This page has already been transcribed. You can find new pages to transcribe here.

Transcription

[Page 184]

Cos letter of 7th Jan I may say that the weather was so bad, the wind being westerly, that the Messina could not approach the jetty at all and the troops and passengers were landed through the surf on the lee side about 6 miles from the jetty

It is incorrect to say that no cargo was discharged as the Messina was engaged all day on 7th Nov landing stores for the Company in Surf Boats.

I admit no phosphates were taken on board because as already stated the weather was so bad that the Messina could not come up to the  jetty and the surf boats could not have taken the phosphates at the shorts for conveyance to the vessel - I was informed that the westerly weather had prevailed for about 10 months indeed the Captain of the Messina informed me that on

Current Status: 
Completed