STEAMER ABANDONED

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1906, 16 October 1906, Page 3

STEAMER ABANDONED

PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT Sydney, Oot. 15

Some DDxloty is fell about tho slonmer Port Stephen?, a week overdue at Newcastle from Oamaru ■g-. PRESS ASSOCIATION Dunedin, last night Tbo 'b&iquo Raveneoou’t, from Newcastle to South America, called at the Heads and landed tho crew ol tho wreokod i steamer Port Stephens. The steamer Po.t S ephons was chartered to the Union Company. She was commanded by Oaptain Jolly, and of 2275 tons not register. She left Dunedin for Newcastle, via o»maru, on September 27. She lost h?r propeller, and was driven southward to the fifties, where she was abandoned,

FULLER DETAILS. TIMELY APPEARANCE OF BARQUE

PRESS ASSOCIATION Dunedin Inal nigh). Intimation was received from the Heads this morning that a sailing vessel, presumably disabled, was unking for the harbor The tug Piuoky proceeded outside with Pilot McDonald, when it was found that the vessel was no) herself in trouble, but was bringing ashote a shipwreoktd oiow. The vessel proved to be the batquo Rnvousoourt, and she had on bonrd the otlioois and orew of tho steamer Port Stephens, wbioh had been abandoned. Oaplain Beaumont, representing tho Marine Department, won) to Port Chalmers and made arrangements for bringing tho offioors and oeow to Duncdio. They were met by tho secretary of tho Shipwreck Relief Stoioty, and arrangements were made for accommodating them. | Tho master and cfliosrs and crew are Bomewhat reticent. They say ihey have I no slory to toll, and to some rxtent this is the oa?e. They had to undergo no spec ; al hardships, and were never in any imme* I diate, pressing danger. THE CAPTAIN’S STATEMENT.

Captain Jolly supplied the following outline "My Bbip Port Stephens left Dunedin on Toutsday, the 2itb September, end sailed from Oamaiu on the following Monday, Ist October. Oj Wednesday, the 3rd, wo met bad wratoer, and the tail shaft broke. We wore then io latitude 45 SC. We drifted very fast, being quite helpless, and bad re.obed latitude 49 20 five days aftarwardt, when the Ravsnsoourt, wh'oh had beeu driven oat of her course by the same weather, hove in sigh), and took all the steamer s oompany on board, the trantfstenoe beiog made in our own boats. Taere were thirty-two of ns altogether All are quite safe and sound, The transferenot, though effected io the open sea, was managed without mishap of any kiod. Captain Jenkins, of the Kavenscourt, a WtlsbmaD, treated us very kindly iudeed, and I wish yon to record our hearty thanks to him acdbi3 effiors, It was about 7 o’o ook

on Wednesday morniDg that the steamer broke doWD. The rescued were received nn the b*tqne this day week, at about i eleven o’clock in the morning. They s' have brought most of tbeir clothes with them. ' The weather was reasonably fair at the time they shifted to the barque, thohgh there was a lumpy sea running. The mate of the Port Stephens was the first to sight the barque. He saw her lights in the morning watch and the Port Stephens’ men at once took care to attract her attention.” The officers and men were transferred from the Ravenscourt to the Plucky and brought to town. The Port Stephens was built in 1894 at Sunderland, and wbs owned by the AngloAustralasian Steam Navigation Company. She is 3554 gross register. She was chartered by the Union s.s. Co. to bring two cargoes of coal from Newcastle, the charter expiring when she discharged the cargo here. The Company therefore know nothing about insurance, nor d#es the Captain know anything, ENQINEEB’S STATEMENT.

Mr WarreD, obief engineer of the Poit Stephens, says that at 7 o’clock o.i the EQornir g of Wednesday the tail abaft broke oS suddenly aod completely in the stern lube. The ship was severely shaken, and all Hands turned out. Examination showed 4hat the shaft had broken cleanly about 6ft from the propeller. The bois stern tube was cue away and the shaft discon* neeted, the tad pieoe being drawn in. A spare shaft on board was got in readiness, but the rough state of the wsatber and severe pitching and rolling absolutely prevented anything being done. Attention was then turned to the broken shaft to see if it could" bo repaired. Work went on at this night end day under great handicap. The intention was to out the stern tube away aDd key the brckeD ehalt together. Mr Warren aDd threo other ergineers worked vigorously, as also did the firemeD. The work was dangerous, but the inside portion of the shaft was got in, leaving 6iS of It to support the propeller. Fair pro< gress was made with repairs, when the Bavensoourt wes sighted. It would have taken another fortnight lo complete the work. The vessel had p'oeeeded 100 miles after passing through Foveaux ; -Strait. In five days she drifted 229 miies f eoutb, and the weather was turning cald. If she had contioued St the same rate she would have been amoDg the ioe befoie repairs were completed. The RaveDßCOurt stood three miles off as ths steamer was drifting towards her. All were taken od board sa'ely, and Port Oba'mers was reached safely. THE BASQUE DEPARTS.

The Ravensoouit Bailed away as soon as she transferred the reecuedij men to the Pluoky. ■