THE RESCUE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1922, Page 2

THE RESCUE.

HOW IT WAS EFFECTED. ' BY TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION} WELLINGTON, Jan 26. Accounts given by the crew of the Helen Stirling, show the vessel met with heavy weather prior to Sunday last. At 4 a.m. on that day, the main mast was carried away. Apparently this strained the vessel’s timbers ar 'let in a certain amount of water, while two of the hatches failed to hold in the heavy weather, and heavy seas which came aboard, leaked into the hold. The wireless operator, Shaw, sent out th t > first wireless at 8 a.m. followed 'by others of a despairing nature, the explanation of. this being that on board were doubtful if the messages were being received, the power on hoard being insufficient for receiving pioperly, though the sending capacity was adequate. The hopes of all on

board the doomed vessel were raised by

the welcome sight, late on Sunday night of the searchlights of the Melbourne which was then racing to the re -" The lights were discerned 50 to 60 miles away. When she came in sight, the schooner was actually awash, only the poop deck appearing above the water. The Melbourne drew near the schooner and poured oil on the waters to leeward of the Stirling. A perilous time ensued in lowering one of the. warships cutters.

Eventually she was got away safely

with Commander Ward Hunt in charge of a crew of 16 men. The cutter went to within seventy or eighty feet of the

schooner, which threw a line, which was ma.de fast to the cutter. Hunt then had a breeches buoy pun on the Tope and this was sent aboard the schooner.

When the gear was ready an apprentice was first sent across. 'Some of the crew were then rescued in the same way, it being deemed inadvisable to bring off the women, too early, as the passage in the breeches buoy meant dragging them through the water for about 60 feet. Further it was desired to thoroughly test the gear with the men. The last to be hauled into the cutter was the Captain thdifgh simultaneously the (second mate dived overboard with a (rope attached to him, and was dragged into the rescuing boat. Meanwhile the Melbourne had gone around to the windward side of the schooner and poured more oil on the water®.

Both at this stage,. and during the Melbourne’s thrilling race to the rescue everyone on board' the warship worked like demons. After the survivors were placed aboard the warship, tthe whole operation loceupying two hours, the schooner was seen to be lying low in the water, heavy seas washing over her continuously, and it was considered she must sink within three or four hours.

The Melbourne had a rough trip to port, arriving at 10 last night, when the crew were taken to the homes olf friends or to fhp Sailors Home,