24 August 1859

24 - Descried some of the buildings of Auckland, and met the screw steamer Lord Ashley coming out of the harbour. We were hailed with "Are you the Tornado?" and some called out, "Is it to starve that so many of you have come to New Zealand." The pilot came on board about six pm and the anchor was dropped a few miles from the town, the wind not allowing a nearer approach. The agent of the White Star line and a number of other parties came on board. They were asked all sorts of heterogeneous questions. One of them, a friend of one of our passengers, who had come out some months ago, in reply to a question regarding the free land grants, said he had an order for 180 acres, that he had looked for a good place, and having fixed on what he considered a good section, applies at the Land Office for authority to occupy it, when he found the same piece had been fixed upon by another party, Lots being cast for it, fortune favoured his rival, who the day after got the offer of £5 per acre for it.

 Our Voyage to New Zealand Per the Tornado (by a Glasgow Emigrant) Glasgow Herald December 19, 1859

September 24. Anchored.

 Campbell, Alexander. Letters and papers, 1859 - 1870. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 50.

24th. Last night I was amongst them that kept watch on deck. It was very fine. We had a light head wind by which we might have got safe into Harbour but the passage is so intricate and intersected with small islands that a stranger cannot find his way in. Our sails were hoisted out of the wind and she waited  for daylight at day break. A sail was seen (....?) but the wind was dying away and although we were (...?) we had to wait for the wind a little of which came again about 2 o'clock and we moved very slowly and about 4 o'clock a packet was seen steaming towards us. This news struck an indescribable thrill of excitement amongst the passengers in every part of the ship. Some could not stop below to get tea but came running on deck jumping and clapping. The hands expecting that as we had a steamer to tow us out from Liverpool this one was coming to fetch us into Auckland but The Lord Ashley went smoking away past us. But presently a small sailing boat came alongside and put us a pilot on board who was received amid hearty cheers from the passengers. We were conducted to the Harbour mouth about 5 or 6 miles from the wharf. The wind dropped suddenly and we were obliged to cast anchor and take up our quarters for the night which was extremely still clear and fine.

Booth, Thomas. Papers, 1857 - 1859. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2002/56.

Advertising for the Tornado

This piece extolling the virtues of the Tornado appeared in many newspapers including the Salisbury and Winchester Journal May 21, 1859.

Sussex Advertiser April 19, 1859

NEW ZEALAND. - The favour in which these colonies stand in public estimation is best shewn by the fact of the large emigration now going on, while there has been a decided check in the Australian exodus. Auckland, the granary of these beautiful islands is the principle point of attraction, and thousands are availing themselves of the land grants so liberally provided for intending settlers. Messrs Wilson and Chambers fine clipper ship "Tornado", starting from Liverpool on the 10th of June, for Auckland and Wellington, offers very superior accomodation for all classes of passengers; her between decks are nearly nine feet high and beautifully lighted and ventilated. We understand that there has been a very large enquiry for accommodation in the Liverpool ships on account of their well known punctuality of sailing, and the splendour and efficiency of these world clippers.

New Zealand - Its Colonisation and Trade

From the Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1359, 30 August 1859:

A considerable number of years have elapsed since the public attention was first roused to the importance of colonising, in set form, the valuable British possession of New Zealand. This was occasioned by the favourable reports made of the country and climate by parties of judgement and credibility who had visited and partially explored some points of the three islands of which the colony consists. The reports referred to led to more than one attempt at systematic colonisation, all of which, though more or less successful, nevertheless contained also the seeds of disappointment, not with the country or its climate, but, generally speaking, rather with the peculiar theories on which most, if not all, of the systems were based....

To carry out the object on which the Colonial Legislature and Government were bent, they turned their consideration towards the best means of so disposing of the land which they had purchased from the natives, as would induce an influx of intelligent and industrious mechanics, artizans, labourers, agriculturists, and men of moderate or small capital. To effect this they have passed a law which has received the sanction of the British Crown, by which they propose to sell tracts of land containing four or five hundred acres at the small price of ten shillings per acre, payable in such ways as are highly favourable to the intending purchaser. More than this, however, the law also provides for the bestowal of forty acres of land as a free grant to each adult emigrant, who, previous to leaving Great Britain, shall be considered eligible... More than what has been already stated, an additional free grant of twenty acres of land will be given to each child under 18 years of age belonging to parents who receive the forty acres....

