CARGO FROM CAIRNS.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 7 June, 1907.

Yongala, ss, from Cairns, via ports: 2600 bgs sugar,

621 rails, 31 bales fish, 20 cs tins, 190 bgs

bones, 6 brs gold, 120 cs tomatoes, 550 cs pines, 50 cs

fruit, 55 bgs oysters, 130 cs glass, 20 bgs tin ore, 150

bales hides, 710 cs bananas, 58 bags hams and sundries.

This gives us an idea of goods shipped from Cairns to Sydney. Roughly 1000 tons - half of normal operating consignment. 

wikipedia

It later developed into a railhead and major port for exporting sugar cane, gold and other metals, minerals and agricultural products from surrounding coastal areas and the Atherton Tableland region.

'agriculture on the lowlands (sugar cane, corn, rice, bananas, pineapples), and for fruit and dairy production on the Tableland.'

loading goods, Cairns Port - courtesy Queensland National Library.

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CAPTAINS REES, SIM AND MACKENZIE.

The Advertiser (Adelaide) Tuesday 27 March, 1906.

Yongala, 1820 tons, J Rees from Brisbane,

via ports. Adelaide Steamship Company agents.

Passengers - 46 saloon, 49 second cabin, and 

96 en route to Western Australia.

Grantala, 1787 tons, J Sim, from Western

Australia. Adelaide Steamship Company agents.

Passengers - 35 saloon 48 second cabin, and 

105 en route to eastern States

Note how the masters of the Adelaide Steamship Company swapped vessels from time to time. Captain Rees was later to be associated with the SS Koombana which was also lost in a cyclone - 20 March, 1912, under the command of Captain Allen.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 9 June 1906.

The Adelaide Company's steamer Yongala, with

117 passengers, arrived at Sydney at 8.30 a.m. 

yesterday, after a fair weather trip from Western 

Australia, in command of Captain C O. Mackenzie. 

She left Fremantle on May 30, Albany on May 31,
Adelaide on Monday last, and Melbourne at 5.30 p.m.
on Wednesday.

SS Koombana (wikipedia) - note prominent superstructure - a trend.

NEW STEAMSHIP SERVICE.

The Queenslander, Brisbane, Saturday 27 January, 1906.

NEW STEAMSHIP SERVICE.

BRISBANE TO WESTERN

AUSTRALIA.

The decision of the interstate companies

to extend the service of their Western

Australian steamers to Brisbane will be

looked upon with gratification by all.

Queenslanders, and the hope is expressed

that the results will justify the undertaking

and encourage the companies to run their

steamers still further north. A regular

direct service twice monthly will be maintained 

from Brisbane to Western Australia, via Sydney, 

Melbourne, Adelaide, and Albany. This is a 

most important feature in connection with the 

Australian coastal service, as it will be the first 

attempt to have direct communication between 

Brisbane and West Australian ports.

The service is to be maintained by the

steamers Riverina and Bombala (Howard,

Smith Company, Limited), Yongala and

Grantala (Adelaide Steamship Company,

Limited). Although this service is at

present a bi-monthly one, it must be 

remembered that the interstate companies

have the regular steamers, such as the

Wodongu, Wyundra, Aramac, Arawatta,

(A.U.S.N. Company, Limited), Gaibo and

Buninyong (Howard Smith Company,Limited), 

Marloo and Wollowra (Adelaide Steamship 

Company, Limited), running in a regular 

service twice weekly from Queensland ports, 

connecting with the large steamers Kyarra, 

Kanowna, Coolgardie, and Bumnubeet at 

either Sydney or Melbourne. The whole of 

the steamers with one exception are fitted 

with refrigerated chambers, which make it 

possible for fruit, &c, to be carried from

the hot climate of Queensland to Southern

and Western Australian ports. The steamers 

are purely Commonwealth vessels, and

it is hoped that this new departure

will meet with success, and that in the

near future the results will justify the

service to the Northern ports of Queensland.

The new service was inaugurated on

Friday week by the arrival of the Adelaide

Steamship Company's steamer Yongala.

