STARTLING EVENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1502, 26 July 1912, Page 5

STARTLING EVENT.

IN COOK STRAIT.

A SUBMARINE EXPLOSION.

THOSE DEAD FISH.

" BURST UP" OFFTERAWHITF.

CBy T«lii;rnph.-BBeoial Oorr«BDon«enM • Chrlttchurch, July i&,'>A hitherto unrecorded but sonsational oiperionco of tho Blackball Coal Company's collier Ngahcro last week may possibly throw some light on tho phenomenon of tho stranding of vast quantities of fish near Wellington. In conversation with a representative of tho Christchurch "Press," Captain D. H. Dillnor, innstcr of tlio Ngaherc, elated ■that he had discharged a cargo of coal •at Wellington, and sailed at .5 p in. on July 17 for Groyraouth. Tho collier was in .bnllnst and "flying light," and Cop- ■ tain Dillnor onchored in tho harbour for the- night. She left next morning about , noon, andwhen between Tom's Rock and Capo Tcra-" whiti (tho locality of tho wreck of the Penguin), Captain Dillner and some of hi; officers and engineers wero just about to eit down to dinner when they were considerably startled by a terrible, report, tho noise being like the firing of heavy artillery;- ■ ■..-..., Tho stoainer reeled from the shock, and as sho lurohed over, Captain. Dillner and his officers rushed on deck. ': It was found that sho had shipped a tremendous eea over her port quarter. A quantity of gear stowed on No. i hatch .wne washed away, and while the bulwarks ■;'; appeared to bo undamaged, four or five of tho supporting stanchions had been bent with the force of the impact of the huge ■ body of wator. , Captain Dillner eaid that he could only acconnt for the remarkable occurrence by the idea that there had boon some kind ■of submarine explosion. Had tho ship been, deeply loaded- ho would not "■ ■ hnve-'V taken any notice of her shipping a heavy sea, but at tho timo she was in light trim, nnd was running before tho' gale "■■' I nud tho wa. The big wave, which bent the stanchions, was tho only ouo that came aboard, and after clearing. .Cook,. Strait, th© Nghhere'had a "good passage". to Grcymoulh. Cnptnin Dillner added that hchad had a Eomowhat similar experience - near the ' same spot some years ago in. tho old Dingadce. On that occasion tho vessel ' was steaming out of Wellington against a southerly gale, and had just passed Sinclair Head when she was suddenly lifted high out of tho water forward and came down again into the sea with tremendoui violonce. Sho was in light trim, and had only been taking heavy sprays on board, .'n but her unusual experience resulted in considerable damage'to tho forward part' of tho ship, the repairs costing about i 150 .! ■' : ••■ ■ ...::,.,... •-■. i...,„;,;: