STRANDING OF THE URUROA.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 185, 13 August 1901, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE URUROA.

ATTEMPT TO REFLOAT UNSUCCESSFUL.

INADEQUATE APPLIANCES.

Thekk was a steady stream of visitors along the Waikanae F ..ii yesterday to view the stranded scow Ururoa, and to watch the salvage c -'rat ms that were being carried on. \ ,e vast majority of j those who saw the vessel on Sunday are at a loss to know why there should have been sueh a delay in taking steps to float her off the beach". Wo are informed that early on Sunday morning Captain Olsen sent an anchor and a hundred fathoms of chain on board one of the small steamers so that assistance might bo rendered him, but for some unexplained reason no steps were taken. We cannot see I what good purpose was to be gained by 1 awaiting until yesterday afternoon, as each ! tide since Sunday morning only served to ; drive the scow still furthor on shore, and I placed her in a worse position to refloat. The afternoon tide on Sunday was missed, and also yesterday morning, consequently the vessel was allowed to remain for over thirty-six hours in a state of peril, when she might have been easily got off. Such uncalled-for delay could not improve tho position of the vessel for tho purpose of being hauled off. The boat is lying on a clean bit of beach, and if immediate steps had been taken would have been got off without much trouble. ATTEMPT TO REFLOAT.

Yesterday an attempt was made to get the vessel oil tho beach, but unfortunately it proved unsuccessful, the cable parting at a critical moment. At low tide, a party of twelve men were set to work with shovels to dig a channel in which it was hoped to float the vessel out. The Noko proceeded to tho vicinity, and dropped the Ururoa's anchor in deep water off where the vessel was lying. The anchor was connected with the 'ship by a length of chain cable and a strong wire hawser, and to make the connection Captain Martin and his crew from tho schooner Waiapu proceeded through the surf in their surfboat, carrying a rope which was attached to tho end of tho stouter line, and everything was in readiness for heaving when tlio tide rose.

A BOAT SWAMPED

Shortly after one o’clock hauling operations were commenced, the crew of tho stranded vessel taking in tho slack of the lines, drawing in the Manila hawser attached to tho end of the wire rope. Tho latter was scarcely long enough to reach the ship, and an oudeavor was made to attach another wire rope to it. The surf, however, was breaking so heavily that the boat in charge of Captain Martin, of tho Waiapu, was swamped, and several of the crow were washed out of it. The men hung on to the boat, and wore washed ashoro. Being unable to attach the second wire hawser, strain was put upon the Manila line, and the stranded vessel was drawn along tho beach for a short distance, and her head gradually worked to seaward,

THE LINE SNAPS.

A few minutes after three o’clock, when there seemed a fair prospect of tho vessel being floated, an unfortunate accident occurred, A heavy wave caused the scow to make a lurch and tho manila lino parted, the vessel being driven hard and fast on to the beach. Operations had to bo suspended until tho line could be recovered, and Oapt. Olsen had to come into town for tho purpose of securing grappling irons with which to pick it up.

UNNECESSARY DELAY-

In the meantime tho tido rose, and at a quarter to four when it was high water tho Ururoa was within thirty yards of the bank which runs along the beach. Persons standing on tho bank and watching the vessel between half-past throe and half-past four saw it steadily working its way with tho force of the sea through tho sand in a north-easterly direction. During the hour the Ururoa came two ships’ lengths nearer Grey-street. It is to be regretted that provision was not made to have a small steamer attending on those who wore conducting the salvage operations. A boat and appliances for picking up the broken line should also have boon at hand. It certainly does not say much for the methods of those engaged in conducting tho operations that they should go about tho work in such a crude manner.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH.

At a quarter to five Captain Olsen and a boat’s crew from tho schooner Waiapu, under Captain Martin, arrived on tho scene, and commenced a search for the lost lino. After some trouble, the grappling iron caught the iron chain of tho anchor, but was unable to bring it to the surface. In attempting to lift the chain, the grappling iron was straightened, and the former was again lost. This occurred no less than four times, but on each occasion that the cable was caught tho grappling iron was straightened out. At seven o’clock it was decided to abandon the search until this morning, when it is intended to obtain some more-substantial irons.

THE VESSEL’S NAME,

The scow Ururoa, which was built at Whangaroa last year, is named after a leading native chief at that place.

AN AMUSING INCIDENT,

There was a large crowd of spectators on the Waikanao beach during yesterday afternoon, and many persons remained on the [bank near the vessel, watching the movements of the latter until it was dusk. A very amusing incident occurred just after high tide. Several men on board wore anxious to get ashore, but could not do so on account of the water being round the ship. It was decided to run a lino ashore and secure it to the fence, so that the men could reach the beach without getting wot. The first man had no sooner swung himself off the vessel than the Ururoa gave a lurch towards the land, and the rope slackening the man was sent spinning into the water. A second member of the crow who tried the same method of landing shared a similar fate.

TO-DAY’S PROGRAMME,

A Times representative interviewed Capt. Olsen on board the Ururoa early this morning, and was informed that no further steps towards floating the vessel would be taken until this afternoon. The lost line will bo recovered during the morning, and everything will bo got in readiness to haul the scow off on this afternoon’s tide. It will be high water at half-past four this afternoon, and the work should bo in progress an hour or so before that time. It is to be hoped that the second attempt will be more successful than the first, and that the Ururoa will be out of danger early in the evening,