WIRELESS CALL FROM THE RUAHINE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2290, 26 October 1914, Page 6

WIRELESS CALL FROM THE RUAHINE

LINER SPRINGS A LEAK AT SEA FERRY FLIER WAHINE'S DASH TO THE RESCUE SAFE RETURN TO PORT

with a German cruiser, and that nothing could save her from foundering. Tho so having friends and relatives on board the Ruahine ,at once caught the alarm, and telephone bells woro set ringing in all. parts of the city by anxious folk. Though the mishap to tho liner was hardly so serious as was rumoured, it was serious enough. . The first wireless message from the vessel came to Mr. G. B. Bullock (local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company), who was at Heretaunga. The message, which was at once transferred to him, read:— ' "7.45.a.ui. —Ruahine reports leaking. Position, 43.52 south, 178.27 E. Steering for Cape Palliser." ' A. little later a second message was recoivod, checking tho position of tho vessel then 194 miles S. 47 degrees E.. of Capo Palliser, and advising the dispatch of a relief steamer in case of .eventualities.

Wahine to the Resouo. Mr. Bullock at once got in touch with Mr. W. A. Kennedy (local manager of the Union S.S. Company), and an arrangement was at once made to dispatch the fast' ferry steamer Wahine. As the ferry flier had tied up to the wharf at 7.5 a.m., and the majority.of tho crow had left the vessel, .thoro was a little delay in'collecting, tho men, particularly the firemen, and finally tho Wahine got away at 9.50 a.m., with orders to'proceed with all dispatch to the Ruahine.' ' Mr. Kennedy .received his first word of the mishap through Captain Johnston, Harbourmaster. H-3 doubted the authenticity of the first wireless call, and thought that it might be a ruse on the part of a German warship to entico the Wahine or some other steamer outside. Subsequently.be asked the wireless operator at the Wellington station to send out certain code messages to Captain Forbes. Satisfactory answers having been received, the flier was ;sont down the harbour at a lfi-J-knot clip. A wireless message received-from.Cap-tain Edwin at 11 a.m. 1 stated that the vessel was "flying" through the water at the rate of 18} knots pe- hour. Tho fast turbine steamer was not under her full boiler power, and notwithstanding this fact she reached the Ruahine at

3.45 p.m. —fivo and three-quartor hours after leaving port. This is considered a very oreditable performance. Message to the Premier. Tho Prime Minister was advised yesterday afternoon that the Wahine sighted tlieKuahine at 3.45 p.m. The last message from tho captain.of the Rualiine was reassuring. On tho run to the assistance of the Rualiino tho !Wahine was steaming 20 knots per hour. To a roporter Mr. Massey saitt that no details of tho mishap woro available. Details by Wireless. At 4.45 p.m. a message was received giving information as to the oxtont of the leakage, which had occurred in tlio 'tween, decks of No. 3 hold, a refrigerating space packed to tho top with butter below and cheese in tho 'tween decks. .Tho messago ran:— "Ordinary Dgurton pipes quite sufficient to deal with wator. No. 3 'tween decks dry on high sido, four feet water low side. Twenty inches water in No. 1 2 hold 'tween decks low side; 19 inches water No. 3 lower bold low side. Otherwise holds dry. A small steamer can bring off Pilot Hayward from Waliino when wo get to Daring, Reef. AVaiiine now in close attendance. —Forbes." The iiitoi'pi'etation of tho above mesie that in the 'tween decks oij,

in Wellington, and 25,000 in Auckland. • Alongside the "Lame Duck." : The receipt of the message that the Wahine had got into touch with the Ru'ahino at 3.45 p.m., and was practically alongside half an hour later, gave great relief to all those concerned iu .the safety of those on tho Home steamer, and enconiums were passed on the dispatch with which the Wahine had rea-jhed the "lamo duck."

A messago received at 0 p.m. stated that the two vessels were then 112 miles from Wellington. It is not anticipated that the damage to the cargo will be very great. The cheese in the 'tween decks, particularly on the lower side (that towards which tho vessel •is , listed) may bo ■ damaged, but it., is- hoped that .the whole of the butter will be preserved in-' taet, as it is pointed out that the comparatively little water .that had found its way into the lower hold would soon freeze hard, and where it lay would be a solid frozen mass.

