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Chronicle (Levin), 8 February 1947, Page 4

eaten, however. Stewards say there \vas a sudden exodus on deek and successfiil measures to assist the vessel in ,its movement from the reef were put in train immediately. The salvage offieials were actuailv down at the bottom of No. 3 hold inspeeting its condition under tlie new stresses, when the din of her shrielcing plates suddenly ceased, to be followed almost immediately. by the sound of the vessel 's siren. They knew she was afloat. It was an anxious mome,nt fo/ them. Their preparations for refloating were t'ar from eomplete. Thf proposed eoffer dam over the rent in- No. 2 hold was only in its embryo stages. Indeed, the pounding-the ship had - taken in her movement on the reef, had made almost impossible of realisation. They had to relv on compression gained by sealing off Nos. 1 and 2 holds and the work of the air cqmpressors to provide enough buoyancy forward to keep the ship afloat. Tliey knew if that failed it was likely she would sink. It held. Nevertheless, its value was - not all that had been lioped beeause of multitudlnous leaks. It was not possible to gain mc\re than 2IUj to the square incli. The pounding of the ship.'s bottom on the rocks and consequent upthrust of the internal structure that caused much of the buckling of the decks, with the upright girdering coming in for sconsiderable distortion over the damaged holds. In the dining saloon miniature blowhQ.les develnped at the raised portions of the composition flooring above the decking and where these blowholes were immediately above the water filled hold, they became minigture gevsers. The ship was a liive of activity all day today. Additional auxiliary fire pumps were hoisted on board and set to try to keep down tlie rising water in No. 3 hold wliich had passed out of the control of the purnp on the wharf. The air compressors made the air hicleous with the roar of their exhausts, converting the promengde deck on which they are housed, into a miniature Dante's Inferno for they brought extra heat to the already liot atmosphere. All energies were directed to trying to I ensure that. the condition of the ship got no worse — -it was too soon to begin even to think of operations necessary to lift her forepart back to the 25ft. draft to permit her going on the Jubiiee Doek. The chief need was to reduce the flooding of No. 3 hold. Aft of No. 3 hold both below and above decks, everything ean be. said to be normal except that tlie litter of salvage equipment lies everywhere.