LINERS HOVE-TO

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 410, 17 April 1937, Page 5

LINERS HOVE-TO

CAPTAINS EXCHANGE COMMANDS. Monterey and Mariposa. Auckland, April 17Two modern liner s hove-to in midocean while their respective captains. 1 exchanged commands was the unusual sight 'Witnessed by passengers on the Mariposa and the Monterey last week when the liners met just south of the Equator. The Monterey arrived in Auckland yesterday. The illness of the commander o’ the Monterey, Captain E. R. Johanson, when the liner reached Honolulu earlier in the voyage was the indirect cause of the arrangement being made for the two ships to meet at sea. Captain Johanson complained of being ill on the morning the Monterey reached Honolulu, and after being ex-, amined by the ship's doctor he was hurried ashore and admitted to hospital. An operation for appendicitis vss performed the tama afternoon and the Monterey continued her voyage with Captain Brocas, another of the company's officers temporarily in command. Wireless messages received later in the voyage indicated that Captain Johanson was making rapid recovery. • Arrangements for the captains of the Monterey and the Mariposa to change commands were made in advance by radio. The liners met in the evening about a day’s steaming to the north of Pago Pago and hoveto within a quarter of a mile of each other. So close were the two lineirs that the members of the crews l could exchange shouted greetings across the intervening water. A boat was lowered front the Mariposa and the master. Captain Meyer, was rowed across to take command of the Monterey. Captain Brocas returned in the boat and took over the Mariposa. The exchange of masters rUs effected without difficulty, the sea being particularly smooth at the time. Little time was 1 spent in making the exchange, and the two liners continued their voyage s af er the brief delay.