VESSEL'S STRUGGLE WITH GALE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 213, 3 June 1920, Page 4

VESSEL'S STRUGGLE WITH GALE

STEERING GEAR REPAIRED UNDER DIFFICULTIES. By T«le?rsDh.—Pross Association. Christchurch, Juno 2. An exciting story of a strugglo with the great gale of last week was told on the arrival of the Union Company's cargo steamer Waitomo at L.vttelton todav. Tim Waitomo left Geelong on Monday, Hay 21, and lmd fine weather until Wednesday, when it commenced to blow from tho south-west. On Thursday the wind had increased to a fierce gale from the south-south-west, and it was accompanied by heavy seas. At midnight the battens on No. 2 hatch broke adrift, and were replaced with considerable difficulty owing to the amount of water which was being shipped. About 2.30 a.m. on Friday a mishap occurred which in the gale then raging might easily havo resulted in disaster. The steering chain broke, and immediately the vessel fell away in tho trough of the sea. All hands wore ordered aft to assist in Eecurin.g and lashing down the rudder quadrant* which was thrashing madly to and fro with the action of the waves. After considerable difficulty the quadrant was made fast, and an attempt was then made to ship the hand-fleering gear. While this operation was in process the lashings on tho quadrant carried away, and tho connecting shaft to the liaml-steering gear also broke. After that, there was only one course open—to repair the broken chain and resume steering by steam. For three hours, in pitch darkness, several of tho deck and engineer officers struggled lo splice the chain with a piece of steel hawser. All this timo the vessel was roiling heavily, and shinning tremendous seas at every moment. The men worked, waist deep in water, and frequently had to drop their tools and hang on when waves broke aboard. Tho repair was finally completed, and tho vessel was got under way again. The weather eased considerably after noon on Sunday, and Monday was fine. The Waitomo made Cook Strait on Tuesdav morning, and had a fair run down to Lvttelton. In all the vessel travelled 700 miles with a patched-up rudder chain, nearly five Tiundrert milcs_ being in a raging gale, when the chain had to bo nursed with tho greatest care. The feat reflects great credit on the officers and seamen concerned.