3-021-676 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The South Australian Newspaper Press Boat, Port Adelaide, 1868. 'Though situated almost at the antipodes, the South Australians are equal to the enterprise of collecting the earliest shipping news for their daily journals; and the newspapers at Port Adelaide...have a boat of their own to meet the approaching mail-steamers from Europe via Point de Galle, Ceylon. It has been found desirable to build a life-boat, of which we have received a photograph taken by Mr. Schoraup, and which is represented by our Illustration. The boat is 45 ft. long, 9 ft. 6 in. in beam and 3ft. 6 in. in depth. It is fitted with seven water-tight compartments, and built on the self-delivering principle, so that any sea breaking on board immediately discharges itself through valves in the bottom. The shipping reporter, Mr. R. Jagoe, of the Register and Observer, has occupied his present post twelve years, and this is the sixth boat built under his immediate superintendence. Every improvement has been made in order to ensure safety combined with speed, although the jury-rig adopted is not sufficient to develop her sailing qualities; but this is a matter of necessity, in order to keep clear of yards and braces in boarding vessels during heavy weather'. From "Illustrated London News", 1868.