WRECK OF A LINER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 308, 25 June 1912, Page 5

WRECK OF A LINER

STAR OF CANADA ASHORE

ON GISBORNE BEACH. By Telegraph—Press Association. Gisborne, Yesterday. The Tyser Line steamer Star of Canada dragged her anchors at midnight, and is ashors on Gisborne 'beach. Her position Is serious. The crew is safe. A WILD NIGHT., PROBABLY HOPELESS WRECK. Gisborne, Yesterday. Last night was the wildest experienced in Gisborne for many years. A strong southerly gale was blowing with terrific gusts. At about 11.30 the sound of rockets was heard, and subsequently Morse signals were seen- flashing from the Star of Canada, which was perilously near the shore. These read, "Rapidly dragging anchors on shore; send tug at once." Nelson Bros.' tug Hipi went and ascertained the identity of the vessel. At first it was thought it must be the Mokoia, overdue from Auckland. The captain of the Star of Canada asked for an anchor to be taken and laid ahead of the vessel. This, however, cpuld not be done, owing to the heavy sea running. The Hipi then returned to shore, having ascertained that the Star of Canada had wat£r in three holds. Two anchor cables were out, and daylight was anxiously awaited, when it was seen that the vessel had drifted close in and was lying almost broadside-oil to the Kaite beach, bumping considerably. She appeared to have settled considerably in the water. Captain Rainey, Marine Superintendent of the Tyser Line, went off at 8 o'clock in the Hipi and succeeded in boarding the ship, but the launch has not yet returned. The Mokoia arrived in the roadstead at 8 o'clock, after a rough trip from Auckland,

THE CAPTAIN'S STORY. J Gisborne, Yesterday. Captain Hart, of the Star of Canada, states that as the wind was increasing about 10 o'clock, and the weather looked threatening, he decided at 10.45 to go to sea. He ordered steam up and all hands to stand by to haul up the anchor. Up to this stage the anchor had been holding splendidly, without a sign of dragging, and before anything could be done to get the second anchor down or get to sea the vessel had touched on the rock. Efforts, were made to back out, but it was found impossible to move the vessel either aft or forwards. The second anchor meanwhile was dropped, with the hope of keeping the vessel's head to the sea and to prevent her from going on to the rocks. Finding all efforts to be fruitless, the engines were stopped. Meantime distress signals were given. The ship -was lying in what the harbormaster had informed Captain Hart was the best anchorage in the bay, three and a half cables from the reef. He had ridden out heavier gales than this in the bay before, and accounts for the mishap toy the patent anchor either giving way from its holding or pulling flat. The rapidity with which the steamer | went on to the rocks was astounding, i Regarding the ship's position, the captain I states that there is 17 feet of water in Nos. 1, 2 and 3 holds, extending from I the bow to the bridge. Captain Hart is I not despondent regarding the position, | and stated that the best salvage plant 1 ! that could be obtained in New Zealand | would be hurried to the spot, and he I was hopeful of being able to get the J vessel off. The Star of Canada is resting J on the rocks from amidships forward, in j a depth of three fathoms to Ave fathoms '. forward, awl in a depth of three fathoms to five and a half fathoms aft. Pumping operations were continued until 10

• o'clock, but as the water was gradually making, these were discontinued, as the captain considered that the vessel would rest more steadily on the bottom. Efforts aye to be made to take the ship's anchor'further seaward, and to haul the ship's head to the s<>a. No. 1 hold is empty, No. 2 contains about 8000 cari cases of Gisborne meat, and No. 3 hold (is fall of general cargo from the South J Island. From amidships aft, the vessel j appears to be undamaged, and is floating j in deep water over the reef. The vessel ! lies in a position on the leeward- side | of the projecting reef, and is partially protected from the southerly seas. During the night she bumped considerably, but the sea having moderated she is now lying easier though riding to the swell.

THE CREW'S EXPERIENCE. "WHAT SORT OF PLACE IS THIS?" Gisborne, Yesterday. The launch Hipi, while taking Captain Rainey off to the Star of Canada, had a rough experience, but got alongside without mishap. On the Star of Canada there was nothing to indicate anything untoward had happened, except for the proximity to the shore and the slightly canted decks, the vessel being down by the head, and the ominous tlnid as the steamer pounded the bottom. The officers were disinclined to discuss the position. It was a pretty anxious night, one or two admitted, and the vessel bumped on the reef pretty badly. The vessel lay almost broadside-on to the sea, with broken water astern, indicating the location of the reefs. The after-part of the steamer lay protruding into deeper water. Complete orderliness prevailed, the men on -duty going about their tasks as usual. "I would like to know what sort of a place this is," said one officer. "We were sending up rockets and firing guns fit to waken the dead, but could get no response. Certainly someone did try to answer from the shore, but he did not seem to be able to make out our messages; and when he asked us 'What is wrong?' it about broke us up, seeing | we were piled up on the reef." "I THINK WE SHALL GET HER OFF." Gisborne, Yesterday. "The Star of Canada is in a good place and under the lee of the reef from the south-east sea," states Captain Rainey, Tyser marine superintendent. "She is fairly protected from the force of the sea from that quarter. We are trying to get the Union Company's Tuatea to take one of the ship's anchors and place it out seawards. If we can get that anchor out we can steady the vessel considerably. We are sending ior the bigge.st salvage plant we can get. at Auckland or Wellington, and I think we shall get her off." TERAWIIITI TO THE RESCUE. Wellington, Last Night. Arrangements were made to-day to send the Teraivhiti, the Union Company's powerful tug, to Gisborne to assist in the salvage operations on the Star of Canada. A number of powerful pumps will also be sent, up by the Navua. Meantime the Tyser Company has made arrangements for the Star of Tndia, which arrives here on Thursday next, to take up the Star of Canada's loading,

[ A POOR PROSFECT. ! SUBSIDING BY THE HEAD. Gisborne, Last Night. Gloomy prognostications were to be heard expressed on all sides in local shipping circles this afternoon, regarding the situation and prospects of the ill-fated Star of Canada. The weather remained boisterous all the afternoon, with occasional bursts of sunshine and frequent squalls. Since the morning the vejwel had subsided considerably by the head, and continues to lie almost broadside on to the reef, with her bow to the eastward. The bop of the propellors appears to be out of the water. The wind was still blowing from the south, but it was thought that the gale would blow out to-night, and probably the wind would veer more to the eastward, which would help the ship.

A PASSENGER'S STORY. Gisborne, Last Night. Further accounts gathered from a man ■who was aboard the ship last night go to show that her experience must have been an unenviable one. He states that he was lying in h,is bunk reading when he noticed an unusual rolling. Presently he felt the vessel touch the bottom, and he made for the deck post haste. The ship was rolling terribly, and it was almost impossible to stand on one's feet. With each roll from side to side the vessel bumped, and the impact Caused the grea-t hull to quiver like ki leaf. The rigging flapped together and the masts looked as if they would be shaken out of her. He added that the thumping on the rock bottom caused serious damage in the engine-room. The bulkhead between the engine-room and the stokehold bulged, and it was only a matter of bulging a little more and the dynamo would have been put out of action. The main shafts also showed signs ,of the unusual strain that was being placed upon them by the bending of the vessel's bottom.