THE STRANDED LINER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1754, 20 May 1913, Page 7

THE STRANDED LINER.

WEATHER BLOCKS SALVAGE WORK. I VESSEL'S CHANCES CONSIDERED BAD. (By Telegraph.—Press Aesociation.) Wanganui, May 19. The tug Terawhiti arrived at Castlecliff to-night from tho scene of the disaster to the Indrnlxtrah, and proposes to sail early to-morrow if the weather permits. At tho present time tho predicted gale is rising-, and it is very likely that the 'l'crawhiti will remain 111 port. The Terawhiti placed a big anchor on Saturday, and yesterday placed the one which the Stormbird brought from Wellington.

The Indrabarali is describc-d as being "alive" at high tide to-day, and 'tho opinion was expressed that c&umg operations to-morrow night, if thy weather is favourable, .should T>d fairly successful. THE V2S2EL DOOMED. VIEWS OP A SHIPMASTER. I'OOR CHANCE EVEN FOR THE MUTTOJi. Captain J. Cretty, master of tho coastal steamer Stormbird,. which returned from the sce.io of the Indrabarah wreck yesterday morning, made the following statement to a Dominion representative last evening "It is my candid opinion, and I speak with some twenty odd years' experience, that tho Indt-abamh is doomed. I don't think there io any chance of ever seeing her afloat again. Of course, if tliey had a_ stretch of lino weather, with high tides, directly after she had gone ashore, 'they would have had good jirospccts of getting lier off. But tlie continued bad weather lias, in ;ny opinion, spoilt all chances. I have visited the wreck, and I know from what I saw what her position is. She is lying practically parallel to the beach, her bow pointing-south, and her stern north. She is firmly embedded in the sand. As soon as the hard crust on the beach is broken through, the sand below becomes alive. Each day the action of tlie sea causes tho sand to silt up round the sen\vard side of the vessel, and she appears to be sinking deeper."

Captain Grotty went on to say that he had never yet seen a boat beached on the Rangitikei befich successful in getting oil'. .Ho mentioned the Fusilier, a sailing vessel, which was in ballast, and went ailioro about seven miles norlh of wliero tho 'I'yser boat is lying, many years ago. The skeleton of the > vessel remnins on the beach to this day. The Hydrabad (?) was another sailing vessel which, went ashore on the same beach, and never got off again.

Captain Crctty said that tho report that the tug Terawhiti and the steamer Stormbird were alongside the Indrabarali on Sunday was ridiculous. The Stormbird- was at the nearest point about 500 yds. off the Indrabarali, and whero she was there was only three fathoms of water. A little further in tliero was only 12ft. of water, so ,it would be impossible for the Stormbird'to approach the Indrabarali, when the former steamer is drawing 10ft. It is impossible for any of the small steamers to attempt to approach tho stranded liner. "It's my private and honest opinion," said Captain Crotty, "that no matter what money was spent in the attompt the Indrabarali will remain where she is. She may work a littlo further up the beach." "Seen from well off," said Captain Crotty, "the vessel, with her funnel smoking, gives one the impression that she is sailing up the coast. Her fires still going, and she remains intact." When talking about the matter of salvage, Captain Crotty did not hold out much hope for the frozen mutton. "Tliey will be able to get tho tallow off all right, but when it comes to the frozen mutton, they will experience some difficulty- Tliey wont be able to lighter tho 'frozen mutton into steamers, because there is not sufficient water for tliem to get alongside. In my opinion, they will have to use bullock teams from (lie shore, and unload the vessel from the shore side. Even then, when they unshipped ihe mutton, it would take some considerable time before it could be transferred to cold storage." In conclusion, Captain Crotty expressed the opinion that there was very little prospect of the frozen Hution being salved. ■A telegram was received by Msssrs. Dalgety an'd Company yesterday from Mr. Phinkett, Lloyd's surveyor, who is visiting the wreck of the Indrabarali. Tlie wire stated that another mushroom anchor was put nut further than the others yesterday. There was a strong northwest wind blowing and a moderate sea. The wire concluded by stating that everything depended upon the weather.

POSTMASTER'S REPORT. The Secretary of the Post Office received the following message from the postmaster at Bulls last night:—The weather conditions to-day were more favourable for connecting the Indrabarah to anchors with a view to lier pulling herself off the beach. She was moved round a little last night, and the experts on board are very hopeful of accomplishing something 'to-morrow night. A telegram received from our special correspondent at Wnnganui last ni(*ht says"There is every appearance of some bad weather being experienced tonight, as tho wind from the north-west is increasing. Indications .point to n .storm brewing. The sea is making, and it is to be feared that the attempt to refloat the Indrabarah will have to be suspended for a day or two. If this happens, the chances are that the spring tides will have gone before the weather mcd'eratcs sufficiently to give any chance of success."