Compta - An Immigrant Ship

The Compta was steamship operated by the British India Steamship Company. She was commissioned in late 1881 to support the standard four weekly mail service - standard route London - Naples, Suez, Colombo, Batavia, Cooktown, Townsville, Rockhampton and Brisbane. All were barquentine rigged, single funneled vessels of between 2600 and 3000 tons with a service speed of around 10 knots. 

Compta 1881 1883 transferred to Netherlands India SS Co.

COMPTA 02 06 1882 Brisbane Plymouth 13 04 1882 PL M1698 (imm/115-imm/116) Transcribed as COMPLA; via Cooktown & other Ports south to Brisbane
COMPTA S.S 04 06 1882 Townsville ... ... ... .. .. .... AL M473 (imm/141) [IA] Townsville: Lists of Immigrants arriving

From the Morning Bulletin Rockhampton 9 Jun 1882

THE COMPTA'S IMMIGRANTS.  

ASSERTING the Englishman's prerogative, the  inclination is strong to indulge in a good growling grumble. " Decidedly out of sorts"    fitly describes the condition of those who suffered the wearisomeness, of a nine hours sojourn through the night and early morn in the Mabel on the Fitzroy River. We wereby no means alone. Alongside was theShark—and on board were twenty-onesingle women and fourteen married couplesand their numerous progeny. It was a dirty night; the clouds were black ;  the moon, affrighted, hid her face behind the darkened vapours ; in the dim light the river looked cheerless and muddy. Rain fell atintervals—now drizzling and now in force.Twenty women crowded into a cabin capable of accommodating three or four; children  huddled away in a maternal gown or crouching from the drippings of the awning or the rain blown in by windy gusts. With such a load and such a clog upon our craft, no wonder even on a flood tide—that it occupied over eight hours to reach Lake's Creek from Port Alma.Then, so if to take breath before the final effort, we cast anchor and awaited the break  of day. Why grumble at such a fate? Punts  must be towed up to town, and failing any other, the steamer which brings up the immi-grants must perform tug duty also. Then even the half hour's breather opposite Lake's Creek had its advantages—for, said a sarcastic scribe, "it enabled the young ladies to put on their war paint."

This was true in a measure for most of them,by a few deft touches, made themselves" presentable " for landing at the wharf in the  presence of the Rockhampton public. Unfortu-nately for somebody, the Rockhampton publicwas on this occasion represented by a dozenlumpers. Beside the " young ladies " we felt quite seedy—for try how we would sleep re-fused to be wooed all through that apparently interminable night. Walking and talkingamongst the new comers was therefore substi-tuted for idle rest. In all this, one fact stood out boldly; everyone had a good word  to say for "the dear old Compta." It has fallen to our lot to visit all the immigrant carrying mail steamers, but none of them has been, so affectionately regarded and spoken of as the Compta—2094 tons, 200 h.p. Com-mander, A. A. Fyfe.

The present is the Compta's second trip to Queensland. When here in January last,Captain Fyfe made many friends, and any who have met him once will ever think of him as a hearty, bluff British sailor, "ev'ryinch o' him ;" not one of your kid gloved feather bed captains, but a man who was able to reef or set a sail with any hand aboard his ship. But to his ship and his living charges.

It has remained for the Compta to try the experiment of freeing the poop deck of the intrusion of the single women. There can be no denial of the fact, that reservation of one half the poop deck for the single women ha militated against the Company's saloon passenger trade. On this voyage the experiment has been tried, and, so far as the saloon passengers were concerned, with great success.But the young women may possibly tellanother tale. On leaving Plymouth in Easterweek, there were eighty-one single women onboard. The only deck space for the promenading of this large number was between the saloon and the engine-house ; and, of necessity,that was not always cleared. Undoubtedly the separation of the immigrants from the saloon passengers is a very desirable end to attain, but proper accommodation must be provided for the immigrants—so says the Government, and rightly so too. The remedyis that the B.I.S.N. Co. should put larger steamers on the berth for the Queensland trade. Let it be understood that any hidden or implied censure in these sentences refers in no way to Captain Fyfe and his excellent staff of officers.

