EFFORT TO REFLOAT WANGANELLA TODAY

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5315, 30 January 1947, Page 5

EFFORT TO REFLOAT WANGANELLA TODAY

(Press Assn.—

WEATHER FAVOURABLE reef crumbl1ng under weight of liner

- By Telegraph — Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night, A detailed survey not only of the damage to the Wanganella but also of the contours that are holding her fast was j completed yesterday by the Australian diver, Mr. J. E. Johnstone. A new attempt to | Tefloat the liner will probably ! be made to-morrow. Compression tests to locate any isolated remaining leaks were undertaken to-day.. Forty welders and I boilermakers sealed the two flooded hblds so that air could be introduced urider pressure to lower the level of the water. The task undertaken by Mr. Johnstone was a perflous one. He worked under water in a fast-running tide and a 6ft. swelb -with courage and cfficiency. He found tKat parts of the reef were cmmbling under. the weight of the liner. This weakness 'nay prove a dqcisive factor when there is another attempt to haul her off. . Mr. Johnstone's inspection has shown the battered forepeak to be resting on a ledge of rock. Immediately astern there is 16ft. of water under the ship until another ledge crosses the hiill heneath the badlydamaged No. 1 hold. There is a third ledge hard up against - the bottom of No. 2 hold, and part of No. 3 hold.

Good Work. By Welders Living on board the liner, but snatching only a few hours' rest f each day, the welders and other engineers supplied under contract by a Wellington firm, have toiled magnificently to make Nos. 1 and 2 holds airtight. Within a day or so it should be possible to build up the air pressure in the sealed compartments by means of a group of heavy compressors and so force out the water. It is hoped that the level will be lowered by at least 12ft. in No. 1 hold and by about 7ft. to the 'tween decks j height in No. 2 hold. This would reI. move at least half of the dead-weight that is helping to hold the liner on the reef. Bulkheads are all holding firmly. Strained plates in No. 3 hold are still making water, but the flow is slight and well within the scope of the ship's ■piu.mps without calling on other emergency pumping equipment that is immediately available on board. j All Gear in Position, ! Subject to the wind, sea and swell that prevails at the time, the hauling off of the ship will be attempted with a swivelling motion. This will avoid I a difficulty perhaps, of having to fwork against the starboard list and take the fullest' advantage of the reef contours and the deeper water r that lies along that side of the ship. I The nests of heavy kedge anchors, which have recently been given added1holding power, and on which the liner will try to pull herself off, are Iaiff at carefully calciulated angles off the starboard quarter rather than right astern. , The tug crews are being paid 7/6 an hour additional to normal rates.