The vessel, which is in command of

Captain Rees, came from Fremantle, and

Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, 

en route. At Sydney Captain C. C. Mackenzie, 

of the Innamincka, joined the steamer, 

and acted as pilot to Brisbane. The Yongala 

is a new steel screw vessel of 3664 tons gross, 

1825 tons net, and this is the first voyage to 

Queensland waters. The steamer was designed 

from specified plans arranged in Australia to

meet passenger and cargo requirements,

Yongala was moving into a new phase of operations and reference is made to 'purely Commonwealth vessels'. This reminds us of the competition presented by ocean liners operated by companies such as the Blue Anchor Line, servicing ports Sydney, Melbourne and Port Adelaide en route to South Africa.

FAST STEAMING.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 17 February, 1906.

FAST STEAMING BY THE YONGALA.

The Adelaide Company's steamer Yongala which 

arrived here yesterday, accomplished an especially 

fast run from Melbourne. She left Williamstown at 11

p m on Wednesday, and entered the Heads at

12.10 pm yesterday, having thus covered the 

distance in 37 hours 10 minutes. The trip occupied

only 37 hours 14 minutes from heads to heads, 

the Yongala having maintained an average speed

of 15.5 knots.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 4 October, 1907.

SMART RUN BY THE YONGALA,

The Adelaide Company's steamer Yongala made a

smart run from Melbourne. She left the wharf at 3.30

on Wednesday morning, and arrived at the Sydney

wharf at 7,30 p.m. on Thursday, making the run from

wharf to wharf in 40 hours. The distance from Heads

to Heads was accomplished in the fast time of 34 1/2

hours, an average speed of over 15 knots, being 

maintained throughout. The Yongala brought 101 

passengers, and will leave for Queensland ports 

to-morrow morning.

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Prestige was important to the Adelaide Steamship Company reflected by these fast times and little regard for coal consumption. Yongala was a feather in the company's cap and such 'marketing' probably enhanced bookings. 

courtesy: Edwardes Collection.

TRANS AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY.

The Argus (Melbourne) Thursday 21 September, 1905.

TRANS-AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY

REMARKS BY LORD NORTHCOTE.

PERTH, Wednesday.— In proposing the

health of His Excellency the Governor-

General at Parliament-house this afternoon,

the Premier (Mr. Rason) said that up to

the present Western Australia was not

quite satisfied with the result of federation,

but that the people looked forward hopefully 

to the future. At present, however, he would 

be excused if he said that the other states of 

the Commonwealth did not appear to have 

recognised to the fullest possible extent what 

the true federal spirit really meant. Western 

Australia's experience of the federal spirit was 

that it would hardly bear analysis up to date.

Lord Northcote, in responding to the

toast, said that if he was to judge from the

receptions which visitors from the eastern

states received in Western Australia he

could undertake to say that when the

trans-Australian railway was completed

they would cease to have the protection of

the Great Australian Bight. (Laughter.)

When the railway was completed, even the

hospitality of Western Australia would be

severely strained, owing to the influx of

visitors from the eastern states. Considering 

the energy and enterprise which Western 

Australia had shown in conquering so

many difficulties, the accomplishment of

the particular work which had been referred 

to would not prove to be insuperable.

wikipedia:

The Trans-Australian Railway crosses the Nullarbor Plain of Australia from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoorlie inWestern Australia. It includes a 478 kilometres (297 mi) stretch of dead-straight track, the world's longest, between the 797 km (495 mi) post west of Ooldea and the 1,275 km (792 mi) post west of Loongana.

In 1901, the six Australian colonies federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia. At that time, Perth, the capital of Western Australia, was isolated from the remaining Australian States by thousands of miles of desert terrain and the only practicable method of transport was by sea, a time-consuming, inconvenient and often uncomfortable voyage across the Great Australian Bight, a stretch of water known for rough seas

In 1907 legislation was passed, allowing for the route to be surveyed. The survey was completed in 1909 and proposed a route from Port Augusta (the existing railhead at the head of Spencer Gulf in South Australia's wheatfields) via Tarcoolato the gold mining centre of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, a distance of 1063 miles (1711 km). The line was to be to the standard gauge of 4 ft 8

 

¹⁄₂ in(1,435 mm), even though the state railway systems at both ends were narrow gauge at the time. Its cost was estimated at £4,045,000.

