SS EASTERN voyage report no. 13

DateMay 1952

Object numberANMS1343[005]

NameVoyage reports

MediumPaper

DimensionsOverall: 337 x 210 mm

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from the family of Burnham Walker Dun

Terms

DescriptionDocuments by Commander Burnham Dun, including; An eight page photocopy of a typed letter from Burnie, or Captain Dun of the SS EASTERN, to Teoce, Dun's wife. Dated 26 May 1952, at sea (Yokohama). With handwritten note at the top of the first page which says; Capt Dun / Letter written after / visit to Russia. In the letter Dun refers to his leaving Kobe, and weather conditions prior to his arrival at Nakhedka. He also mentions his interaction with customs, including the requirement that cameras, binoculars, telescopes, sextants, and radios be collected and held until they left the port. Other demands were that a detailed list be given concerning any money on board, detailed crew lists. The ships cargo of salmon and crab were inspected, and labour carried out loading cargo. Dun discusses working conditions in depth, and mentions that he saw thousands of slaves labouring. Finally is a description to his wife concerning women's fashion in Russia. Three page, typed letter from Commander Dun of the Eastern and Australian Steamship Co. Limited, to Messrs Macdonald Hamilton & Co, Managing Agents of The Eastern & Australian Steamship Co. Limited. Dated 26th May 1952, at sea. Concerning the SS EASTERN'S visit to Nakhodka, voyage no. 13. Dun tells of EASTERN'S departure from Kobe to Nakhodka. He related information regarding the boarding of the ship by quarantine, police and customs, and forms required for crew, ships cash, etc. Mentions Mr Vladimir Verkhoturoff as being his agent. Seven pages of lists and notes relating to the SS EASTERN'S stop over at the Port of Nakhodka, U.S.S.R. Commencing with the arrival into port, and dealings with Quarantine, Customs, Police and Agents, in list form. List of happenings on the second day; at anchorage in the inner harbour, with Quarantine and the Police. Also, the dealings with agents, customs and the police on EASTERN'S departure. Page 3 lists general notes concerning U.S.S.R. procedures. Page 4 concerns; Regulations relating the use of permits and the / temporary stay in the territory of the U.S.S.R. This discusses permits, foreign currency. Page 5 is a copy of the information on the Harbour masters report (inwards). Page 6 is a copy of the information on the agents report (on arrival). Page 7 is titled; Materials on board including cargo or ojbests [sic] / for ships use & manning. Quality of arms, explosives, inflammable / and narcotic. Listed are the documents required for Dun to present at the port, and a declaration (on the back of the page). One page, typed note concerning the SS EASTERN'S voyage 13 / Summary of crew. Listed are both European and Chinese staff, with a total of 87 on board. Three pages titled SS EASTERN / Voyage 13 / Crew list / On departure from Nakhodka. Includes names, nationalities, and other important information. One page document titled; SS EASTERN / Voyage 13 / At Nakhodka / List of articles sealed in radio room. This lists the items sealed, i.e. cameras, binoculars, telescopes and sextants, and the name of the owner of the item. Finally is a currency list for voyage 13 at Nakhodka. HistoryBurnham Walker Dun 1905-1992 began his apprenticeship with the Australasian Steam Navigation Company in 1921 when he was just short of his 16th birthday. After four years in the coastal ships of AUSN he gained his Second Mate's certificate in Sydney and joined the Eastern & Australian Steamship Company (E&A) as Fourth Officer on the TANDA. He served 43 years with this Company sailing to ports between Australia and eastern Asia, retiring in 1967. He gained his Master's Certificate in 1929, at the age of 24. In 1942, when he was Chief Officer on the NANKIN, the ship was captured by the German raider THOR. He spent the rest of the war with the surviving crew labouring in Japanese POW camps. He returned to Australia in poor health and spent years trying to get compensation. Although he was an Australian resident employed by an Australian company (managing agents Macdonald Hamilton) the ship was British owned and registered, and he obtained only limited compensation. He went back to sea with E&A in 1946, had his first permanent command in 1947 on the second NANKIN, and served in the company's ships EASTERN, NELLORE, ARAFURA and ARAMAC until he retired. During this time he carried cargo regularly to Japan, where he established friendly relationships with his former captors. During his career he made a number of rescues at sea and survived several severe typhoons. On retirement, he became a Nautical Assessor and took part in marine Courts of Enquiry, including the enquiry into the collapse of the Tasman Bridge, caused by the cargo ship LAKE ILLAWARRA striking one of the bridge's piers. E & A Line actually consisted of four successive companies bearing the same name, Eastern and Australian Steam Ship Company, between 1873 and the early 1980s. It was established to serve routes between Australasia and 'Far Eastern' ports - Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, and was originally named Eastern & Australian Mail Steam Company Limited. It only ever had a small fleet of ships but those it had, such as the NELLORE and the NANKIN, were well known. Ownership of E&A Line was involved in other companies in the 20th century, notably the AUSN Company, and from 1946 P&O. Through its history E & A Lines carried cargo and passengers, and was involved in trooping and supply in World War I. In World War II its entire fleet of three of its ships was lost. In the post-war period it operated cargo-passenger ships until 1975 when passenger service was given up and the ships were progressively sold, though in 1983 it continued to staff and operate AJCL containerships. The Eastern & Australian Steamship CompanySignificanceW Olson, 'Lion of the China Sea: a History of the E & A Line', 1976.

G A Hardwick, 'E & A Line - the Eastern and Australian Steam Ship Company Limited', The Log, volume 16, number 1, issue 71, February 1983, pp 3 - 12.

Notes provided by Ian Farquhar-Smith, on file