SINKING A MINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1918, Page 6

SINKING A MINE.

WAIMEAfS EXCITING 'EXPERI-

ENCE.

Captain Stuart, of t/he Anchor Company steamer Waimea, 434 tons, gave a New Zealand Times representative the other day an account of the sinking of the mine by that vessel on the 31st ultimo. The Waimea was bound from Wanganui to Greymouth, when at 7 o'clock in the morning the mine wag sighted abreast of the vessel at a distance of about 200 feet. The Waimea steamed slowly round the dangerous object while the third engineer took a number of photographs of it. Unfortunately the snapshots proved a failure. The officers of the vessel then endeavored with a service rifle to explode or sink the mine. There was a gale blowing at the time and as the mine was floating deep at a distance -of about 200 yards it presented a very small and elusive target in the heavy seaway. Altogether, 70 rounds were flred at the mine and yet it floated. Then the wire attached to the mine was with considerable risk got aboard tlhe Waimea. The strong wind drove tho vessel along, although her engines were -topped, and tiiiis towed the mine astern. The ship' 3 gangway was thrown overboard attached to 50 fathoms of line, and it was permitted to collide with the mine, but the long looked for explosion did not result. After' having towed the mine in this way for an 'hour and a half the holes punctured in it by the rifle bullets had permitted a quantity of water to get into it so that the dangerous object sank. The tow line was immediately cut as the mine disappeared into the deep. From the time the mine was sighted until it sank was seven hours. It was considered satisfactory, 'however, by all on board the Waimea that the lengthy delay of the vessel had effected successful results, and may have saved a vessel from disaster.