Legislation authorising the construction was passed in December 1911 by the Andrew Fisher Government and work commenced in September 1912 in Port Augusta.

Work proceeded eastwards from Kalgoorlie and westwards from Port Augusta through the years of the First World War. By 1915, the two ends of the line were just over 600 miles (966 km) apart with materials being delivered daily.^[9] Construction progressed steadily as the line was extended through dry and desolate regions until the two halves of the line met on 17 October 1917.

courtesy: https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/.../Trans_Australian_Railway_Nomination.pdf 

When the Trans-Australian Railway joined eastern and western Australia in 1917 it provided a physical link which was to be of major commercial and strategic importance and which improved immeasurably the convenience and comfort of interstate travellers. The railway was also a symbol to all Australians of the bonds which had bound the colonies together in Federation.

  

 courtesy: https://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/ahc/publications/linking-a.../chapter7

The peak of the coastal shipping industry was in 1913 and 1914, when vessels with a total capacity of over 20,000 passengers made regular sailings around the Australian coast. In 1913 no fewer than five new passenger liners were delivered. The ships could offer comfortable services, which were competitive with rail in speed and far more comfortable, provided the weather was good. Journey times between Melbourne and Sydney or Brisbane and Sydney were typically around 36 hours, or two nights and a day. By comparison, it took about 30 hours from Sydney to Brisbane by train at the time on the inland route via Wallangarra, and passengers had to change trains at dawn and travel in unheated carriages over Australia's highest railway summit, where winter night-time temperatures were generally well below freezing. The ship - with its hot water baths, fine restaurants with orchestras and spacious cabins in first class - was an excellent option compared with the train, and generally cheaper as well. Most ships ran a regular run from Brisbane to Fremantle, stopping at all the mainland capitals on the way. With so many vessels in the trade, there was a sailing most days.

While the ships were more comfortable than the trains, they were not as safe, especially in tropical waters. The north Queensland run was especially hazardous, where there was the combination of frequent cyclones, which often reduced visibility to zero, and poorly charted reefs. In 1911 and 1912 the Adelaide Steamship Company lost two large liners (the SS Yongala and SS Koombana), together with their entire crews, mail, and complements of passengers without trace in cyclones in northern waters.20 The southern runs were far safer, and it was here that most ships were concentrated. Even in temperate waters, though, there were hazards, especially at the Rip at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. Moreover, before the days of radio and radar, collisions could happen at any time, as for example when the North Coast Steam Navigation Company's little SS Helen Nicoll ran down the far larger Brisbane-bound passenger liner SS Keilawarra off Coffs Harbour in 1886 with the loss of 46 lives.

The West Australian (Perth) Saturday 2 May, 1903

THE TRANS-AUSTRALIAN:

RAILWAY.

- To the Editor -

Sir, is patriotism dead? Has sentiment 

been dropped out of the vocabulary of the 

citizens of the States forming the Australian 

Commonwealth? It would appear so, judging 

by the tone of the Press; almost without exception;

from Adelaide to Brisbane. The most brutally selfish, 

parochial arguments are adduced to prove what? -

That to support the contemplated trans-Australian

railway might interfere with the proposed

line to Port Darwin; - that it would mean

a loss of trade to the Australian steam-

ship companies; that the three great

cities between the terminal points might

lose the chance of levying tribute upon:

travellers if there was a rail line constructed 

from Fremantle to Brisbane; that it will never 

pay that it will cost five millions sterling ; and 

that the money cannot be obtained in the London

market.

The West Australian (Perth), Thursday 15 September, 1904.

TRANS-AUSTRALIAN

RAILWAY.

THE SURVEY.

FURTHER DISCUSSION IN HOUSE.

OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

SPEECH BY MR. MAHON.

THE DANGER OF SECESSION.

Melbourne, September 14

To show that the Eastern States

had profited by the prosperity of Western 

Australia, he would quote amounts

sent from Western. Australia to the

other States through the Post Office

from 1898 to 1903 (both years inclusive). 

To South .Australia the amount

was £426,731; to Victoria;. £1,316,350;

to New South Wales, £491,511; to

Queensland, £68,904 and to Tasmania,

£96,033.

