The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Wednesday 15 February 1933 p6 Article Illustrated

OBITUARY
Captain James Davis
Well-Known Master Mariner
Death at Hobart
The death occurred at Hobart yesterday of Captain James Davis, aged 78
years, of 11 King Street, Sandy Bay.
Captain Davis collapsed in Murray
Street, opposite the Hobart Savings
Bank, on Saturday, and was taken to hospital in a serious condition. An
operation was performed by Dr. V. R. Ratten (Surgeon-Superintendent ofthe Hobart Public Hospital), but without avail, and Captain Davis died in hospital.
He was born at Hobart in 1857, and
first went to sea as a youngster with his
father, Captain Thomas Davis, and
served his apprenticeship under him.
About 1S80. when the whaling industry
was flourishing, Captain Davis engaged
In it with great success. Although he
never commanded a whaling vessel, he
was employed as mate on many whaling
trips from Hobart, and was considered
to be one or the most capable officers
following this calling. His adventures
when described to those closely associ-
ated with him were listened to with the
greatest interest, he having had in his
time many thrilling and exciting expeil
oiices. It is worthy of mention that he
was chosen on one occasion to accom-
pany Dr. Mawson in the Aurora to the
Antarctic as whaling expert, to ascertain
whether there were suitable whales
there to assist the Industry, and it lb
surmised that from the Information
obtained from the expedition the present
profitable whaling industry carried on
in the Antarctic eventuated.
IN THE COASTAL TRADE. v
Captain Davis was for many years in
the Australian coastal trade. After he
had served his apprenticeship he worked
up very quickly, and received his first
command when quito a j-oung man. The
vessel was the brig Prospero, owned by
Mr. Joseph Graves. Ile was employed as
master, and subsequently became owner
of several other vessels. Including the
Rachel Cohen, a brigantino owned by
air. Osborne Geeves and partly by him-
self. Afterwards he was master of a
three-masted barque, the Natal Queen.
The labt vessel that he commanded In
the Intercolonial trade was the Pelotus.
He retired from the sea in 1902, and soon
after he joined the Hobart pilot service,
and remained a pilot for some years.
During his long career as master
Captain Davis never had a serious mis-
hap at sea, thanks chiefly to his skill,
and no doubt owing to a certain amount
of good fortune. On several occasions
after his retirement he was called upon,
during strikes particularly, to take
river steamers such as the Cartela and
Encella to Melbourne, Sydney, or Bris-
bane, and he always accomplished the
voyages safely. Shipowners in Hobart
invariably called upon him to deliver
vessels' bold to buyers in other States
Among these were the Excelcior. which
went to Brisbane, the Reliance to Ade-
laide, and Hie Togo to and from Mel-
bourne. Before crossing Bass Strait he
made a practice of ascertaining by tele-
graph from the various stations on the
Australian coast the conditions of the
weather, and from these reports he was
able to Judge the correct time in which
to make the crossing.
Whenever work involving danger and
requiring skill aiose Captain Davis wat
generally requested to perform the
work. When the dismantled barque
Invernesshire entered Storm Bay some
years ago under jury rig he undertook
the hazardous trip in the Cartela and
went to her rescue, towing the ship to
Sandy Bay, where she anchored. Had
it not been for the skilful handling of
the Cartela, as any of those who accom-
panied him will vouch, the steamer
would in all probability have been lost
in the heavy seas.
- MARINE SURVEYOR.
For many years after his retirement
he acted as marine surveyor for the
various shipping firms at Hobart, and
proved himself to be most efficient in his
work. He was recognised as a man
whose word was his bond, and was
known bv all his friends and associates
to be straight in his dealings.
He leaves a widow and family of 10
six daughters and four sons. One of his
sons, Lieut. Herbert Davis, was killed
in the Great War, and two daughters an
also dead. His sons were very prominent in
sporting circles, chiefly rowing
a few years ago.
The funeral will take place at the
Queenborough Cemetery on Frida:
morning._