SALVAGE OPERATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1923, Page 3

SALVAGE OPERATIONS.

THE WaIR.VRAPA WRECK. AUCKLAND, November IT. A viduahle cargo I'omprising some JO tons of metal, salvage Irom the wreck of the steamer Wairnrnpa at the Great Barrier, lias been brought to Auckland. The most considerable items in the cargo iiiought am a condenser of six tons, chi'dly brass; four propeller blades, of gun moled, each weighing a ton; four emergency propeller blades on the ship, ol east iron, and three lengths of ship’s propeller -halting, each weighing about two tons. The | aiim r- in the salvage ventnre am Me—r- W. K Weir, and W . M< K union, both e\| c: icueeil diveis. and they have taken -hifls ol about lour hour- each under water m the ' '■"■nt opi*rat ieiis, Thick mai ine grow th. whi'li ovei y w hem eovered the Hattein'd •Hill. h *i! lii -i to be ileared away to iei nut i, h 1 uliin a lion of tMe various parts of the ship. Previous to last Sunday a gwail deal had keen areompli'hed in this direction, and on Sunday 1 In-ling was eommeneed on the east "on eylinder encasing the steam condenser. As this (•'litaineil about 1720 pijes. all of brass, with end plates of gun metal and the east iron easing, the whole weighing about six tons, a

special dertiek and ste I tackle was rigged and the mass successfully raised. Little (’.illicit Ity was experienced 'in lifting the four propeller blades, each mpresentiii'.' a n n of gun metal, which had previously been blasted from the east imn boss. I lie bolts in tlie propeller shafting had t listed away, and thme si', tion-, each about 10 feet long bv 12 inches in diameter, and weighing ! wo tons. I.m on i be -ea Ihor. and were ea-ily lioi.-t. I. I’erleetly (aim weather iavoiileil ila:-e opeiatiens. 'fbe ow lay over the wreck a- -talionaiv r- if v.i'ir li. harbour. The -hip lay on n

''■eh halt' ,ii. which made the work eom- | are lively sate and easy. Among the ""!!■ irie.s -all aged I r.im the n , e T, w . i huge i|Mantities of cop; er | ipiug rnd '"dve-. la-t iron -crap, a fee. pig.- of h-ad. a maw ol ea.-l iron Ithoiight to lie ll! “ s|i|i'- |!te. "Ittg g"a r'. iin ,hiding smile Work and about 20 feet 'd the main storm pi; e. 12 Pm-bos in diameter of , oppe; . It was notable. ''*'hl 'we diver-, thof ea-t iron was "ot nei'rlv -O -Usiep.tible of TTo aetien ”1 the wate: a- wrought iron. Tile -hip's plates and frame war -t, n. - t>'d ol the lat ter, ami were pram i, ally eaten away by rust, causing the puli' eolh'l S" into a Hal mu-'-, t .mi iron, on the other hand, was scareelv all’eeted by its long immersion. Search was made tliiough the ilehris for the snip’s sde. hut no trace of ii was found. Lying the keel won; the remains oj

reveral liet-e ski Ten tis, part of the cat go of the Watraiapa. About 100 yards from the - one of the wreck was loiiud one of (he ship's bodies. Apparently it had broken awav from the wreck, and the action of i!;,. -.-a ||.,i 'oiled " along the -on lii tHn. It was resting oi, a .-unity hottim and was Ti.Tt of el'in li-h.

Wi'tk on the U ai‘ arat a oca- d on I lie-lay, and the party gate some at- ' out ion oil Wednesday to the hull ot the (Veil:.i Sudden, an Aimei--lan toni-ma-ted -rhoonei whr h went to the bottom off TrypTieiia. I’oint. Gr-at le'i rier, m S'j mini, i. ID2I. I luce patent a Hell. a'-. Weighing in a'l about 31 tens ume rai-ed. and al-o an old-style unclnir. The Cecilia Sudden has also 2HI lathoms o| cahh', whieli will I e picked up on ihe next 1 1 ip.