During Yongala's formative years in service the issue of the trans-Australian railway was a hot topic of discussion. Not only were there those opposed to the permanent link and federation, the shipowners who provided a service between Western Australia and the Southern States, felt under threat. 

workers on trans-Australian railway - courtesy National Museum of Australia.

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AGGRESSIVE GROWTH; 'COMBINE' AND UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.

courtesy: www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=728

Aggressive growth

(late 1800's)

These additional ships could be deployed into the Western Australian trade, or anywhere else: Adelaide Steamship Company had plenty of options. They now bought out Anderson & Marshall and secured a foothold in Western Australia with two additional steamers and three coal hulks, and a ketch tender and company moorings in two ports. The ASC's services now ranged from Melbourne around the southern coast to northern Western Australia.

There was still opposition from other shipowners and overseas lines, and Adelaide Steamship Company also pursued the Darwin mail contract, which they considered theirs by right. The South Australian Post Office disagreed.

Expansion in Western Australia meant that the ASC's resources were stretched - there were never enough ships to blanket the competition, which seemed to be the important thing. Much juggling of ships occurred. A price war with the ketch trade, which Adelaide Steamship Company had no chance of winning was narrowly averted. A new company, Yorke's Peninsula Steamship Company, undercut them in the Gulf trade, and John Darling tried to seize a portion of the Gulf trade as well. Despite local squabbles the Western Australian trade developed with the discovery of gold - first in the Northern Territory, then the Kimberley, Pilbara and finally the Coolgardie-Kalgoorlie fields. Initially Adelaide Steamship Company was the only company operating to these fields, but such a monopoly could not and did not continue. However there was plenty of trade for all, including for the overseas lines, and by the end of 1899 territorial rights and the regulation of freight rates and passenger fares would be hammered out by the shipping industry.

The Advertiser (Adelaide) Friday 15 September, 1904.

THE SHIPPING COMBINE.

SHIPOWNERS' INTENTIONS.

NO REDUCTION OF WAGES.

Melbourne, December 29.

No attempt is made by the shipowners

engaged in the inter-State coastal trade to

deny that a mutual agreement or "combine,"' 

as it is called, has been established

with a view to working the shipping business 

within their control upon more advantageous 

terms to themselves than was possible under 

a system of cut-throat competition. They 

declare their reluctance to enter on a war of 

words with the officials of the Seamen's Union 

in regard to the consequences which may follow 

their actions in making new arrangements for the

conduct of their business. Nevertheless

the chairman of the Steamship Owners' 

Association (Mr. E. Northcote), the general

manager of the Adelaide Steamship Company, 

spoke with freedom to-day in reply

to the statements made by Mr. Henry Beltrage 

(the secretary of the Seamen's Union).

"What we are doing,'' explained Mr.

Northcote, '"is simply to reorganise the

shipping business in the same manner as

the Railways Commissioners might rearrange 

the railway business if it were found that the 

department was not on a satisfactory footing. 

The necessity of doing something of the kind 

has been forced upon us by circumstances. 

There has been a large introduction of new 

tonnage by various shipping companies of 

recent years, and the trade has not increased

sufficiently to justify the retention of both

old steamers and new. The latest Vessels

being larger and more convenient and up

to-date generally, are naturally in favor

with passengers, and as regards cargo some

of them carry more than twice the tonnage

taken by the older boats. It is an undoubted 

fact, as every one connected with shipping knows, 

that owing to the steamers of different companies 

competing with and overlapping one another, 

many of them have run short of freight, and it 

is hoped under the new system that with full 

cargoes matters will be more satisfactory not

only for the shipping companies, but also

for the general public. What we are doing is 

to give the travelling public the benefit of the 

new boats whilst we are withdrawing some 

of the old ones.

When asked what number of boats it

was proposed to lay up, Mr. Northcote

said that question had not been decided

up to the present. It would be a matter

of evolution. A great deal would depend

upon the course of trade. If freights

should fall off vessels would have to come

off too. "It is quite correct, as asserted

by Mr. Belfrage," he continued, "that four

steamers are being taken off the Queensland 

service, but there is generally a reduction in 

that quarter during the first half of the year. 

