GALE AND ITS WORK

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1239, 22 September 1911, Page 6

GALE AND ITS WORK

THE CARLA PILED UP. THEINDRALEMA'S EXPERIENCE. SNAPPED STKHKING GEAK. Quite a proeo.-siou of steamers left Wellington lor various ports yesterday. Tho storm that had raged since Monday last had blown itself out by yesterday morning, and the retinue of vessels which had been compelled to keep to their berths and at anchor inside, the Heads were able to put to sea. During tho day a score or more pa?.-ed out. Some of the steamers arriving in the early part of tho mnrning reported that the sea-was' Still fairly heavy, though easily navigable. There was a. big rip off Teraivhiti, but the sea was not breaking at tho Heads at all. By last evening it was normal. THE INDRALEMA. A few minutes before noon yesterday the minds of shipping folk were set at rest by the arrival of the Tysor liner Indralema from Napier, after an exceptionally rough handling. The big steamer left Napier for Wellington at 3.15 p.m. on Monday last, and had a 09-hours' battle with the elements, during which time her steering gear was carried away. ' • • c As soon as she got clear of the Hawke's Bay port the Indralema struck the full force of the,gale. For 20 hours she plugged against wind and sea at full steam, and only made one mile an hour. Captain Wilkes. kept his vessel well out to sea, - but this di 1 not prevent her frem being knocked about in an alarming manner, and for some hours the captain was compelled to heave to. Seas came tumbling on board one after the other, and in their career ovs ,, the decks carried away all the moveable gear. Tho butcher's shop was smashed to pieces, and half a ton of meat disappeared overboard. Bulwarks were also .damaged, and a derrick carried away. For another twenty hours the Indralema endeavoured to weather Capo Palliser, and, as ono man put it, "for several hours Palliser light remained in the same position and the ship pounded away in the same hole."

A seaman was washed along the deck and carried against a ventilator with considerable force. He was severely bruised, but was attended to on board.

During tho height of tho gale a disconcerting mishap took place, as just when it was very much needed the steering gear carried away. This happened Bt 3 a.m. on •Wednesday, and the Indralema was for a time completely at the mercy of the storm. Ths engineers were quickly called up, and it was ascertained that one of the links forming one of the steering chains had snapped on deck. Fortunately the vessel carried a SDaro length of chain, and this was brought up from below with all speed and substituted for the broken ono. During tho time that these repairs were being effected the liner rolled considerably, but eventually settled down and rode tho storm. "In fact," said , one of the crew, "one would have thought that the vessel was hove to."

.Repairs being effected, the Indralema was once more put on her course, and yesterday morning about daybreak was Ec>en making in for Wellington Heads. At that timo the sea was still breaking at the entrance, and the captain decided to stand off for a time, port being made as stated above. ' Takon all through, those on board had a very trying time, and one and all were glad to reach Port Nicholson. The Indralema sails for the Bluff at i p.m. to-day. . . . THE CARLA. . ■ ' ■. IBy Telecraph.-Spccial Correspondent.! Wanganui, September 21. Considerable surprise was expressed in town l.his morning at tho news from Castlecliff that the Danish barque Carla had gone ashoro during the night. Yesteiday afternoon and.evening it blew as hard as ever, but when the darkness fell, tho vessel was still riding at her anchors in good style. During the night the wind moderated considerably, but occasionally blew in terriffic. gusto. As only one chain cable could be seen under her bows, it was surmised that, during tho gust, the other parted, and thai a single, anchor, being insufficient to hold her, she has drifted ashore.

She now lies on an oven sandy bottom, -apparently undamaged, about three miles north of Castlecliff. She is in a good position for floating off, with her head pointing seawards, and only an occasional wavo coming on board. If tho sea goes down soon there may bo a chance of towing her off, but otherwise, she will probably settle too far in the sand for salvage to be possible.

(By Teleffraoh.—Press Association.) Wanganui, September 21. The barquentine Carla lies head to sea in a very easy position on the soft, sandy uottom, about 150 yards from tho shore and about twenty miles north of the cable station. The vessel is apparently undamaged, and if the weather takes up is in a good position for-refloating. The hatchcovers appear to be off and the decks awash, and the donkey boiler adrift. The vessel is only taking the 'wave-tops aboard and is not now being buffeted by the sea, which has gone down, considerably since yesterday. The local agents are awaiting a cablegram from the owners at Denmark before taking stops to refloat the vessel.

(By Toleeraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, September 21. Although the southerly galo is moderating on the coast, there was. still force sufficient to delay tho turbine steamer Maori an hour and a half on her passage from Wellington to Lyttelton last night.' The vessel left Wellington at 8.10 p.m., ami had a rough time crossing Coot Strait, where there was a heavy and high sea. This prevailed until the vessel passed Kaikourd early this morning. At i a.m. it was still hard, but the sea moderated as the vessel got farther south. She then made better time to Lyttelton, where she arrived at 8.20 after a passage of 12 hours. HUTT RAILWAY. Tho damages to the Hutt railway was not so great as was popularly supposed. The thresh of the waves on the ballast, which is-still only partly set, dislodged a good deal of il in places, leaving the sleepers and the rails unsupported. This prevented all uso of the outer line, ,but the time-table was run as usual on the inward rails until yesterday when repairs were effected by gangs of' men. The section between Kaiwarra and Ngahaurauga was opened for , traffic again yesierday morning, and the other part in the afternoon in time for tho five o'clock suburban trains. Until the ballast on the lino sets thoroughly there will always bo danger of washouts in heavy southerly storms, but the. repairs rendered necessary will not probably be either difficulty or expensive. Little or no damage ivas dono to the sea wall by the storm.