes. The single girls for the South have been sent to the Somes Island
barracks until the steamer proceeds South, which is expected to be on Thursday next. She
came round to the wharf this afternoon, and was berthed alongside the middle southern wharf
where her two predecessors lay. 
























CABIN 














For Wellington 














WOOD Mr and Mrs 4 children and servant










COOTE Mr













For Lyttelton














SANDERS Captain






Mrs






Misses (2)






3 children





















SECOND CABIN














For all ports














Messrs














GARLICK J





HANKS J





MALCOLM R





CHADWICK A





BOOTH W G





RIDGE E





ANNAS J





BELL G H  




WHITE T





KENWAY H





NOCK R





ROOF W A





BICKERTON W





GREENFIELD T





BROWN J





JONES H





JONES D





JONES Hugh





WATTS E





FORD E A





DUNKLEY J 





DUNKLEY T





CHAPLIN Mrs. Charlotte





BOOTH Mrs. Martha Booth













Misses














COOP Mary A





MALCOLM Jessie





BOOTH Dorothy





FREEBOROUGH Jessie





MARSACK Jane





MARTINDALE H





HEWETT Mary E





ANDREW Dora





HIGGS Jane





DUNKLEY Hannah





DUNKLEY Henrietta





DUNKLEY Edith













Steerage passengers:-













For Wellington














HARDWICK Joseph






Phoobe






Wm. H






Josephine






Kate






Francis













ALDRED Alfred






Isabella






Hannah






James






Jane






Bold













HODGSON James






Elizabeth





 






COUSINS Robert






Sarah






George






William













CLARK Helen













WILKINSON Joseph






Ann






Laura






Arthur






Ada J






Henry













HILLS Mary













HAISMAN William






Evangeline













MCPHERSON John






Annie






Frank






Jessie













CHISSELL William






Maria






Ada E






Annie M






Elizabeth






Amy













ASH Annie K






Lena













BANK Daniel G













BURRELL Henry






James













BROWN Robert






William













BANKS J D





COWARD W





WILSON R





HORNSBY J A





SWAN W





GRANDISON A





BARNES T





LEGG R





LOMAS E E





LAWTON G





MURRAY A K





TAYLOR L





KNIGHT H





TUCK A





GARNETT C





RAYNER T C





HAILET W





WOODHEAD J





FOSTER G





BARNARD A G





WHITTAKER T





BARRETT W





SMITH P





MCCOY J





GOOD F W





BARR J





ROBINSON J





RAYFIELD A





O'ROURKE T





ROBERTSON W













Government immigrants for Wellington:-













ADSETT William






Emily






William






George






John













HOFFMAN Myrstal






Barbara






Augustina






Francisca






Josephine













PICKIN Enoch






Eliza






Enoch






Edward













HOFFMAN Joseph





SOMERS John





NEENAN Cornelius





ASHPLANT Frances





BAKER Anne





BROOMFIELD Huld













BROWN Martha






Mary






Jane






Annie






Martha













BYRNE Mary













CARNOW Annie






Esther













COONEY Johanna






Mary













CRANKS Lizzie





CRIPPON Sarah A





DWYER Margaret





GALWAY Catherine





GOODWIN Teresa





GROGAN Jessie





HICKEY Elizabeth





HOFFMAN Lucia





HYLAND Margaret





KERRICK Johanna





LUCAS Martha





MURPHY Isabella





NEVILL Bridget





NOONAN Anne





SOMERS Catherine





STACKS Catherine













STEINKE Emilie






Alvine 













WRIGHT Maggie





YOUNG Margaret A R













She also has 61 steerage passengers and 132 Government immigrants for Canterbury, 7 steerage and one
immigrant for Otago and 29 immigrants divided between Taranaki, Marlborough, Westland, Napier and Nelson.





















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