The Story of the Perthshire.

Manawatu Herald, 22 June 1899, Page 2

The Story of the Perthshire.

♦- When the Perthshire was picked up the broken shaft had been repaired, and the vessel was heading north, under steam, at the rate of- 4J knots per hour. She was then wlfhtfc t&rty three miles of Norfolk Island. . From the date of leaving Sydney (26th April) throughout the long drift, the weather was stormy. Altogether, the steamer drifted helplessly some fourteen hundred miles during her disablement, crossing and recrossing the track of steamers, and daily expecting to be picked up. No attempt was made to mend the shaft till the vessel had drifted out of the track of steamers to and from New Zealand. It transpires that the Perthshire broke her shaft, at 6 o'clock on the evening of the 28th April. The fracture was within four feet from the end. The engineers succeeded in repair-

ing the shaft on the nth June, after ten days' labour, by means of a patent coupling. But for having passengers aboard, Captain Wallace would pro* bably have attempted to make port unaided. The repairs to the Perthshire were completed when she was within 43 miles oF Norfolk Island. She had steamed 180 miles to the northward when picked up. The drift was in a zig-zag, slowly to - the north-east. She twice described a circle, coming back to the same point. Attempts were made to sail, but there was not sufficient canvas to give steerage way. A strong electric light was kept burning at the masthead, and coloured lights were frequently burned. The first engineer of the Perthshire (Mr John Blair) gives an interesting account of the attempts made to repair the propeller. The day after the breakage occurred the propeller was secured with chains, and owing „ to the difficulty experienced in repairing so broken, it was decided thkt it would be better to wait for passing, steamers. Meanwhile the engineers removed the stern • tubti; and found exactly where the breakage was. After they got the cads together, they had much trouble, ami the join supped i several *■ timds. The engineer also stated that when the vessel was picked up everything was working smoothly. The engineers were of opinion that they would haive had no difficulty in reaching port with the temporary repairs effected. They were therefore greatly disappointed on being picked up, especially after they had taken so much trouble to fix up the shaft. . While the repairs were proceeding the engineers had scarcely two hours' sleep a day, and barely took time to eat their meals. The engineer considered that if the repairs had been taken in hand at first, instead of waiting for steamers, they would have been finished by May 9th.