RACE TO THE RESCUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1922, Page 5

RACE TO THE RESCUE.

FULL SPEED THROUGH STORM. A NIGHT OF VIGILANCE. HARD WORK IN STOKEHOLD. The race to the rescue was a triumph of seamanship and engineering, the warship attaining a speed of 23 knots through a heavy sea. Having already steamed for four days, the coal supply was not altogether as large as the engineers like to rely on for high speed in heavy weather. There were about 400 tons of coal in the bunkers, although much of this was difficult to reach, and a reserve of oil fuel. At breakfast time on Sunday morning there was a pleasurable excitement among the men, and their approaching visit to New Zealand was the topic of conversation. Many of them were about to make their first visit to the Dominion, and in any case the welcome awaiting them meant a pleasant incident in the monotony of sea life. r THE FIRST CALL FOR HELP.

But with the first S.O.S. signal the atmosphere changed to one of tenae expectancy. The men realised that somewhere across the wind-tossed waste there were lives in danger and a sinking ship to be salved if possible. The engineer-commander organised his staff of nearly 200 men, including seamen called on stokehold duty for the emergency, and divided them into watches. Working willingly and realising the importance of every pound of steam pressure, the stokers toiled bard deep down on the shining plates of the reeling ship. Seamen detailed as trimmers shovelled in the bunkers to keep the banks of sliding coal at a safe level, and although’ the violent tossing and rolling of the ship made many old sailors seasick all carried on with their arduous duties with dogged perseverance. The engineers made an inspection of the smooth running turbines, with their 22,000 horse-power, much of it yet latent, throttled, and reported that all was working well. The fierce fires of the stokehold were roaring, and as the men threw open the doors and flung fresh fuel to the furnace* the steam gauges crept up. FULL SPEED AHEAD.

And then the throttles were opened and the turbines pulsated with a power such as they had seldom equalled in their twelve years’ service. With the open throttles showing but a fraction of reserve power, the engines throbbed and gleamed in the light like harnessed giunts, till the whole ship felt the tremor of power far down below.

A cold wind raised a heavy sea, and as the cruiser raced along she took the seae “green”, great rushing walls of water with smashing force. Great waves, angrily. crested with seething foam, broke high, drenching and blinding the watchers on deck. Hour after hour the speeding cruiser held on her way, the torn seas racing alongside in fruitless endeavor to stay her progress. From time to time the crackling spark of the wireless sent out messages of hope to the lonely ship in peril somewhere ahead in the mist and driving rain squalls. And ever and anon duty called across the bitter seas, and as each despairing message was received the engineers, stokers and trimmers were heartened to fresh endeavor. Below on the reeling footplates men knew not fatigue nor discouragement, but toiled like Trojans to feed the hungry fireaA NIGHT OF STORM. Night came down on the stormy seas and thick squalls obliterated everything. With lights ablaze and officers and men on the lookout the Melbourne pounded through the seas. There was no rest or sleep during the night. Men donned their coats and took voluntary watch on deck, straining their eyes into the darkness in a vain endeavor to sight the derelict. Steep and swift the blftck seas boiled about the cruiser’s bows, the wind whistling and screaming in the rigging. Toward 10 o’clock tha searchlght crews were summoned to stations, and the arcs were lit. But the questing fingers of light could not pierce the rain and spume. Rolling heavily and shipping great quantities of water, the cruiser held on her errand. By skill and courage she mocked the fury of the night, and, spray-blinded, carried on at full speed through the mirk and spindrift, foiling the storm. Keeping the searchlights sweeping on each side, the watchers were able between the squalls to pick out only a tumbling racing sheet of wind-tossed water stretching to the horizon. VIGILANCE OF LOOKOUTS. Toward midnight the vigilance of tne lookouts increased for the location whs near the Sterling's position, and the thought of the loneliness and terror of the crew of the schooner feeling the sluggish lifting of the lifeless hull wallowing ever deeper in the sea laid hold on their imaginations and steeled them to keenest effort and tenseness.

About 1.50 o’clock on Monday morn* ing the schooner’s wireless call was again picked up. and simultaneously a rocket from the vessel pierced the darkness and revealed her perilous position. The searchlights of the cruiser were focussed on the schooner, and as the beams of light cut the night ini showed up the peril of the ship ad on board felt thank-ful that they had arrived in time, although the most dangerous task of rescue lay ahead.