SHIP IN DISTRESS

Dominion, 14 March 1919, Page 4

SHIP IN DISTRESS

AMERICAN SAILER IN PORT FOB REPAIRS. A. sailing vessel whose jjjoscnrjo on tho New ; coast was unknown was eighted oil Wellington Heads yesterday morning, and in response to a eignnl for assistance tho fug Pelican went out. 'I lie tow, which was made in a considerable .sea, lasted until shortly alter 5 P.m., when the strange cratt dropped anchor in the harbour. She is the Else, an American wooden auxiliary schooner of 814 tons gross, in need of repairs. Captain J?. Zolling, who is in charge, reports that in ballast lie left Sydney on December :l tor Nukualofa, Tonga, where a full cargo of copra was loaded for the Pacific Slope. Alter clearing tho Islands for Portland, Oregon, ndvor.se weather was encountered, through which tho Else received damage to her jibboom. The extent of Ibe repairs necessary being too great to MStire a safe journey across the Pacific,' if not altended to, it was decided to return south. The trip oceimied about forly days. It is expected tf>at the Else will ba made ready for sea again in about a week, and the work lvay be done while she is in tho bay. Wellington Harbour has on a former occasion been a safe haven of .refuge for the Else in distress Bound from Po/t Pirie, South Australia, with a loud of concentrates, she put into port on •May 4, 1917, in a leaking condition, tho heaviness of her utrgo having strained her hull. After unloading her freight here, the vessel was placed on the Patent Sim for recaulking. To prevent if possible further leaking, tne concentrates w'ere stowed in a special manner when sho was reloading. Bales of 'hemp wero securely packed in the forward and a.fter parts' of the hold and along the rides, leaving a space in tlm eon! re where tho metals were less likely to cause a strain. Nearly two months (-lapsed in port before the Else finally got: under way for her destination—San Francisco. ' She later wont on to Portland, her home port, and loaded lumber for Svdnev, arriving there at tin* imd of last October, This is her second trip in succession that has been marred by ill-fortune. For w short n career tho Else has been very unlucky. She was built at Tacoimi, Puget Sound, in 1916, and is owned by .Messrs. A. 0. Anderson and Co., of Portland, Oregon. An oil engine drives twin screws, and sTTe has fofir masts. Her principal dimensions are.—length, XBs.Gft.; beam, 42ft.; depth, 13.7 ft.