Business with the northern ports is not brisk until 

later on, when meat, hides, bones, and tallow come down.

There may be a couple more steamers suspended 

in connection with the western trade. The number 

of dispatches of steamers from Melbourne to the 

West will not, however, be decreased. There will be

two boats sent away each week, but the

sailing of the second one may be a little

irregular. The time-tables show that

these steamers used to run from Fremantle

to Sydney, and take a month on the voyage. 

Under the new arrangements they

will proceed as far as Melbourne only, and

the time occupied will be three weeks. I

am speaking now as regards passenger 

steamers. but it is also possible that;some of

the cargo boats may cease running. If

freights offer they will remain on. I can

assure you that the shipping companies will

be delighted to run all the boats they can

both for their own sake and for the sake

of their employees."

When asked whether the number of men

estimated by Mr. Belfrage, viz., 250, would

be thrown out of employment, Mr.

Northcote said that that number might be some

where about the mark. At the same time

he pointed out that the larger boats which

had recently been added to some of the

fleets employed invariably more stokers,

seamen, and stewards than the older 

vessels used to. Regarding the 

prospects of any of the surplus steamers finding 

employment in the trade with the islands,

that was hardly likely to happen at present. 

The cross-chartering of vessels between 

different companies would not affect seamen 

or passengers in any way.

The company by whom the men, were 

engaged would continue to be responsible for

their wages. "No doubt," added Mr.

Northcote, "the public are a little puzzled

at the fact that a boat belonging to one

company should be run by another, but

we were bound to make some such 

arrangement in order to equalise matters.

The time-tables had to be filled up, but

we could not go to one company and say,

'You must lay up all your boats.' What

we are doing is to try to divide the passengers 

and cargo in connection with the different 

ports as equally as we can amongst us. 

It has been a difficult matter to determine, 

but we have arranged the business upon as 

equitable a basis as possible.There is really 

nothing new in such a system. It is merely a 

question of chartering for the time being. 

Another company will charter our boats, and 

we shall charter theirs. The chartering of

one company's ships by some other company 

goes on all over the world."'

Mr. Northcote declined to discuss the

question of future developments. Everything 

he said, would depend on the condition of trade. 

As a matter of fact steamers would be put 

on or taken off automatically as circumstances 

warranted. "But you can say this," he added finally,

"that we have not the slightest idea of reducing 

wages."

Brisbane, December 29.

The arrangement by which the Adelaide

Steamship Company and the Howard Smith

Company run alternate weekly boats to

northern ports comes into operation in the

middle of January.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN VIEWS.

NOT MUCH EFFECT ON PORT

ADELAIDE.

Some consternation was caused in Adelaide 

by the news that in consequence of

a combination of the steamship companies

engaged in the coastal trade several of the

steamers now employed were to be laid

up. 

From another source, however, a statement 

was obtained which throws further

light on the cause which has induced the

steamship companies to take the step of

reducing their service. In Melbourne the

steamship companies gave out as reason 

for this action that they wished to do away 

with what they describe as surplus tonnage. 

What they desire is to retain the trade, but 

to run their ships with full cargoes instead 

of their being partially empty. In other 

words they maintain that there has been 

an excess of tonnage over freight offering, 

and that the same trade can be dealt with 

by fewer vessels. 

Our informant pointed out that the combine 

referred to is no new creation, that it has 

been in existence for years.

When, however, the Adelaide Steamship

companies put on the western coastal 

service the new vessels Grantala and 

Yongala, and the A.U.S.N. Company brought

out the Kyarra and Kanowna, and the

Howard Smith line the Bombala, the bulk

of the passenger trade naturally drifted

to those steamers, and the lines having

boats less up to date were left lamenting.

It is suggested that in view of that fact

the smaller companies complained of

their loss of trade, and that the present

action is intended more equally to distribute 

the trade between the various companies. 

Under the agreement which has been entered 

into by the five inter-State shipping organisations 

the newer and larger vessels only will be utilised, 

and the elder ones may be diverted to other trade, 

although there may be some difficulty in 

finding employment for them elsewhere,

as they were specially built for the Australian 

coasting traffic. But as there is a large and 

increasing trade to the islands of the Pacific 

there is no doubt the Australian companies 

will make every effort to exploit it.

