STAR OF CANADA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 66, 5 August 1912, Page 5

STAR OF CANADA.

■SA LVAGE ABANDONED. By .Telegraph—Press Association. Oisborne, Last Night.

The water is steadily gaining in the Star of Oananda's stokehold, and the Salvage Association, which body had in hand the effort to refloat the vessel, has finally abandoned operations. The task of refloating the big liner is now regarded as quite hopeless. The salvage tug Terawhiti, which bis been busily engaged since her arrival a couple of days after the disaster, will leave on her return journey to Wellington this evening. Practically all the pumps and salvage gear have been brought ashore, and preparations for the dismantling of the stricken vessel are in progress, it being evident that a commencement is to be made with the removal of the valuable manganese bronze propellors. which, as a result of the submersion of the .ship's head, are at present about five feet above water. The heavy sweH of the ipast few days, which put a final veto on all hopes of refloating the ship, has now moderated a good ileal, and th» wreckers should have a spell of calm in which to pursue their operations. How mutfh of the vessel, which is now, of course, entirely devoid of cargo, it will be possible to save is a matter of pure conjecture. The engines, still gleaming bright and polished m the engine-room, witk the water in thj adjacent stokehold slowly but surely creeping up, form a strong and rather pathcftic contrast to the general untidiness of the dirty and littered decks of the battered steamer, and are of great value, but it is doubtful whether it will be passible to arrange lifting apparatus of sufficient capacity to remove the.heavy cylinders, though, of course, the fittings will be taken out piecemeal. Gisboroe, Last Ni'ght.

Tenders are to lie called all over New Zealand on Monday for n purclumex far the steamer as whe, lies, with bullion worth approximately £2(100 aboaird. In the meantime the salvage officers will stand by, together with the ship's officers and engineers. Her own pumps tonight are keeping the encToarihinc; water in the stokehold in check. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 holds are filled with water, and the deck is awash amidships. The wea.tJtw fortimatelv remains calm.