FLOATING DOCK

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1931, Page 7

FLOATING DOCK

TOW NOW. CROSSING THE FLORES SEA.

GOOD PROGRESS MADE

WELLINGTON, Nov. 4

The Harbour Board’s Jubilee floating dock, towed by the Dutch tugs Zwaate Zee and Witte Zee, is making good progress on its long passage to Wellington from the' Tyne. A cable- message received yesterday stated that the tugs had left Macassar, a. port on the south-west arm of the island oj. Celebes. "The dock will now be in 'the Flores Sea, south of Celebes, and in a. few days will be crossing the Arafura Sea, which washes the north coast of ithe Northern Territory of Australia, and is the western approach ito Torres 'Strait. Advice received by the Harbour Board yesterday stated that the tugs and the dock averaged 100 nautical miles a day on the passage from England ,to the Suez Canal, the passage of which occupied only 36 hours instead of four days which had been allowed. After passing the canal, the tugs and the dock were averaging over 100 nautical miles a day. * At the present rate of progress it will not be surprising if the dock should arrive at Wellington before the end of December, instead of in January as was expected.- Much depends, of course, on the rate of progress after reaching the Australian coast and, finally, aftor entering, the Tasman Sea.

In a reoent letter the builders of the dock, Swan, Hunter and Wig. ham Riohardson, 'Ltd., of Newcastle-on-Tyne, mentioned that the owners of the tugs, L. Smi.t and Co., of Rotterdam, had delivered 56 dock's overseas in the last 33 years, 17 of which were on account of the Newcastle firm. Captain Bairendt Hart, master of the Zwarte Zee, who is in charge of the present tfow, has been responsible for most of the tows mentioned. There iis a crew of 11 men on hoard the dock itslelf.

The builder’s contract with the Harbour Board provides for the delivery of the dock in Wellington harbour, where it has to be placed into position and securely moored at the special wharf (built to accommodate it, and afterward submitted to full tests’, including (the docking and raising of a ship. The builders are ■sending out their own men to aup-r----vise the delivery and testing of the dock, . •*'