THE DREDGE MANCHESTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 257, 30 April 1912, Page 5

THE DREDGE MANCHESTER

WARSHIPS SEARCHING. By Cable—'Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, April 29. The cruiser Challenger has left on a search for the dredge Manchester.

LIST OF THE CREW. By Telegraph—Press Association. Oiristchurch, Yesterday. The long voyage of the dredge Manchester, which left Lyttelton on April 4 for Sydney, caused no very marked anxiety at Lyttelton until the last few days, but shipping people frankly admit that now they are genuinely alarmed. The Manchester is a hopper dredge of 833 tons, twin screws, and was sold to Sydney Harbor Trust recently by the Lyttelton Harbor Board. A representative of the trust supervised the fitting of the vessel before her departure, and Mr. J. Sidall, chief engineer of the vessel, is a member of the Sydney trust's staff. Many of the officers and crew belong to Christchurch and Lyttelton. Mr. J. Downie, the master, was in the shore employ of the Union "Company at Lyttelton. The chief mate, L. Schultz was lately on the small packet steamer John. Other members of the staff and crew are: Second mate, A. Baxtersecond engineer, A. J. Ayers; third engineer, J. W. Crombie; A.B.'s, T. Dally D. Rogers, G. Easson, P. Prophet, o.' Augustin and S. W. Christie; ordinary seamen, S. J. Cilray and S. Andersongreasers, J. White, A. Blundell and R ■ W. Aldndge; firemen, H. O'Neill, J G Lambert; steward, J. McQueen; cook, R Wallace. Mrs. Sidall, wife of the chief engineer, accompanied her husband, and signed on as stewardess.

FL'RTIIER PARTICULARS. Christchurch, Last Night. The Manchester was a twin screw bucket hopper dredge of 883 tons register, and Wi t S built in 1890 at Renfrew by Messrs. W. Simonds and Co., builders of the new dredger Canterbury. The Manchester was built for the Manchester Ship Canal Company in 1890, and for some years she did a large amount of work in the Manchester Canal. About twelve years ago she was acquired by the Lyttelton Harbor Board, and had a remarkably long and eventful passage out to Lyttelton, sustaining numerous breakdowns and making lengthy stoppages for repairs at Waterfor'd (Ireland), Gibraltar, Malta, Suez, Colombo and Thursday Island. These stretched out her passage to thirteen months, but she finally reached Lyttelton safely. During her long career in Lyttelton the Manchester proved herself a splendid dredging machine, and rendered valuable service in deepening the channel in the outer harbor and the inner harbor basin. Her hull was in exceptionally fine order when she went through Lloyd's •special survey last year. In view of the fact that the new dredge Canterbury, specially designed and built for the Lyttelton Harbor Board, was arriving at Lyttelton last month, the Board disposed of the Manchester to the Sydney Harbor Trust for £9BOO. Mr. P. N. Christie, engineer to the trust, came over and took delivery of the Manchester in Lyttelton about two months ago. After being docked and thoroughly overhauled, the Manchester was got ready for her voyage to Sydney. Her heavy machinery above deck was dismantled and stored in the hoppers, the doors of which were secured and floored over with timber. After taking in 400 tons of bunker coal and water supplies, the Manchester left Lyttelton on Thursday, April 4. She called at Wellington on Good Friday, and after replenishing her coal bunkers and water supplies she left Wellington finally on Saturday, April fl, for Sydney. The vessel had* sufficient life-saving gear and boats for more than double her crew, and everything was passed by the Government inspector before she left Wellington. During the past two weeks very heavy weather lias prevailed in the Tasman Sea, and the dredge would probably have to be frequently "hove to." She is 23 days out from Wellington to-day. The Manchester was fully manned for her passage to Sydney, and carried 25 persons when she left Lyttelton. Auckland, Last Night.

The warships Encounter and Pioneer sailed this evening to search for the missing dredge Manchester. Both vessels will be in constant communication with the Wellington wireless station.