Arrangements were made during the day to deal as quickly as possible with the leaky vessel and her cargo as soon as_ she returned to port,' a berth at the King's Wharf being assigned to her for that purpose; The Terawhiti, . which.has, very powerful pumps, was ordered to stand by, against the Ruahine's return at an early, hour this morning. Mr Bullock, speaking without a knowledge of tho actual, damage which, caused tho leak, stated last evening that the Ruahine should not be delayed more than a few days in port. It would take a day to unload tho cheese out of the 'tween decks in No. 3 hold, and with that out he. imagined that the ship would be sufficiently lightened to show the placo where tho water found ingress. Then there would be the repairing of the damago'to the hull and tho insulation, and the On the information ho had so far received, he did not consider it likely that the bv.ttor in the lower hold would have to be unloaded. Tho Long Arm of Wireless. The mishap to the Ruahine illustrates more forcibly than ever before in theso waters the enormous value of wireless telegraphy. As it burns out, the leak is not of the most serious character, and in any case the vessel would have made,port, but it was an immense relief to those on board, the passengers in particular, to find within an, hour or two a splendily-oquipped passenger steamer like tho Wahine closely shepherding them back to port. In the case of a steel or iron vessel there is always tho horrible chance of the vessel "turning turtle" when sufficient water has been . shipped to shift, its centre of gravity, and the passengers, at least, had a rather anxious time up till .the arrival of the Union flier, whose'advent was solely due to wireless telegraphy.- By that means, too, the progress of the vessel towards port was made known at frequent intervals, and the agents hero were able to make full preparations for her arrival at an early hour this morning. WHAT CAUSED THE LEAK? POPULAR THEORIES CANVASSED, All manner of speculation ; was 1 indulged in along the' waterfront yesterday as to What: could possibly havo caused the Rualiino to spring aleak. Some favoured t'he idea that there must have been foul play on the part of a sympathiser with England's enomies in the present war, taking tho lino that the steamer'carries to England a-vast quantity of foodstuffs of muoh greater value than would bo the caso in normal timo. One longshoreman even went as far as to tho possibility of an infernal , machine having been placed noxt to tho vessel's side in tho 'tween decks of No. 3 hold. Tho most favoured theory of tho loak was that ,0110 of the steamers cargo ports could, not, havo boon securoly sealed up before tho cheese casos woro stacked in tho 'tween decks. Thoso cargo ports are great doors of plato steel, whioh when closed,, form part of tho vossol's hull. Tn dosing thoso up it is usual for tho, portways to bo smeared liberally with red-load and then securoly clamped into position by lingo scrows. When thoso aro screwed homo thero is 11 j possibility of tho entrance of any water, when, in tho proccss of loading, tlioy becomo submorgod. If 011 tho othor hand they woro. not serowod quite homo tho water .would'soak in, and'under its prossuro'might wash away tho rod load sealing gradually and so admit of tho passago of a larger body of Avator. THE LINER'S PASSENCERS. Sill DOUGLAS MAWSON ONBOARD. Following is a full list of passengors who left by the ltualiino 011 Saturday afternoon: —Saloon —From Wcllington-r-Rir Douglas and Lady Mawson, Messrs. R. C. F. Chomley, J. C. Ronnie, and T. R. Selkirk. Second saloon—From Wellington—Miss Keonau, Mog&ra. JL.

Beech, Carolin, D. E. Chapman, A. Harris, C. J. Koenaii, F. A. Lambert, W. Sheargold,' J. F. Walsh, H. Wood. From Napier—Mrs. Collie and Masters Collie (3), Messrs. C. J.' Luck and J. Wellwood. Third-class—From Wellington—Mesdames Brink, A. J. Cailos, W. li). Jones, Messrs. J. W. M'Hugh, W. M'Gufßo, C. W. Moller, A. Mackintosh, Lt. Brink, D. Leitovich, M. 6. Jones, P. Hughes, It. Horton, A. and H. Honfjell, (i. Hendry, A. Harriman, V. Elliott, Dallago, A. Bond, Master E. J.. Cailes. From Auckland—Messrs. A. Gillies, L. A. Dickansen. W. Dennis, R. Cuthbertson. From Christchurch— Miss Dobson, Mr. W. and Master J. Deans, Mr. J. H. M'Gee. From Timaru —Mr. J. Tait. From Dunedin — Messrs. D. Kennedy and F. Joffery. Fiom Invercargill—Mr. J. Adamsou. Officers and Crow. . Captain Forbes is in command.' and has the following officers associated with bim: —Chief officer, Mr. P. P. Crawford ; second,- Mr. H. M. Williams; third, Mr. S..G. Dyer; fourth, Mr. G. V. Olliver; fifth, Air. P. J. Norton. Mr. J. Scott is in' charge of the engineroom, and hi 3 assistants are Mr. A. White, second; Mr. A. Miebach, third: It. Brown, fourth; D. Hall, fifth; and 11. White, sixth. Mr. J. Bisset is chief refrigerating 'engineer, and Mr. E. Barrow is second. Mr. J. Vyse is electrician. Mr. C. A. Weller is wireless operator, and Dr. J. H.'E. Jaryis i 3 ship's surgeon. Mr. C. R. Searle is purser and st-eward-in-chargo. SAFE IN PORT AGAIN. ARRIVAL OF RUAHINE AND ESCORT. (Monday, 2.45 a.m.) The two vessels arrived in the harbour shortly before ■■ 2 o'clock this morning, the Wahine returning to her berth at the Queen's Wharf, and the Ruahine berthing at 1 the King's Wharf, tying up about 2.30 a.m. Tlio Wahine got alongside, the Ruar hine out at sea at ten minutes to five on Sunday, about 110 miles from Wellington. The passengers on the liner wore greatly relieved and cheered >tho Wahine aB Bhe ranged up. . The Ruahine had a heavy list to port, and had her port _ boats swung out ready for emergencies. The liner, on the way back, was able to maintain a speed of about 13 knots.