Marine Tattle

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 213, 28 November 1927, Page 2

Marine Tattle

SALVING A HULK. —The work of raising the coal hulk Vtrulam, which sank some time ago at Yarraville, Melbourne, is almost completed (states the Svdnev “Daily Telegraph”). The hulk ’ sank almost alongside the wharf. Barges were moored above - her, one on either side, and chains put under the hulk. The barges were afloat, and, at each low tide, the cables under the Verulam were tightened. Then as the high tide lifted the barges higher above the bed of the river, the sunken hulk would also be raised. In this way, the vessel was moved slowly along the sharply* rising bed of the river, gaining ground on each high tide.

ANOTHER NEW MOTOR-SHIP. —In September the large twin-screw motorship Pacific Reliance, which has been built by the Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Ltd., Scotstoun, for the Norfolk and North American Steam Shipping Company*, Ltd., carried out highly successful official trials in the Firth of Clyde, reports ‘‘Fairplay.” Intended for service between home ports and the Pacific Coast of North America via the Panama Canal, she is 450 ft in length, 60ft in breadth, and 42ft in depth from the shelter deck. The deadweight capacity is 10,000 tons. In respect of her equipment the vessel is thoroughly* up-to-date. All her auxiliary* machinery, both on deck and in the engine-room, is electrically driven, the installation for this purpose being by the Sunderland Forge and Engineering Company, and the ’tween deck are insulated throughout for the carriage of fruit, the refrigerating plant being by J. and E. Hall, Ltd.. Dartford. The cargo-handling appliances include one 10-ton derrick, twelve 6-ton derricks, three 3-ton derricks, and twelve electricwinches. A warping winch is fitted aft. The steering gear is of the electrichydraulic type.

FRENCH NAVAL ORDERS-^ portant naval orders have “te. placed In France, one with Ateliers de St. -Vazaire-Fenhi t * other with The Chantiers Ma-ionA* Sud-Ouest. Bordeaux. Each 2“? twin-screw motor-tanker of «0L lor » deadweight, 424 ft in length. i:it and J4ft in depth. The vessel, inT**®, be driven by two sets of B ..FA-Vl type Diesel engines, designed to a total of 4.300 h.p. at 120 rp m give a service speed of 13 knota. *° THE MERSEY, TASMANIA Marine Board of Mersey. mania, directs attention to the their port, which thev aver i. I 1 ? 1 * of means as bad as certain report**-!? They point out that the depth (W s?**l- - the entrance to the Mersev 20ft at low tide, with a Tr Sft. so that at high water cleast 28ft available. They a2?!L> * the fact that this vear the «**** to Calulu 5.480 tons. Clan tons, and Maihar 7.556 tons the port in complete safety. i n « f ams“ nStl "“ y *«Hnsr CUNARD COMMANDER DEAn - tain R. \V “ the Cunard Fleet, ar.d 'captain .7* 14 famous Compania when she held ,hi riband of the Atlanta, di.j . fair* a S o while Playing bowls at FraSSk near Liverpool. He was 7S years!!, 8 Serving with the Cunard cS£2 , . a f 33 years, Captain W&rr sailed in* ,Cr famous ships as the Etruria, rLC? Campania. Caronia. and Carmania t crossed the Atlantic 550 time* « close upon =.000.000 mile. He’ sailing ship as a boy of 14. He diS? 1 he had suffered more from sea than thousands of his passengers . 5 * though he never had a mishap to hi, Sh'p wh.’e in command, he had J’-T* thrilling experiences. NAVAL SHIPBUILDUN G.—ln ration of some further limitation armaments as a result of the Conference, the construction of aorrl . the cruisers included in the shipbuilding programme which w a * tioned in 1925 was deferred. As tfce7rs ference has produced only negatived suits, it may be anticipated that the programme will now be proceeded wJt. (states the “Shipping World”). It cgTr prises, among other naval craft, ic'erni.' ers, only seven of which have bee t ord#-J so far. Three more are due to u ordered in the present financial Tea-' besides a flotilla leader, six destroy#-* and eight submarines. Contracts Lthe building of these vessels may. the-/ fore, be expected to he entered tarn shortly, and this will afford some muchneeded assistance to the shipbuilding ir dustry.

“HONOUR - FLAGS.” The United States Merchant Fleet Corporation ha.l instituted a novel scheme in connection with the various lines embraced hi h« fleet. The best ship from the economic!’ disciplinary and efficiency points of during six months’ service will. f or following similar period, be qualified i fly* an ’’honour-fag." and so announce t all and sundry what a good ship she has been, and how well the boys on board have behaved themselves. The offlda! pronouncement concerning the matter is as follows:

“For six months the ‘honour ahip’ of each line may fly* the new ‘honour-fee' of the Merchant Fleet Corporation, according to a plan proposed by the president of the Merchant Fleet Corporation, which will be made effective as soon u possible after July* 1. 1927. Each six months an award will be made to th« officers and crew of the ship in each line which show's the greatest care, efficiency and economy in operation. The ship* will be inspected under supervision of the district director in each district The general condition of the ship, the discipline of crew, the efficiency and economy in management as evidenced by tha operating results of the deck, engine and stewards’ departments, will be the factor? observed in making the award. The firs* six-month period will begin with July and end with December of this year. A new ‘honour-flag’ is to be designed, and the winning ship will be authorised to fly this flag for six months or until another ship has won it. A bonus will also he provided to be presented to the cretr The crews of each ‘honour ship* will be given recognition by having a record of such achievement made in the personnel records of each member. District directors will be called upon by the president to offer any* suggestions they* may deem pertinent as to method of inspection and other details affecting the determination of awards.”