WEATHER IT OR NOT?

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1480, 1 July 1912, Page 5

WEATHER IT OR NOT?

g'St STAR OP CANADA. STORM NOW IN FULL BLAST. POSITION OF PERIL. SEAS SWEEP THE STEAMER, / (By TdeEraph.-PreEe Association.) Gisborne, June 29. Pumping operations were enrried out in renl earnest dh board the stranded .steamer Star of Cannda on Saturday morning. Tho tug Temwhiti was moored upon (ho port or leeward side o£ the vessel about 7 a.m., and preparations for putting the tug's powerful pumps into operation jvore at. onco put in hand, the work occupying until well on in tho afternoon. The mooring arrangements for the Torawliili- alone woro a specimen of great ingenuity. A' spar was uncoupled from the Star of Canada, and placed across tho tug's stern to keep her well oft' from tho big- ship's rolling side, and tho tug's moorings also demanded a good deal of manoeuvring M as to prevent the strain coming upon tkf pump pipes.

Tcrawliiti's Pumps Started. This work bring completed, holes which , ' had previously been cut in the Star of Canada's side were opened up, the pipes were inserted, and soon a steady stream , , of water was being ejected' from the stricken vessel's holds. As on previous occasions when pumping had been carried out, tho discharged water was thick with; papa mud, and on one. occasion a fairly large stone wus brought to light. The pumping was kept up for some hours, and thero was then a noticeable diminution io the water in the ship's holds. Trial of the Ship's Engines. Taking advantage, (hen, of a favour* nblo opportunity, Captain Hart ranff "Stand by" to the engine-room, and the.ro was, later, a further clanging of the telegraph. The fireat engines churned at full-speed astern, but without avail. The , ship quivered and groaned while her enrines worked nobly for a miuuto or two, and the pumps forward never ceased in; their outward pour of water. But tho Star of Canada was fixed, and won the engines were stopped, nnd the Terawhitiwithdrew her pumps, and\lcft for her moorings out in tho bay. Water Up to the Bow Ports. ]f we may judge from expressions ol opinion on board, the test was i\ sati*. factory one, and Captain Hart and others' are quito confident that they will be able l to hold their own with the water until| such timo as collision mats can be adjusted over any particularly large holes' which may be discovered in the vessel's bottom. To this end collision mats have been ordered from Wellington. About six o'clock la-st evening tho eca was rather choppy, and a visit to thai boat disclosed the fact that at tho' bow,! the water was lapping -perilously closeto tho portholes on tho. port side. Tho seamen's quarters aro partly; under, water as a result of the subsidence, of tho vessel into the papa bed upon which she _ lies, and an inspection of. this port of tho ship reveals a particularly dreary' picture. As already reported, .the men! have, evacuated their quarters; and others] ■ have now been provided for them in the 'tween decks of No. 5 hold. The Btarbonrd side of tho forecastle, however, is' still in occupation. It is slated that most of tho water in this part of the vessel is duo to tho opening of a storm valve. .•Iγ ■-. ■■ / .;, ■ •

Dive* Goes Down Again. ' Goai'ge Llbydi' - the diver, made another descent on (he leeward eide of tho vessel on Saturday morning, and examined tl>« point at which t!io vessel first camo in contact with the reef. As far as it was possible for him to ascertain, there was no damage, at this point, even though (ho upward rise of tho (item permitted him to walk right under the , vessel.

Heavy Galo Sweeps tjic .Bay. • The weather continued calm.ilny* evening until about 9'.o'clock,; when, heavy rain set in, accompanied thy a strong wind from tho south-east. .The wind gradually gathered strength until, about four o'clock yesterday liiorniiur, it had developed into a strong galo, which increased as dawn broke, until the wind swept into (ho bay with hurricane force, lashing the waters into fury and dashing them with a wild roar high upon the beach. As day broke many residents who had spent a sleepless night listening to the howling of tho palp, hurried. down to the, beach anxious to see how the stranded vessel was behaving. It was a scene of wild desolation which greeted them. Great seas wero racing madly across tho nay; and breaking in showers over' the. fofo part, of the distressed liner, while she swayed and shookbencalh each succeeding onslaught, straining at. her five stout anchor lines until these threatened to break, fliid to allow tho vessel to be precipitated upon the , racks lying fiaunt and hungry, their black no'es peeping above tho swish of foam further up tlio beach,

Gloomy Talk on Shore. The niorning air was chill and bitter, but this fact notwithstanding, many hundreds of people put in on appearance, their numbers increasing as tlio bitter day woro on. In the harbour there was gloomy talk; among tho men who wero engaged un-; loading the cargo which had been brought by lighters from (ho Star of Canada ou tho previous evening. There was scarcely ,i hopeful word. ' "That finishes her." (said one brawny man in a complete suit of overalls. "She never had much of a chance," ho added, "and I recki.u that this will see lier finish." Tug Hipi Unable to Face Gale. Speaking generally this was n prevalent opinion. During the.day a cart: arrived with several odd-looking pieces of mechanism, intended, it was stated, for lowering the pumps further into the holds. Tho cnrlor approached Captain Palmer, of tho ilipi, which was lying moored under steam. "I reckon the captain's fooliflij if lie takes that lot out in this sea," said a member of his crew. ■"Wo had quite enough last Sunday and this is just: about as bad." It was finally decided 1 not fo mako tho trip until tho nftcrncon, ind when tho afternoon cam&.arid the weather hnd not abated, tho trip was.abandoned until this morning. Other Vessels Stand Out to Sea. It was - soon noticed by visitors to the beach that tlio Star of Canada's lister ship, Star of India, which had put in on Saturday to lake tho stranded vessel's cargo, had put out. to sea to avoid the weather, while tho Terawhiti was alfo missing, having evidently pulled un her anchor and left the bay. Under the, leo of Young Nick's Head a vessel could bo seen through tho driving gale attompling to shelter. • She is probably tho steamer Ilmmnta, which is duo from' Newcastle with coal.' The weather shows no Finns of'abating and it may affect the chances of salwigo very seriously.