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THRILLING RESCUE.

STIRRING TALE OP THE SEA. WARSHIP SAVES SCHOONER’S CREW. A TRIUMPH OP WIRELESS. “All crew of H.B. Serling rescued at 4 a.m.” This message, received by the Awanui radio station, from H.M.A.S. Melbourne on Monday morning marked the joyful ending of a thrilling tale of the sea, and at the same time supplied to the world another instance of the triumph of wireless telegraphy over the danger sometimes faced by those who go down to the sea in ships. “COME QUICKLY.” Bound from Newcastle to Papeete, the American-built wooden four-masted auxiliary schooner Helen B. Sterling, early on Sunday morning was lashed by the full fury of a wild easterly gale, and soon the mountainous waves reduced the craft to such a condition that she was in hourly danger of sinking. Fitted with an oil engine and a wireless set, the schooner was able to send out signals of distress, and at 8.17 a.m.-, when she was ome 120 miles northward of New Zealand, the radio station atgAwanui received the following call: “Sinking; position 170 east, 31.10 south. Mainmast gone, leaking, sinking fast; come quickly or we perish.” Throughout Sunday the schooner' continued to send out S.O.S. signals, and the advices from Awanui were forwarded to MrfJu B. Morris (secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department). ■ The first message from the afflicted ship was picked up by the Melbourne, which was en route to New Zealand, and she at once altered her course and hastened to the rescue, with boilers going’ at full pressure. At 0.23 a.m. the S.O.S. call from the Helen B. Sterling was repeated, as well as her position, the message adding that the vessel was “almost gone.” Receipt of a message from the Melbourne was acknowledged ten minutes later, the Helen B. Sterling stating at the same .time that the main-mast, had been carried away early in the morning, and that she was making water fast. In case assistance did not arrive in time, farewell messages were sent to personal friends of the captain. The ship' was now rolling heavily, and as this was interfering with the supply of fuel to the oil engine, the information was wirelessed that auxiliary power was likely to fail at any time. At 10.30 a.m. the schooner’s position was given as being 120 miles north-west of the Three Kings, and it was stated that she could not last much longer. A message sent at 11.27 a.m. stated that, the wireless engine was failing, but that the schooner would call again at 2 p.m. if able. The Melbourne was ashed to hurry, she having told the Sterling that she was coming at full speed, and would reach the scene at 4 p.m. The Melbourne informed the schooner at 11.40 a.m. that she hoped to lie in sight by 2.30 p.m.''

“W T E ARE WATERLOGGED.” Those on board the schooner were by this time doubtful of being saved, and at 1.35 p.m. the schooner advised :

IVe can’t last another hour. W r e are waterlogged, and seas are sweeping right over us. They are clearing the boats, but the boats cannot live in this sea. The wireless receiver is out of action. IVe are 210 miles north-west by half north.

Personal messages of farewell were again sent, but only fragments of them were received by the radio station. At 2.3 p.m. news was received that all on board the Helen B. Sterling were getting ready to take to the boats, which were not considered likely to last half an hour, and at '2.10 p.m. the wireless operator signalled that he was “now off to take his.chance in the boats.” THREE MEN INJURED.

■ Nothing more was heard from the I vessel until 4.41 p.m., when the foi- ■ lowing message was received: “Boats all ready; waiting for her to X go down.” The following signal V was also sent to the Melbourne: % Please burn' searchlights all ■ night. Hurry! TYe may go down ■ any minute now. Receiver is out ■ of order. We are anxiously wait- ■ ing for you. We have a child and I two ladies aboard. Three men X are injured. We tried to launch X the stern lifeboat, but it smashed C to pieces. We are going to take < our chance of the other two boats X floating off when she sinks. Can’t ■ hear any sign of you. Am going U up now to take my place in the H boat.

The Melbourne signalled at 5.30 p.m.: “We are approximately on a position 120 miles north-west by north, a "half north, from the Three Kings. The weather is thick with rain, wind east, fresh gale, rough setts, visibility low. We are studying all signals. We think this is the position indicated.” At 0.23 p.m. the Sterlng wirelessed to the Melbourne: “Have got receiver fixed up after a fashion. Use maximum power.” Later the operator on the Sterling stated that he could hear the Melbourne’s signals faintly. The Seeretax’.y to the Post Office was advised by Awanui as follows: “The s.s. Opawa is also proceeding to the rescue. Other vessels —the Cyrena, Kaiwarra, Ulimaroa, Waikawa, Manuka —were aware of the vessel’s distress, and some of them deviated from their course, until it was found that they were too far from the distressed vessel to reach her in time.”

“KEEP GOOD HEART.” No further messages passed until 0.27 p.m., when the Melbourne wirelessed to the Sterling: — “We are certain to find you. Hope you see our searchlights at 1 a.m. Do not start your flares before 1 a.m. Keep good heart.” A later message wst's : “Am px’oceeding to 31deg. lmin. S. and 169.18. Shall take longer to reach this position. Statics and interference making reception of Sterling’s weak signal difficult.”

