C. A. LARSEN’S PLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 125, 24 February 1928, Page 6

C. A. LARSEN’S PLIGHT

NO IMPROVEMENT IN POSITION SALVAGE PUMPS AT WORK By Telegraph.—press Association. Invercargill, February 23. There appears to be no improvement in the position of the C. A. Larsen, the Norwegian whale ship, lying aground in Paterson Inlet. The owners and agents are quite satisfied with the work of the Bluff Harbour Board’s tug, Theresa Ward, which has been using her salvage pumps in the No. 1 hold of the stricken ship. Captain Schofield, in charge of the tug, stated to-day that the water had not gained on them since they started pumping, and though the tides this afternoon had been exceptionally high, the position of the vessel had not been detrimentally affected. At 3.45 p.m. a diver descended to make an examination of the ship’s bottom and came to the surface again a few minutes later. He submitted a confidential report to the harbour master, Captain J. Maclean, of Dunedin, the contents of the report not being disclosed.

The vessel is in a dangerous position, as she is in a portion of Paterson Inlet which is exposed to the full force of an easterly sea, and should a gale spring up from that quarter the safety of the ship will be greatly imperilled.

SALVAGE POSSIBILITIES

PROBLEM OF DRY-DOCKING The possibilities of salvaging the C. A. Larsen are regarded as somewhat more hopeful in view of messages received yesteiday. The. transhipment ot the ship’s big cargo of whale oil will involve special arrangements such as the chartering of one or more oil-tankers which are the only suitable ships to handle oil in bulk. The tanker Purpura, which is due at Wellington this morning from Borneo, has a cargo of (•000 tons of crude oil in bulk to pump ashore here. The Union Company’s tanker Otokia is due at Wellington on March 5 with about 7000 tons of fuel oil from San Pedro. These are the onlv tankers handy, although the Vacuum Oil Company’s Plume should arrive shortly at Lyttelton from San Francisco, via Sydney. She W'K complete discharging at Dunediiz. In the event of the C. A. Larsen being discharged and refloated at Paterson Inlet the problem of temporary repairs will arise. and this would be a somewhat awkward job to carry out at such an out-of-the-way place as Stewart Island. The question of dry-docking the big snip also presents some difficulties. The C. A. Larsen, which was originally the San Gregorio, was built in 1913 for the Eagle Oil Transport Co.. Ltd., of London. She is a ship of 12.093 tons gross register, 527.2 feet in length (between perpendiculars). 66.6 feet in breadth. The Federal liner Northumberland, which was docked in the Calliope Dock. Auckland last year for extensive repairs after her mishap near Gisborne, is a ship of 12.160 tons gross register, 530.5 feet in length (between perpendiculars), and 63 feet beam. In her case a special cutting bad to be made at the head of the Calliope Dock to accommodate her great length. Th° Northumberland is 3 feet longer, but 3 feet 7 inches less in width than the C. A. Larsen. The Calliope Dock measures 566 feet in extreme length. 65 feet 7 inches wide at the level of the top of the blocks, and 66 feet wide at the entranee. The Otago Dock at Port Chalmers is 500 feet long on the keel blocks. 67 feet wide at the top of the blocks, and 70 feet wide al the entrance. Thus, while the Calliope Dock has tho length and not the breadth, the Otago Dock has the breadth but not the length to accommodate the C. A. Larsen.