THE PORT BOWEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 25, 29 July 1939, Page 10

THE PORT BOWEN

PREPARING FOR SALVAGE

A VALUABLE CARGO

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WANGANUI, This Day.

There is no change in the position of the stranded steamer Port Bowen, which has now been ashore on Castlecliff Beach for ten days. Reports were current yesterday that the vessel had moved inshore considerably, but it is officially stated that the Port Bowen had not moved.

The westerly gale which blew yesterday and last night dropped this morning, and the sea is moderating. The ship, weathered the storm without damage to the hull. Steam was raised in the aft boilers yesterday, and the refrigerators are working. Practically all the salvage gear necessary is now at hand, and should power on ...the steamer fail portable boilers which have beeh installed will keep the refrigerators going and preserve the valuable cargo of meat and butter. The latter alone is valued at about £70,000.

The Port Bowen was pounded from stem to stern yesterday by heavy seas stirred up by a strong north-westerly wind, and it was not possible to use the lifeboat until the afternoon. A number of firemen, whose services are not required, have come ashore, but before leaving the vessel they were requested to make no statements about the stranded liner.

The Wanganui City Council engineering department had a gang of men working most of Thursday night building a road "down to the sea for the carriage of heavy articles required for salvage operations. Rough weather has prevented Captain F. G. Taylor from taking soundings around the Port Bowen. When soundings have been taken officials will have some idea of the possibility of refloating the liner on the next spring tide. There was a rise of 10ft sin in the spring tide on the night the Port Bowen ran ashore, the height of the tide gradually falling each night after that.