SAVED FROM DERELICT.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1922, Page 5

SAVED FROM DERELICT.

HIGH SEA RUNNING

BREECHES BUOY RIGGED. FEAT OF GOOD SEAMANSHIP. A graphic account of the rescue of those on board the Helen R. Sterling was given by Commander W. WardHunt. of the Melbourne. He said they had just sighted the Three Kings at 8 a.m. on Sunday when they received the Helen B. Sterling’s first “5.0.5.” message. It was worded: “Sinking fast; position 170 degress 31 minutes east, 10 south.” “We knew that there was a cyclone to the north, and were not surprised to hear that somebody was in trouble,” said Commander Hunt. “From his earlier signals he seemed to take a gloomy view of his chances. We were 210 miles from the position he gave, and, of course, we immediately steered for him, raising steam in al) boilers as soon as possible. “Having sorted out the various replies to the ‘S.OJS.’ we saw it was evident we could get there 12 hours before any other ship, with our superior speed. From the nature of the calls it appeared to be a race between our getting there and the schooner’s sinking. Unfortunately two of the signals we received from the schooner gave two different positions, owing, no doubt to the stress under which the operator was working. These positions were 80 miles apart, find our efforts were directed to ascertaining which of the two was correct. Eventually, about 4 o’clock, we got a definite statement that the north-east position was the correct one. All the time we were going north the weather wfts becoming worse, and at midnight a gale was blowing, with high seas.” NIGHT AIDS SEARCH FOR SHIP. Continuing, Commander Hunt said the problem was to find the ship. The master probably had not had sights for some time and his position was consequently doubtful. On the other hand, it was much easier to find the ship at night tlian by 'clay, as the beams of the searchlight were visible for 30 miles. By this mean the Melbourne eventually sighted th.- :L B. Sterling at about 1.50 a.m. on Monday. When approaching the distressed vessel the searchlight was thrown upon her and she showed up distinctly. A high sea was running and waves were breaking right across the practically waterlogged ship, although, her poo* and forecastle were well above water. The crew and the ladies Were perched upon the poop, and the ship in the beams of the searchlight had the appearance of being quite forlorn. The wind had eased somewhat, and it appeared that with careful handling the crew could be token off by one of the Melbourne’s boats, and as it was considered the wind might get worse at any moment, it was not thought wise to wait until daylight. As a matter of fact, said Commander Hunt, it actually came on to blow as hard as ever after the job was done. However, he said, having made a lee, the sea-boat was lowered from the warship and only got away from the ship with difficulty. On getting near the H. B. Sterling, and having studied the position. it was dacided that it was impossible to get alongside, owing to seas breaking over her. The wreck was brightly illuminated by the searchlight, and this rendered possible operations which would have been quite impossible in the darkness.

TRANSFERRED BY BREECHES

A line was passed from the boat to the Sterling, and another line was thrown into the ship, attached to which was a breeches buoy, a life-saving device. The crew were placed one by one in the breeches buoy, lowered into the water from the poop of the doomed vessel, and haulqd into the boat. Meanwhile the greatest care had to be taken in handling the sea boat, which had to be kept reasonably near the H. B. Sterling, at the same time avoiding being dashed against her side. It was decided to take some of the men first, partlj' because it was considered inexpedient to hftve the women wait in the boat longer than necessary, and partly to /ain some experience with the men’ before trying to rescue the ladies. After the tenth man had been brought across the first lady was lowered to the boat, and then followed the captain’s wife and her son, aged 11 years. The ladies, said Commander Ward-Hunt, displayed the greatest fortitude in these very trying circumstances, and, as a matter of fact, so did the cfew. The difficult operation proceeded without a hitch, the matter of handling the crew on the ship being ably supervised by the master, CaptaM H “After two hours’ hard work,” said Commander Hunt, “the people from the schooner were safely aboard the Melbourne, even the cat was not torgotten. The return to the warship With a heavily laden 12-oared boat >ni n considerable sea was accomplished without any "Teat difficulty. As the craft came alongside the Melbourne, she was hoisted up in hij seconds from the time they hooked on. The rescued people w«e wet and cold, but in a tew minutes they were having hot baths and m half an hour they were in bed. \ They . had a terrible time aboard the ship, expecting death at any moment.

t>dPLETION OF MELBOURNE S FUEL.

From the appearance of the Sterling and from what the master told us, said Commander Hunt, it was evident that she was practically sinking. In any case the Melbourne had expended so much fuel in her dasli to the ecent> of the wreck, at an average of 20 miles an hour in very heavy seas, that she was not able to stand by in the hope> of saving the ship. As it was, she only '"Among” the men on the Melbourne S pol“n to on the arrival of the warship S Auckland, there were many who were unstinted in their praise of the woia done by Commander Hunt and his crew Who went olf in the boat to rescue the crew of the H. B. Sterling. It was the first expermnee of many of the varship a boat crew, and one officer said, They thing went well right, throng i.