From the long-established fame of Liverpool as the great emigration port of the British Kingdom, it has excited remark that she has been comparatively remiss in organising a systematic means of carrying on the passenger trade between Great Britain and New Zealand. This apparent apathy, however, has been only seeming. The eyes, and ears, and judgement of Liverpool shipowners have been turned to the subject, with that calm amount of enquiry and keenness of scrutiny which at all times mark the undertakings of prudent men. After that maturity of deliberation which the importance of the subject demands, and not without some hesitation, Messers. H T Wilson and Chambers, owners of the renowned "White Star" fleet of Australian clippers, have made up their minds to adopt New Zealand as one of their points for Colonial intercourse. With that energy and enterprise which are characteristic of all their undertakings, these gentlemen, ... have gone boldly into the matter, and announced their determination to dispatch one of their noble "White Star" clippers on the 10th of each month, for Auckland and Wellington. The pioneer ship of the New Zealand line of "White Star" clippers was the Tornado, Captain Aitken, which sailed on the 10th instant, taking out 285 passengers, of whom the following is a list, viz: -

SALOON (35 passengers):

• Mr and Mrs Mansford and family
• Mr and Mrs Croker and family
• Mr A. Durall
• Mr and Mrs Graham
• Mr and Mrs Knight and family
• Mr and Mrs G D Lefoy and family
• Mr and Mrs Carr and family
• Rev. Mr and Mrs Foster and family
• Miss James
• Messers F and P Duke, Hughes and Stewart

SECOND CABIN (70 passengers):

• Mr Young and family
• Mr Cruickshank and family
• Mr Dickson and family
• Mr and Mrs Hindley and family
• Mr and Mrs McCullagh and family
• Mr Philpot and family
• Mrs Craigh and family
• Mr Lindsay and family
• Mr and Mrs Anderson and family
•  Mr and Mrs Donaldson and family
• Mr Johnson and family
• Mr and Mrs Huston
• Mr and Mrs  Hough
• Mr Ellett
• Mrs Dransfield and Miss Wilks
• Messers W H Fouracre, Ellett, Aspinall, Hanfield, Sharp, Marsh, Kayll, Boury, Wallace, Redfern, Thackleton, Dalziel, Carr, Spencer, Mason and Shufton

INTERMEDIATE & STEERAGE (174 passengers):

• Mr and Mrs Harris and family
• Mr and Mrs Sinclair and family
• Mr and Mrs Masters
• Mr and Mrs McPherson and family
• Mr and Mrs Coxon
• Mr and Mrs Green
• Mrs Maude and family
• Mr and Mrs Manners and family
• Mr and Mrs Hayter, family and friends
• Mr and Mrs Booth and family
• Miss Clarkson
• Miss James
• Messers Morgan, Smithson, Oldham, Milne, Clarkson, Hanson, Gray, Moffat, Craig, Jones, Brown, Moore, Fox, Clarkson, Baker,Moore, Greenfield, Fenton, Shortliff, Powell, Clarke, Glennie, Harris and Whitford
• Mr and Mrs Gason and family
• Mr and Mrs Gibbons and family
• Mr and Mrs Beard and family
• Mr and Mrs Fulljames and family
• Mr and Mrs Burley and family
• Mr and Mrs Gunson and family
• Mr and Mrs Madden and family
• Miss Foley
• Mr and Mrs Spittle and family
• Mr and Mrs Holdsworth
• Mrs Bramley and family
• Mr and Mrs Charnock and family
• Messers Rowland, Campbell, Smith, McDonald, Fortune, Booth, Cromie, Hill, Reed, Hemer, Dawson, Dyter, Law, Ebery, Moulson, Arnold, Cottor, Herbertson, Atkinson, Williamson, Scott, Faulkner, G and T McLaren, Martin, Walker, Smith, Turner, Gunson, Rushforth, Shuttleworth, Maddeu, W and P Whately, W and T McLellen, Rutherford and Daly

  Besides the great number of passengers above-named, the Tornado took out between 800 and 900 tons of goods.... Arrangements have also been made by Messrs H T Wilson and Chambers for the monthly despatch of some one of their picked ships of from 1100 to 1400 ton register, the days of sailing advertised being in every instance strictly adhered to. This punctuality must be a matter of great importance and benefit for intending emigrants, as a dependance on that punctuality relieves them of the cost, anxiety, and risk inseparable from remaining for a number of days in a large town in the midst of strangers and exposed to temptations which are in every instance better avoided than braved or even conquered.