The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-12

of considerably enhanced pay, however, a sufficient crew, under Captain John Scott commodore of the old fleet of Quebec timter traders, was induced to under take what must really prove to be a perilous and adventurous voyage seeing that this notorious old ocean He'll" as the Australians designated her when she was commodore ship of the felon fleet, is now the oldest vessel in the world carry ing mail.
 The convict ship is the bearer of many records and historic interests In her
 s.e k the only survivor of the prison fleet and is terrible reminder. in these days of enlightened prison reform, of lne cured charities of the English over seas penal system that persisted ever down to the days of the mid-Victoriar perlod. As a museum of the horrors of the fi''-es when men were transported for stealing a two-penny pork pie or 3 yard of calico and hanged for crimes hardly more serious the Success" is unique. She is probably the only shiT now existing wholly built of teak. ana as she Is equipped with the .Marconi Wire. less, furnishes a unique. contrast between the 18th and the 20th centuries.
 After a tour in Australia and New Zea- lard as an exhibition ship. the Success sailed for England in 1S90 and her an pearance in the Thames after a voyage lasting 165 days created an immense sen sdtioa Since then she has circumnavi- gated Great Britain and -reland twice.
 n shown five times in London Her visitors have included the King. the t-rlnce of Wales. the Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg. and other members of the royal family. the German Emperor, csptair Drevfus of Devils Island. Lord Charles Beresford. the late MT. ". F. Gladstone, and other notabilities. She
 eJ .ff. |. ..n4, tho oh Moulmain Pagoda looking castwards to the sea''-of solid teak. for h u, cast India company, as an armed merchant man, and her armament con lsisted of seyen brass guns on each side. Her tonnage is 5e9, and she is 135 feet long and Q foot bsanl- Her solid sides are feet inches thic'S al the bil5e, and her keelson is soi-' teak baullS of tremendous thickness, with sister keel sons little less massive. Her square cut ] stern and quarter galleries stamp her at ] enae -,''t1 the hsll--narlS of antiquity. and her bluff bow shows that she could neve' l nave distinguished herself for high rate 1 Of speed. Yet pains were taken to make i her trim and smart and fit to hold c l leading place among her sister ships oi the Anglo-Indian fleet. Her decks were trossden hv the sikea-slippered feet oi Indian princes and nabobs of rank anf
 
 ivory. silk. and precious stones whose ps troaage was catered for by the owners of these ships of pleasing and even gorge rsr terinr. Remnants of great gildec scrolls upon rich blue ground have I been brought to light on scratching ava, l the siiper-iniposed coating. The quarter galleries. too. were originally decorate with massive an1 artis,lc carvings Fseutcteons can easily be traced at regu lar intervals from stem to stern, and thu fec sle head. raised high aloft forward bears at it's extremity a symbol of inno l cences and beautiful womanhood in th' original figure--held of exquisite desigT ---.. t'a -~eiv insppropriate emblem in tn, l days w,len oriils's stained coa'i-ts in ciankir3 chains put to. flight all thougit. u i no rnce and beauty.
 I The 'Success" landed the first Enslis' ---1f fs-'7-- n. tse place where the city o1 Perth Australia. now stands and wa. I .-. -t ov t1e Victorian govern 1 rievt for conversion into a pri son ship iCeils. strong and gloomy, were construct I cd on t,eR tween and lower decks. ssiis 1 in these the desperate prisoners of des i rerate time were .'accommodated. I large force of wards-r ~'cs rTsaIc-'e1 ' guard the prisoners. and in order to iso'