WRECK OF A LINER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 310, 27 June 1912, Page 5

WRECK OF A LINER

LYING SNUGLY. PROSPECTS OF FLOTATION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Giiborne, Last Night. In the flue weather which prevailed yesterday and to-day the Star of Canada sits snugly and securely on the papa ledges, with never a move, and but for the desperate lownesß of her bow and the sight of water lying black only a few feet down the fore-holds it might well be thought that she is lying safely at anchor. In the course of an interview with a Giseborne Times representative on board to-day, Captain Hart stated that as far us could be seen there was nothing serious the matter with the vessel, and they believed that the starting of a number of rivets was responsible for the leaks. "Given three such days as to-day," he continued, "we will be satisfied." Questioned in regard to the cablegram from England referring to insurances, Captain Hart said that he thought anyone obtaining 45 per cent, to reinsure had a very good thing on. He expected that pumping operations will commence tomorrow morning. The work qf fitting up the pumps brought by the Navua and Terawhiti would be carried out all night.

ARRIVAL OF THE TERAWHITI. PUMPING TO BE STARTED. Gisborne, Wednesday. The Terawhiti arrived early this morning and is now engaged in transferring pumping appliances on to the Star of Canada. Mr. Birkett, the Union Company's repairs expert, arrived by the Navua, and. is assisting Captain Rainey, [the Tyser Company's superintendent, it is not expected that pumping can Ve commenced till late in the afternoon. There is no new development regarding the stranded steamer. She lies in precisely the same position as yesterday, and inspection does not show any further damage. Lightering operations from the after holds proceeded till midnight, and were i resumed at 7 this morning. The total ; output yesterday was 9500 carcases, 1 2406 sacks of oats, wheat, and peas, and COO cases of kidneys. A gang is now j engaged removing wool from the upper deck in No. 1 hold, which is quite dry. The lower portion of the hold contains no cargo, but has about 30ft of water in it. No. 2 hold, containing 8000 carcases of Gisborne meat, is submerged to a depth of about 20ft., and .the meat can- : not be touched till the water level has been reduced. A number of extra anchors will be. ] immediately placed with a view to holding the vessel in position. A trial will' be made this afternoon to see whether I the pumps can cope with the water, j The Terawhiti has a lifting capacity of j 1700 tons per hour. Captain Rainey states that if the combined efforts of j the Terawhiti and the stranded vessel's ,' c*wn pump can keep the water down, ", then the steamer would be floated off. j The position is clear for her to come ) off bodily to seaward. If it is found tfhat the water cannot be coped with, j divers will have to be employed to j effect temporary repairs. Collfsion pads j for this purpose have been brought to j Gisborne by the Terawhiti. I Captain Plunket arrives by the Wes- | tralia this afternoon to igatch Lloyd's I interests. • The weather continues fine, with a j light westerly wind.

CAPTAIN INTERVIEWED. HE DESCRIBES THE POSITION. Gisborne, Tuesday. Early this afternoon a Gisborne Times reporter went out to the Star of Canada on the launch Hilda, in company with Captain Rainey, marine superintendent for the Tyser Company, and Mr. A. Dewing, manager for, Messrs. Nelson Bros. The weather was excellent. A brief interview was obtained with Captain Hart, who courteously gave some facts concerning the situation. The captain expressed pleasure that the storm had abated, and the sea subsided into so placid a calm. The steamer Rocked to a fair extent at low water, indicating a pressure on the rocks amidships, but (as the interviewer would take notice) she was steady and lay very easy at high tide. Is the water in the holds increasing? asked the pressman. "That is," said the captain, " a difficult query to answer, as the height of the water is naturally affected by the tide, but, if anything, it was a shade higher this morning." "Are the ship's own centrifugal pumps able to cope with the water? Are they bettering the position in the holds? The captain replied that, forward, the 'water had pretty well found its .own level, so to speak. The pumping had, to a certain extent, been discontinued in No. 3 hold, but the pumps were still boing used, and were doing good work.

ENGINE AND BOILER ROOMS INTACT. "Has an examination of the steamer been made?" the reporter asked. "Yes, a cursory examination was made and a thorough examination wherever possible." "Could you give any particulars as to what was discovered?" As far as could be ascertained, the captain said, there was no real structural disorganisation. This, of course, applied to •what could be seen, but there was very evidently some damage done below.. As to statements that the engine-room was tappd, the commander said that these were quite false. The engine-room the refrigerating-room, and the boilerroom were absolutely intact, and free from leaks. "And so matters must remain," the captain added, "so long as the weather keeps up." He went on to say that one plate in the after engineroom bulkhead had sustained a slight indentation, but not of a serious nature. EFFECT OF REMOVING CARGO. The cargo, the captain added, would nearly all be salved, so far as the after holds were concerned. "Would not," the reporter asked, "the act of removing all the cargo from astern have the effect of letting the ship down more 'on the nose,' as has been suggested?" That, replied the captain, was a wrong impression held by a good many people, although it was true to a certain extent. The taking of the cargo from the after holds would lighten the steamer in that part, and therefore make the stern less liable to suffer from contact with the rocks should the weather become rough. STEAMER'S CHANCES GOOD. Asked if she would not be liable to swing round on to the reef if empty, the captain said that the extra anchor dispelled the possibility of such a contingency.

"Would it be a matter of immediate danger if the squall had continued, or if rough weather returned?" "Well," said Captain Hart, with a suggestive shake of his head, "it is difficult to say, but let us hope that the fine weather continues. Oood salvage tackle will soon be at hand, and I believe (hat we will got off all right."