The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1927. THE UNLUCKY NORTHUMBERLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10315, 26 January 1927, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1927. THE UNLUCKY NORTHUMBERLAND.

It will be widely appreciated that the Northumberland had a very nar--row escape from total disaster yesterday on her way down from Auckland to Napier. What might have occurred if she had struck a greater section of rock under adverse sea and weather conditions can easily be imagined. As it so happens—and the mishap was grave enough—the vessel seems to have struck the obstacle in her path only a glancing How and she was favored with a calm sea and an absence of strong wind for her race to port. Once well into the bay tlie worst that could have transpired would have been that she would have had to be beached. There is, -however, every prospect that, as a result of the unloading operations that have been carried out, the reinforcing of the ship’s, pumps, and the adjustment of a collision mat, coupled with the help that the visiting tugs will be able to render, the Northumberland can ho patched up sufficiently to enable her to he taken to Auckland to be docked. The circumstances in which the vessel is situated are, of course, much more favorable than attended the ill-fated Star of Canada, whose bones lie off Kaiti beach. Driven ashore, the Star of Canada was, as it afterwards turned out, in helpless plight when dawn broke after that stormy night of disaster. What made matter’s worse, it will he recalled, was that no outside port from which a tug could be procured could be communicated with for hours after the mishap on account of the breakdown of the overland wires. In all the circumstances, therefore, provided the good weather holds, much is sure to be done towards making the Northumberland more seaworthy within the next 48 hours. Bad as her position is, it will, therefore, he seen that it might easily have been a great deal worse. The mishap affords a further illustration of the perils which shipping 1

runs off every coast. How the awkward position was met in this instance is a matter for eongratu-

lations to her commander and staff and all at this port who so promptly lent their assistance. In view of the isolated nature of this portion of the coast this further unhappy mishap might, with advantage, give rise to consideration of the point as to the need for installing at this port additional means of rendering aid to vessels in distress.