“ALL’S WELL.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 431, 1 September 1908, Page 3

“ALL’S WELL.”

Hawea in Tow.

Sydney August, 29

The Union Steamship Company’s steamer Rakanoa, with the Hawea in tow, was signalled off Crowdy Heads, about midday between Port Macquarie and Newcastle.

The Rakanoa signalled “ All well.”

The vessels are proceeding to Sydney. After the second boat left the Hawea continued to drift. On August 12th, the wind increased to a gale. The ship rode it out broadside on, with all available sail set to get to westward, but the vessel began driving eastward. On the 16th the wind was from the north-west, and sails were stowed to prevent the vessel going further east. A spell of fine weather set in and the engineers set to work to try and place the coupling of the broken shaft. They had to work waist-deep iu water- By means of steel hawsers the propeller was worked into position, and the engineers were called upon to do dangerous work in the after tank, but they stuck manfully to their task. It was tested and found to work well, but they had to stop occasionally to tighten it up. By 26th they had the engines going, the vessel made three to four knots an hour till picked up two days later by Rakanoa.

Even if the Rakanoa had not picked up the Hawea, she would have reached Sydney to-night, under her own steam. Chief Engineer McLean and his assistants. after nine days’ strenuous work were able to inform the captain that the ship could reach Sydney unaided. McLean states that the shaft snapped in fine weather. There came a couple of bumps, and then the engines raced like sewing machines. The smash was right at the forward end of the stern tube, and it was believed at first that they would be unable to repair it. During the first sixteen days they had a lot of bad weather and could not get near the propeller. When the weather became fine, they had a go at it and first had to cut away the after cross plate. This they had to do with such tools as they had on board. Then they had |to cut away the angle irons on each side of the ship, and after that had to cut away x 8 inches of the stern tube which is of iron and an inch and a half through. Following that they had to cut through four inches of sternpost and eight inches of liner on the broken shaft. All this had to be done to carry the patent coupling. After snapping the propeller had slipped back as far as the rudder would let it and the shaft had to be got back from outside. This job took two days. Had the break been a little more aft the propeller would have gone to the bottom. At length the coupling was adjusted, and the vessel steamed 167 miles towards Sydney. When the Rakanoa picked her up they had a four days’ job stopping the leak in the main condenser. In repairing the shaft the men had to work in three or four feet of water. The Chief Steward states that they had sufficient provisions, but, he cut down supplies until the vessel got under her own steam. They never saw a sign of a vessel till August 26th, when an American ship spoke them the night before they fell in with the tug Advance looking for the Hawea. Apart from the drifting all were comfortable.

The Hawea left New Castle on 28th July, and met with very heavy weather. At 5.45 on the morning ;of the 30th July the shaft carried away, and as it was found impossible to effect the repairs, an endeavour was made to sail the ship, but without avail. After sending a boat to Lord Howe Island to seek assistance, and to make the demand on the provisions lighter, the Hawea drifted westward and northward, owing to the continuous easterly and south-easterly gales. When the vessel was eighty-three miles south-east of Cape Byron, a second boat was despatched. When it left the Hawea the weather was fine, and Mr Irwin, the chief officer,'who was in charge of the boat, with the third engineer and a seaman, reached Solitary Island, near the Clarence River. The first boat with the second and third officers and ten men, reached Lord Howe Island. The Rakauoa’s first search for the derelict proved unavailing. Several other vessels have also been on the look-out for her.