Ship Which Sails Without Helmsman

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 516, 20 November 1928, Page 1

Ship Which Sails Without Helmsman

LONDON TO AUCKLAND PORT WELLINGTON’S ARRIVAL All tho latest mechanical and scientific appliances are embodied in the special equipment of the port Wellington, a C. and D. Steamer, commanded by Captain N, Jones, which arrived from London this morning and anchored off Motuihi to tranship 350 tons of explosives. Besides her dangerous cargo the Port Wellington carries 9,400 tons of general cargo for New Zealand ports. On tho-forward deck are housed the mare Mlrabelle and her filly by Boscombe, bound for Wellington, where they will be delivered to Mr. G. M. Currie, of Wanganui. Three Rhode Island fowls for Wellington complete the cargo list. During the greater part of the voyage from London via Panama the ship was steered without a helmsman. The device used was the gyro compass in conjunction with an automatic electric steersman that keeps the vessel on a got course indefinitely. “8.0.8." SIGNALS Spinning at 6,000 revolutions a minute the gyroscope that is the principal part of this compass keeps the apparatus at a perfect right angle to the earth, irrespective of the movements of the ship. A needle indicates true north, and bearings may be taken with an exactitude that is not possible with the old-style compass. The steering apparatus.; is connected electrically with the gyro compass and may be set to any course. It is checked, every few hours but, beyond that, the apparatus controls the ship and takes her towards her destination. Another feature of the Port Wellington’s equipment is the automatic *'S.O.S.” attachment in the wireless house. This remarkable invention enables the wireless set to be automatically and constantly on watch for “5.0.5.” signals. It will record no other signals, but when the dreaded •*8:0.8." is sent out, it is picked up, and alarm bells ring on the bridge and in the wireless officer’s cabin. A wireless direction finder which enables the ship to take bearings from the various stations on land, and a powerful searchlight—an unusual feature on a cargo vessel—have been added to the special equipment of the Port Wellington. ACCIDENT AT SEA She carries 12 passengers, the majority of whom will disembark at Auckland the transhipment of explosives has been completed. *lt is expected that the vessel will berth on Thursday. The trip to New Zealand was a good one, uneventful save for a painful accident in which Mrs. H. Francis, of Masterton, slipped on the deck and broke two small bones in her wrist. She was attended to by the ship’s doctor.