Australia, Guglielmo Marconi, and the Long Route to Sydney

Farewell to Italy

A fellow passenger has lived in Australia for over 60 years but was born in Italy. Over lunch, he told me: “Your lectures reminded me that my family emigrated from Naples to Sydney on an Italian ship, the Australia [Lloyd Triestino]. I do not remember much but my mother told me that it took about one month to reach Sydney, our new home and new life. I have always kept a post card picture of the Australia and one menu.”

The Lloyd Triestino liner Australia at Melbourne. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — The Lloyd Triestino liner *Australia* at Melbourne. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

“I returned to Italy for a visit in the early 70s and flew – but returned on the Guglielmo Marconi again from Naples to Sydney. It was sentimental – and I seem to recall that the ship was newer, larger and faster and took 3 weeks instead of four!”

The Italian Line's Guglielmo Marconi at Melbourne. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — The Italian Line’s *Guglielmo Marconi* at Melbourne. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

Bound for Australia

Rob was a boy in the 1960s when his family moved from the UK to Australia. “We sailed out to Sydney on the Southern Cross and went via South Africa and then across the Indian Ocean.”

Southern Cross was a familiar sight on the Australia run. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — *Southern Cross* was a familiar sight on the Australia run. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

“But my father was unhappy in Australia and so, after three years, we returned to the UK. We sailed home again on the Shaw Savill Line, but then on the Northern Star. On that voyage we went via Tahiti and the Panama Canal.”

Shaw Savill's Northern Star carried passengers between Britain and Australia. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — Shaw Savill’s *Northern Star* carried passengers between Britain and Australia. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

British Cruising

“My family was fortunate: We took cruises in many summers and usually down to the Canaries and Madeira. We sailed in the Canberra, Oriana, Southern Cross and Northern Star,” said a fellow passenger from Leeds in England. “They were usually two-week voyages and offered fun-in-the-sun. It was all British passengers and we’d sail from Southampton. Years later, I made a trip on the Azure Seas and once onboard realized it was the former Southern Cross.”

Azure Seas, formerly Southern Cross. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — *Azure Seas*, formerly Southern Cross. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

Through Suez

John A. spent his boyhood in East Africa. His father was an engineer posted to Mozambique. “We traveled from London to Mombasa on the Uganda. Then when we returned to London it was aboard the Rhodesia Castle. As a young lad, I thought they were the biggest and most luxurious ships on all the seas. Swimming pools, deck games and lots of cakes at afternoon teas!”

The Uganda at London. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — The *Uganda* at London. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

Onboard Cunard

Ron S. told me: “My father worked for Cunard in the 1950s and was a waiter on the Mauretania. He sailed back and forth to America. Later, he was moved to first class. Once he came home on leave with over $100 in tips. In England in the 50s that was a large amount of money!”

Mauretania seen from Queen Mary at Southampton. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — *Mauretania* seen from *Queen Mary* at Southampton. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

Lives of the Liners: ASAMA MARU

The NYK Line, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, operated the biggest and finest liners under the Japanese flag on the trans-Pacific run between the Far East and the United States. Built by Mitsubishi at Nagasaki, this 16,975-tonner could carry up to 822 passengers in three classes. Commissioned in 1929, the Asama Maru was used as a Japanese troopship from 1941 until 1944. She was sunk by an American submarine in the China Sea on November 1, 1944.

The Japanese liner Asama Maru. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection. — The Japanese liner *Asama Maru*. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

Earlier, in September 1937, the ship was driven aground by a fierce hurricane at Hong Kong. The salvage process was intense – over 3,500 tons of material including two of the four main engines had to be removed to lighten the ship and refloat it. In all, the Asama Maru was out of service for a year.

An NYK Line passenger service poster. Courtesy of the William H. Miller Collection.

Repairs

A fellow passenger told me that his father and his uncle both worked at the Bethlehem Steel shipyard in Brooklyn. It was located at 56^th Street. And he added that both had worked on rebuilding the bow of the liner Stockholm after it had collided with the Andrea Doria in July 1956.