The Ovalau Wreck.

Manawatu Herald, 14 January 1904, Page 3

The Ovalau Wreck.

SALVAGE OPERATIONS.

Captain Weston, who left Sydney 1 for Lord Howe Island, for the purpose of salving operations at the wreck of the steamer Ovalau, which i caught fire and sank oft the island i recently, has returned to Sydney. So far, lie states, he has not met 1 with much success. The steamer reached the island with all appliances on board, and an experienced i deep-sea diver. Little difficulty was | experienced in locating the wreck* ! and as the weather was most favourable it was decided to commence operations at once. The diver, Mr Anderson, went below, and after groping about for some little time reached the burnt and twisted hull. He was surprised to find that the vessel had turned .completely over, and was lying bottom upwards. He alighted on the keel, and walked over its whole length, and noted that the bilge on each side was badly rent. This had evidently been done by the terrible explosion which preceded the vessel’s sinking. On making his way towards the bow he found that the fore part had been torn clean away, and a big gaping hole was visible. This damage, too, was no doubt due to the force of the explosion. The diver examined the vessel’s position carefully, and from his observations he says that the steamer In going down must have turned on one aide and lodged in the reef in eleven fathoms of water. During the heavy weather which followed the disaster the vessel must have been forced from her insecure position, and, toppling over, rolled down a slope, and finally became embedded keel upwards on the fine sandy bottom. The salving party were unprepared for finding the wreck in this peculiar position, and the diver was unable to reach the holds, which contain a large quantity of shells, ivory nuts, and other small island produce. A case of dynamite was stored in the Sophia Ann in case it was wanted, and this was taken below, placed in a suitable position near one of the holds, and exploded. It did considerable damage, but the diver, after several attempts, found that it was too dangerous to work in the vessel, as the aperture made by the explosion was too small. Operations at this particular spot were, therefore, abandoned for the time being. An effort was next made to get the chain and anchor. It was unfastened from the vessel’s bow, but the greater part was found to be under the deck of the steamer, and no amount of straining and hauling from the winches above would shift it. The diver then attempted to get the propeller, but as on closer inspection it proved to be considerably damaged, it was left alone. A quantity of shell and nuts were secured out of the hole in the vessel’s bow. They were from the forehold, and were washing out through the rent. Captain Weston states that he will make another attempt to secure whatever is of any value from the wreck. He intends to take a large quantity of dynamite with him for the purpose of rending holes in the hull sufficiently large to get at the cargo.