SALVAGE OF C. A. LARSEN

Evening Star, Issue 19801, 27 February 1928, Page 5

SALVAGE OF C. A. LARSEN

SANGUINE OF SUCCESS PORT CHALMERS TO GET REPAIRS (Special to the ‘ Star.’] HALFMOON BAY, February 27. The work of salying the C. A. Larsen is being carried on slowly, and in all probability the patching of the holes on tho starboard side will be started to-day. Tho divers are sanguine of success, as tho vessel is ideally situated for carrying this out. A strong sou’-westerly wind prevailed on Sunday, with a fairly high sea. hut the vessel did not move. Tho tug Dunedin .sought tho shelter of Ulva Island, but tho pumps wore kept going from the Larsen herself. A tanker is expected to arrive in a fortnight’s time to lift Hie oil. When the work of patching is completed tho Larson will go to Port Chalmers for the renewal of her plates, ami instead of returning to Norway will recommission in Now Zealand, her gear and stores for next year’s expedition being brought nut by the Sir .Tamos Clark Ross and the two new chasers now building. The factory ship, Sir John Clark Ross, is leaving for Norway via New York to-morrow, and is taking portion of the Larsen’s crew, while a further detachment will bo sent to Wellington, later to join a steamer for home.

Our Port Chalmers representative writes: The salvaging of the damaged whaler, C. A. Larsen, at Paterson Inlet, is probable. Tho vessel’s bow is resting on the bottom and her stern is well afloat. Tho holes in tho hull are in the forward portion, the after section being quite intact. Of the several holes pierced through the hull the smallest was in tho comparatively emptv hold, whore the ship’s stores are kept. It was in that bold that tho tug Theresa Ward reduced the water as low as her pumps would operate, and a movable pump from the salvage tug Dunedin was then placed in the ’tween decks to further lower it. The pumps beat tho inflow, 'ihe next step is to cover tho holes in the hull and thus block the inflow. On that work the success of the salvaging operations seem to depend, for tho pumping out of the water and the refloating of the vessel are regarded as comparatively simple once the leakage is stopped. The hull is structurally intact, and the holing seems to be on the round of the bilge. Captain G. W. Lindsay, Bluff Harbormaster, last visited tbo'C. A. Larsen on Saturday, nud he says that vessels in a. much worse plight than the whaler have been salvaged. Ho regards salvage as almost certain of accomplishment. Mr J. F. Kncwstnhb, manager of the Stevenson and Cook Engineering Company, at Port Chalmers, returned from Paterson Inlet yesterday. THs firm has had much experience in repairing badly damaged vessels. He considers that the prospects of refloating and salvaging the C. A. Larsen are very favorable.