Another phase of the matter was mentioned 

by a shipping man. It was that the

reduction of the coastal service may to

some extent be due to the unfair competítion 

of some ocean steamers. The ocean

steamers pay lower wages, get their repairs

done in Europe at a cheaper rate, and also

obtain a large part of their stores in a

a cheaper market, so that they are able 

to "cut" the rates charged by the inter-State 

liners - and do so. A specific instance is 

mentioned of two trump steamers which 

brought cargoes from foreign ports to 

Port Adelaide, and then took freight for 

the coastal ports at cutting rates, thus 

coming into direct competition for the 

cargo trade of the Commonwealth.

No doubt Lund's Blue Anchor Line was referenced here!

With the local steamship owners, who are

compelled to pay higher wages to their

crews it is pointed out that if ocean

steamers were debarred from "cutting

rates" in the inter-State trade, and were

placed on the same footing as locally-owned

vessels, there would be abundant employment 

for the whole of the coastal steamers which are 

intended to be withdrawn from the service - 

Looking at the matter from an Australian point 

of view, it is certainly in the interests of the 

Commonwealth that the coasting trade should be in

the hands of an Australian mercantile marine. 

In the case of the coastal service the

profits earned are retained in the Common

-wealth, local labor is employed to man and

work the ships, repairs are effected locally,

and the whole of the stores and provisions

are bought within the Commonwealth.

While the wages paid to the seamen are, of

course, spent in Australia. Most, if not

the whole, of this money goes to England 

or Europe in the case of the ocean steamers.

A gentleman who has a thorough know-

ledge of the coastal shipping trade has 

supplied us with some details as to the 

proposed reduction of the service and 

the effect that it will have on South Australia.

"The chief alteration,"' he said, "will be in

regard to the northern trade from Melbourne 

to Queensland. Only two steamers

will be taken off the southern service.

Hitherto there have been nine boats running 

from Sydney to Fremantle. In future

they intend to run four steamers from 

Sydney and three from Melbourne - Adelaide-,

so far as the shipping community is concerned, 

will not suffer in any way from the change. 

The Sydney cargo will be brought

on by the boats coming from Sydney, and

consequently the boats from Melbourne will

have plenty of space available for Adelaide

cargo destined for Fremantle. One steamer 

will leave Port Adelaide every Saturday and 

another every Wednesday for the West. 

That will be two vessels a week exactly 

what we have been having in the

past.

In addition to those seven vessels owned by 

the five coastal-companies in the federation 

there will be the steamers of outside 

owners, such as the Melbourne Shipping 

Company, whose steamers will be dispatched 

at short intervals. It is the Sydney people who 

are left in the hole by this matter, as a boat 

which formerly left on Wednesday has been 

struck off the itinerary.

As far as the effect of these new arrangements 

on the employment of labor is concerned, 

I do not think there is much reason for agitation, 

because for many years past the steamers 

plying between Sydney and Fremantle have 

not drawn their crews from South Australia, 

but almost entirely from Melbourne or Sydney. 

There are at present on the inter-State boats 

very few men who have signed on in South 

Australia. The chief saving to the companies

 in this reduction scheme is in regard to the

Queensland trade."'

One Adelaide merchant suggested that the

effect of the reduction of the service between 

Sydney and Fremantle might result

in difficulty in securing space for cargo

from Adelaide to the West. It is stated

that this eventuality is not likely to occur- 

in fact that the new arrangement would 

tend to decrease that possibility, for the 

reason previously stated. In further support 

of this view it is mentioned that for a long 

time past there has been no lack of tonnage 

to the West.

The stage was set for Yongala's transfer of duties from the West Australia - Southern States run to the East Coast. The coastal shipping industry was evolving and adapting to that which would ensure survival and profit with no end of resentment for the 'ocean steamers' lines. The threat of the trans-Australian railway did not help confidence either, a sword of Damocles hanging over the West Australia - Southern States trade route. The coastal steamer trade was dominated by the Adelaide Steamship Company, Howard Smith Line and AUSN line (Australasian United Steam Navigation Company).

'Combine' has a certain 'ring' to it...