HAWEA SAFE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 289, 31 August 1908, Page 7

HAWEA SAFE.

THE BROKEN SHAFT REPAIRED AT SEA, ENGINEERS' GREAT FEAT. COULD HAVE REACHED SYDNEY WITH OWN STEAM. (bt telegraph—press ASSOCIATION —COrTßia ST.) (Rec. August 31, 0.41 a.m.) Sydney, August 30. The Union Steam Ship Company's steamer Hawea, which has been drifting since 6.45 a.m. on July 30 with a broken tail-shaft, has been picked up by the Union Company's steamer Rakanoa, whose first search for the Hawea proved resultless.

On Tuesday, July 28, the Union Company's cargo steamer Hawea left Newcastlo for Gisborno and Napier with a cargo of coal, and two days later broko her tailshaft. Nothing further was heard of the vessel until August 11, when fourteen of tho crew, under the second officer, reached Lord Howe Island, and informed a steamer of the breakdown. A searoh had already oommenced for tho Hawea, which was provisioned for five weeks, and on receipt of the news more vessels joined in the quest. On August 10 a second crew, consisting of the chief officer (Mr. B. B. Irwin), third engineer, and a seaman, left the Hawea, and seven days later landed at the Solitaries (near Clarence River) very much exhausted. Tho drifting of the Hawea down to this point has already been described. ' Engines Cot Colng Again. After the second boat left her the Hawea continued to drift. On August 12 tho wind increased to a gale, and the ship rode it out broadside on. All. available sail was set to try to get westward, but the vessel began driving eastward. On August 16, the wind being from the north-west, the sails were stowed to prevent her going further cast.

A spell of fine weather then set in, and tho engineers set to work to try to place' a coupling on the broken shaft. They had to work waist deep in water. .By means of steel hawsers the propeller was worked into position. The engineers were called upon to do dangerous work in tho after tank, but stuck manfully to their task. The coupling was tested, and was found to work well, but tho steamer had to stop occasionally to tighten it up. By August 26 they had tho engines going, and tho vessel made three, to four knots till picked up two days later by the Rakanoa.'. Evon if the Rakanoa had not picked up the Hawea she would have reached Sydney to-night under her own steam. Chief Engineer's Story, The chief engineer (Mr. M'Lean') and his assistants, after nine days' strenuous work, were able to inform- the captain of the ■ ship that they could reach Sydney unaided. Mr. M'Lean states that the shaft snapped in fine weather. There Were a couple of bumps, and then the engines raced like . sewing machines.

! The smash was right at the forward end of the stern tube. They believed at first tjiat they would be unablo to repair it. During the first sixteen days they had a lot of bad Weather,''and' could' not' get near ithe propqllor, but when the weather got fino they began repairs. • They first had to cut away the after cross plate, and had to do it with such tools as tboy had on board. Then they had to cut away the angle irons on each side of the ship. After that they had to cut away 18 inches of tho stern tube, which is of iron and ljin. through. Following that, they had to out through four inches of the stern bush and eight inches of liner on tho broken shaft: All this had to be dono to carry the patent coupling. Steamed 187 Miles Unaided. After the, snapping of the propeller it had slipped back, as far as the rudder wouldlet it, and tho shaft bad to be got back from outside. This job took two days. Had. the break been a little more aft, tho propeller would have gone to the bottom. At length the coupling was adjusted, and the vessel had steamed 167 miles towards Sydnoy when the Rakanoa picked her up. They had a four days' job stopping a leak in tho main condenser.