STEAMER ASHORE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 756, 31 August 1929, Page 16

STEAMER ASHORE

GOLDEN FOREST RAN AGROUND IN FOG WELL KNOWN IN N.Z Grounding on a rock off tne Aleutian Islands on July 24 last, the American cargo steamer Golden Forest, well known in Auckland, pierced a hole in her hull so large that the pumps were incapable of coping with the inrush of water and the vessel had to be beached. { CABLED news of the stranding of the Golden Forest was received in Auckland last month, but uo details of the mishap came to baud until yesterday afternoon when the c hief officer of the steamer Golden Cross, of the same line, Mr. W. E. Warnell, gave an account of the occurrence. The Golden Cross is lying at Central Wharf. The Golden Forest was bound from San Francisco to Japan with a cargo of case oil wheu the second officer contracted blood poisoning which became so bad that the captain altered the vessel’s course aud made for the Aleutian Inlands (American possessions off the Alaska Peninsula), aud sent a wireless message there asking that the revenue cutter stationed there be sent to meet him. The cutter always carries a doctor. While the two ships were approaching each other the Golden Forest ran into heavy weather accompanied by an exceptionally thick fog. So deuse was the fog that visibility was seriously affected aud the Golden Forest rau on to u rock off the Aleutian Islands. Captain L. C. Drewson eventually managed to back her off the rock and he headed for Lost Harbour in the Aleutian Islands. On the way the in rushing water increased on the pumps to such an extent that Captain Drewson beached Hie vessel in order to salvage the cargo. It was rumoured iu Los Angeles on the day of the Golden Cross's depar ture for Auckland * August 1 1 that the Golden Forest had turned over on the beach, and it was thought that there wrs very little hope of salvaging her. The Golden Forest, a steamer of 5.65 S tons gross, is well-known in Ne*.% Zealand waters. She traded here from the Pacific Coast for a number of years, both as the West Togus when she was operated by Messrs. Swayue and Hoyt for the United States Shipping Board, and until recently under her present name as owned by the Oceanic and Oriental Navigation Compauy. She is 4U9ft long. 54ft broad and has a depth of 27ft. She was built in 1919 bv the North-west Steel Company. Portland. Oregon. Captain Drewson. master of *he vessel, has many friends iu Auckland and in other New Zealand ports. He is temporarily without a ohip.