THE AOTEA ASHORE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 221, 24 January 1911, Page 5

THE AOTEA ASHORE

CALM SEA AND A HAZY NIGHT. By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Capetown, January 22. The Aotea was entering the port for bunkering purposes, and struck at 1.40 in the morning on a rocky bottom. Houlle Point and Green Point harbor lights were close on either hand. A resident named Pentz, who lives three hundred yards away, says that ihe was awakened by a crash, and saw blinding signal lights. He then distinguished the lights of two vessels. A thickish haze prevailed. Others say the Robben Island light was visible across the bay. The sea was in its calmest mood. Pentz telephoned for assistance, but life-saving requisites were not needed, the crew remaining aboard. The Aotea is wedged fast, but is absolutely motionless, with a slight list. She lies in 26 feet of water, broadside to the shore. There is water in both holds, and the bottom is badly damaged. She will probably be a total loss. Stevedores with tugs and lighters were very busy throughout Saturday and Sunday carefully removing 350 tons of dynamite which was among the general cargo. Their operations were facilitated by the calmness of the sea.

There is nothing to show how the vessel struck, and the only sign of damage from the shore is a broken rudder.

PROVIDENTIAL REMOVAL OF DYNAMITE. THE HULL ON FffiE. Received 24, 12.5 a.m. ■ Capetown, January 23. Reuter reports that the Aotea's cargo included 300 tons of dynamite, which was removed to a hulk in the bay. A fire broke out on the Aotea at 11.10 p.m. on Sunday abaft the funnel, and 6pread to the galley and deckhouse. Tugs from the docks extinguished the fire after it had been burning for an hour and a half.

The Aotea left Liverpool of December 26 for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Dunedin, via Capetown, with a full load of general carsfo, and was due about Februarv Ifi. She is a steel-screw steamer of 5600 tons gross, and was built by Swan and Thinter, of Newcastle-on-Tvne. in ISflo, for her present owners, the Shaw. Savill and Albion Co., Ltd. Her principal dimensions arc: Length, 430 ft Cin; breadth, 4flft; and moulded depth, 32ft Win.

It will be remembered that last year, while on a voyage from London to Australia, the Aotea, which was to take the loading berth at the Canadian port for Australian and New Zealand ports, when 14 miles off the Martin river, suddenly took the ground and remained there for some days, ultimately being towed to Quebec with her fore holds full of water, and the engine-room tank leaking. The Maori, 5371 tons gross, was lost at Duiker Point, near Capetown, in August, 1009, with the loss of over 30 lives, only nine of the crew being saved.