Helen B. Sterling was asked by. the Melbourne to fire a rocket, in order to disclose her position. The rocket was seen by those on the Melbourne, and information to this effect was sent to the schooner at 1.41 a.m. Owing to the raging seas the Melbourne advised at 2.29 a.m. that she was trying some oil to windward, and would then, send a boat. Two minutes before 3 o’clock the Melbourne stated that she was turning round to lower a boat on the starboard, and to the windward of the Sterling. Eleven minutes after 3 o’clock the New Zealand Shipping Co.’s steamer Opawa picked up the following message from the Melbourne :

Have l’eached Sterling. Poition 31 south, 168.55 east. Will make further signal re salvage when master has been brought aboard. ALL RESCUED. Subsequently the final news that the Melbourne had accomplished the rescue was contained in the following message: kAll crew of 11. B. Sterling rescued at 4 a.m. Other advices from the Awanui radio station confirmed the information that the Sterling’s people were safely on board the Melbourne.. DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL. The Helen B. Sterling is a wooden auxiliary four-masted schooner of 1608 tons gross, find 1343 tons net, built in 1917 by the Washington Shipping Corporation, Seattle. Her principal dimensions arc: 220fi. long, 43ft. beam, 21ft. depth. The Helen B. Sterling, which was formerly the Tacoma, is propelled by oil engines, and has electric lighting and wireless installation. The oil engines (137 nominal horse-power) were made by the A. Meitz Corporation, Seattle, Washington. THOSE ON BOARD.

Following are the names of.’ those from the H. B. Sterling: —Captain, G. H. Harris; first mate, J. Harris; second mate, J. Francis; wireless operator, R. 11. Shaw; apprentice, A. Callaghan; Able-seamon J. Allan, J. Fans, .T. Campbell, S. Yates, G. Hebbots, J. Boarke, F. Ulens; ordinary seaman, A. Newick; cook, A. Buclough; cabin boy, J. Benton ; Mrs G. 11. Harris, Mrs .1. Harris, and Master Leslie Harris.

NEW ZEALAND’S THANKS TO

MELBOURNE,

Referenqe to the.rescue of the shipwrecked people on the Helen B. Sterling by 11.M.A.5. Melbourne was made in the House of Kepresenlntives on Monday. Mr Massey said he had arranged to have a telegram of congratulation sent- to the admiral in command of 11.M.A.5. Melbourne. (Hear, hear.) He would like to say that he did not think that any member of the New Zealand Parliament could help feeling a thrill of pleasure and admiration when the news came that morning that the officers, crew and passengers on the Helen B. Sterling had been rescued by the Melbourne. (Hear, hear; hear, hear.) It was one of the things that made us proud of the Empire to which we all belonged, of the British Navy, and of the fact that as good citizens and sailors were being brought up in flic Pacific as had ever been brought up in the Atlantic and in the North Sea to-day, or in the years gone by (Hear, hear.) The following, stated the Prime Minister, was the telegram he had referred to: — Rear-Admiral Dumaresq, H.M.A.S. Melbourne. —In welcoming yourself, your officers and men to New Zealand waters, I desire to thank you and all concerned on your gallant rescne of the passengers and crew of the auxiliary schooner Helen B. Sterling from what appeared to be almost certain death. Such actions under circumstances of danger and difficulty appeal to the people of.our race, and make British citizens proud of the Empire to which they belong; and, in the case of H.M.A.S. Melbourne, especially of the sailors, of the naval service of our sister Dominion, who have so signally proved themselves worthy of the best traditions of the British Navy. —Signed, TV. F. Massey, Prime Minister.” MESSAGE FROM ADMIRAL.

The Prime Minister has received the following wireless telegram from Rear-Admiral Dumaresq, H.M.A.S. Melbourne: —

“I regret that the date of our arrival in the Dominion is delayed two days, but by having steamed back 250 miles to the north-westward, a ship’s company of fifteen and two wives and a boy have been taken oil a schooner in distress, which no other ship could get to so quickly. Please aseei’tain from pis Excellency what readjustment of programme would be best and xnost convenient. Have suffered much in appearance from hard steaming in heavy weather and pumping oil over the side.”

F- GABITES’ for Special Prices.—

THE DEAF HEAR! AND HEAD NOISES CEASE by using the new remedy called “EUSTOL,” one box of which is sufficient to completely cure any ordinary case. This wonderful ointment is prepared from the valuable prescription of a noted London ear specialist, and has permanently cured numerous severe cases of deafness and head-noises where other expensive treatments had utterly failed. Every sufferer should certainly try it, fob its efficacy is beyond question. Send for a box to-day, price 5/-. Address: “EUSTOL” Co., The Bungalow, Tyler’s Green Godstone, Sumy, England.—Advt.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19220126.2.27

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2384, 26 January 1922, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,775

THRILLING RESCUE. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2384, 26 January 1922, Page 4

THRILLING RESCUE. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2384, 26 January 1922, Page 4

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