was reported on 13 July 1910 as follows: ARRIVAL OF THE OTRANTO. Well up to cabled time, the R.M.S. Otranto arrived from London, via ports, early yesterday morning, and, after being granted pratique, made fast to the quay a little before 9 o'clock Captain Coad reported an uneventful voyage. Fine weather was experienced to Cape Guardafui, but from that point to Minikoi Island a strong south-west monsoon was met with. After leaving Colombo moderate south-east trades were encountered accompanied by a heavy southerly swell. The Otranto is the first of the new Orient liners to be fitted with wireless, and during her present trip she was able to maintain communication with 23 shore stations and 45 steamers. A full account of the Johnson-Jeffries fight was received from the Macedonia's operator on Monday. The Otranto, after discharging cargo, resumed her voyage to the Eastern States at 3.30 o'clock in the afternoon. MAILS BY THE OTRANTO. One hundred and forty-two packages of parcel posts and 1,690 bags of mails comprise the total shipment of mails brought to hand by the R.M.S. Otranto. Western Australia's proportion consists of 164 bags, whilst the balance is distributed as follows:— Adelaide, 125; Melbourne, 272; Geelong, 8; Ballarat, 18; Bendigo, 10; New South Wales, 346; Queensland, 169; Tasmania, 45; New Zealand, 495; H.M. fleet, 18; Noumea, 30. THE OTRANTO'S OFFICERS. Captain A. J. Coad. of the R.M.S. Otranto, has associated with him this voyage the following officers:— L. S. Brooke-Smith, first officer; H. G. C. Adams, second officer; J. J. Hayes, third officer; E. E. Smith, fourth officer; C. J. Hill, fifth officer; H. Newman, purser; H. E. Bloxsome, surgeon; G. T. Greig, chief engineer; E. F. Jeffrey, assistant purser. She resumed her London–Australia runs into early 1910. That year, the company was awarded a contract to carry mail and she was redesignated as RMS Otranto, the RMS standing for Royal Mail Ship. She was present at King George V's Coronation Naval Review on 26 June and made several voyages to the Norwegian fjords before mid-September when she returned to the Australia run, on which she remained until war was declared on Germany on 4 August 1914. Auxiliary cruiser Conversion The Admiralty requisitioned Otranto on that same day for conversion to an armed merchant cruiser, having eight quick-firing (QF) guns fitted. A rangefinder was installed on the bridge and her fore and aft holds were refitted as