SINKING A MINE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1918, Page 1

SINKING A MINE.

Captain Stuart, of the Anchor Company --steamer, Waimea, 454 tons, gave a New Zealand “Times - ' representative on Friday an account of the sinking of the mine by that vessel on the 31st. ultimo. The Waimea was bound from Wanganui to Greymouth, when at 7 o’clock in the morning the mine was sighted abreast of the vessel at a distance of about 200 ft. The Waimea steamed slowly round the dangerous object while the I bn-’ e ngineer took a number of photographs of it. Unfortunately the snapshots proved a failure. The officers of the vessel then endeavoured with a service rifle to explode or sink the mine. There was a gale blowing at the time and as the mine was floating deep at a distance of about 206 yards it presented a very small and elusive target in the heavy seaway. Altogether 70 rounds were fired at the mine and yet it- floated. Then the wire attached to the mine was with considerable risk got aboard the Waimea. (Flic strong wind drove the vessel along, although her engines were stopped and this towed the mine astern. 'Fhe ship’s gangway was thrown overboard attached to 50 fathoms of line ami it was permitted to collide with but the long looked -for explosion did not result After having towed the mine in tins way for an hour and a half the holes punctured in it by the rifle bullets hau permitted a quantity of water to get into it so that the dangerous object sank. 'Flic tow line was immediately cut as the mine disappeared into the deep. From the time the mine was sighted until it sank was seven hours It was considered satisfactory, however, by all on board the Waimea that the lengthy delay of tbe vessel had effected successful results and may have saved a vessel from disaster.