The Compta left Plymouth on April 12,with aboard 64 married couples, 121 single men, 81 single women, 60 boys, 89 girls, 16 infants, and 9 full paid passengers; total,424. There were three births on the voyageand one before the steamer left Plymouth.  Of these 116 have landed in Rockhampton,and 202 yet remained to proceed to Brisbane.Perhaps the most serious event was the out-break of measles. It is supposed to have originated from some clothes which were brought up to be aired and fumigated, and which had originally been worn by a person afflicted with the disease. The measles came at a most unfortunate juncture—just before the breaking of the monsoons, when the air was thick and oppressive, although the registered temperature did not exceed 87°. Seven children died—all of them infants under sixteen months. But the cause of death was another matter. The majority died of acute orcapilliary bronchitis combined with diarrhoea.One child also died in the Mediterranean, but of brain disease. Dr. Young, who once more visits these shores in charge of immigrants, is no novice in his work. He has made seven or eight previous voyages to Queensland, besides along service under the Cunard Company to America. The Government agent is wise to secure the services of experienced medical men. Too much mischief may be causedunwittingly by one who has not had the harddrilling of a sailing ship. The matron,Miss Macgowan, is also an experienced lady in immigration matters. There are two rules the Government insist upon rigidly enforcing,(1) Cleanliness ; (2) Complete separation of the unmarried women from the men. Miss Macgowan has attained both aims, but may be at a slight cost to popularity in some unimportant quarters. But she has the consciousness of having done her duty. During the voyage, weekly concerts were held on Tuesdays, and an occasional Christy Minstrel entertainment varied the programmes. Among the saloon passengers was the niece of Bishop Stanton of Northern Queensland, who disembarked at Townsville. This young lady vastly contributed to the general enjoyment by her high musical attainments. Others of the saloon passengers were very energetic in contributing to the amusement and pleasure of the immigrants. Mr. Moses Ward, J. P. (the wellknown Brisbane chemist), and Mr. B. Mackay of Rockhampton, quite distinguished them-selves by their almost paternal care. An oldRockhamptonian, Mr. Willis, the victim of a" Wild Scotchman " episode, also delivered anaddress on one occasion. With these and others the captain and his officers joined in transforming a long and rather dreary voyage into a pleasure trip. To such an extent was the captain's conduct appreciated, that the saloon passengers entertained him and his officers at dinner shortly before reaching Queensland. Dr. Hongenstradten, of Batavia,presided at the dinner, and in felicitous terms proposed the health of the captain. Mr. B.Mackay followed this up by presenting the following address :—

DEAR CAPTAIN FYFE,—

In anticipation of the early completion of our voyage from England, we, the undersigned saloon passengers, beg to tender you our best thanks for the uniform kindness and courtesy shown by you to all of  us while on board the Compta.  

In fair weather and foul we have found you unremitting in your attention to the comfort of your passengers : and, thanks in a great measure to you as voyage has been a veritable pleasure trip to us all,and will long be remembered by us as a pleasant episode in our lives.

Wishing you a long and prosperous career, we remain, yours most sincerely,

(Here follow the names of twenty-four saloon passengers.]

The healths of Dr. Young; "the officers," Mr. Taylor, the Chief Engineer, Mr. Nicol, purser, were also duly honoured, and Mr. Mackay concluded the toast list by proposing "The Ladies " - a most fitting association.

The character of the Compta's immigrants in decidedly above the average, and one excellent feature was the number of small capitalists among the married people. The lectures of Mr. George Randall are now bearing fruit, and according to the North Devon Journal, sixty persons left Barnstaple alone for Queensland. Speaking of these, the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette remarks, "They are the pick of the country." And the Plymouth Daily Mercury says of the whole,that "the medical men had pronounced them to be the best and most promising looking emigrants who had left Plymouth for some time past." Mr. Moses Ward, according to these newspapers, accompanied Mr. Randall on his lecturing tour in Devonshire, adding his own testimony of the vast resources and capabilities of Queensland. Mr. Ward informs us that these village lectures were largely attended by all classes except servant girls, whose mistresses,it is asserted, as a rule, prevented them attending. Mr. Ward, as already stated, was a passenger by the Compta, and his personal acquaintance with so many of the immigrants was not of little value to the Surgeon-Superintendent. Many others hail from Wilts,Worcestershire, Warwickshire, one family from Lincolnshire—very few from Scotland,and, as usual, a considerable number from the Green Isle. Unfortunately but few of the capitalits have come to Rockhampton, Brisbane is the goal of their hopes, and West Moreton will probably be their field of investment.There are a few mechanics among the single men, but the majority of the married men are farm labourers. Several of the young women are likely looking general servants, one or two dressmakers are there also, and others with but a dim idea of what is their avocation.

Usually on the arrival of the steamer Dr.Salmond is overwhelmed with applications for permission to proceed to Brisbane. This was avoided on the Compta in this way. Before leaving the Plymouth depot every immigrant was examined by the Immigration Secretary (Mr. Dicken) as to their destination.This having been fixed to mutual satisfaction,alteration at this end becomes almost unnecessary, and any application will be treated with even suspicion. Thus it was, that out of 120 expected, 116 arrived at the Depot yesterday, the other four having remained in the north. This number is made up asfollows :

• Single women, 21 ;
• single men, 46 ;
•  married couples, 14;
• children, 21.

Dr.Salmond, with commendable consideration,forbade any hiring yesterday, in order thatthe new arrivals might have a complete rest after their sleepless passage up the river.