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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8535, 16 September 1907, Page 5

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THE MON3WAI SAFE. PIGKED UP BY THE MOKOIA. RUDDER SHAFT BROKEN. Received September 15, 9.53 a.m. SYDNEY, September 15. The Monowai has arrived here in tow of the Mckoia. On the morning of the 10th at three o'clock the Monowai broke har rudder shaft, and at 4 a.m. on .the 12th was picked up fay the Mokoia, all well. A. PERILOUS TIME. TEMPESTUOUS SEAS. SPLENDID SEAMANSHIP. Received September 15, 2.17 p.m. SYDNEY, September 15. -f, The story of the Monowai is one of ' splendid seamanship both on the part of th 3 Monowai's own officers, of the crew, and those of the Mokoia. At 3.30 this morning South Head signalled: "Monowai in tow of what apoears to be a warship." Captain Crawshaw, of the Union Company, and representatives of the Press Association, left Sydney with a couple of tug boats. /The weather was fine, with a roll on the outside. Daylight had broken, and it.was seen that it was the Mokoia that had the disabled steamer in tow. The MonoAwai was under her own steam, and that dispelled the idea that had machinery had broken dcw.i. - On boarding the vessel it was found that the rudder-post bad been carried away. The Monowai had cirty weather after leaving Wellington, a TREMENDOUS BEAM SEA running. Everything went well till three o'clock on the morning of the tenth, when the ship suddenly failed to answer her helm. Speed wai immediately reduced. A strong west-south-wesi gale was blowing, and the ship was plunging heavily. All hands set to work rigging spars to secure the rudder and the: sea anchors were got out. It was a perilous task getting wire hawsers attached to the rudder, but eventually it ttas acfrom heavy booms rigged oat aft on both sides. A wire rope from the holm was passed on to the wiuches. The passengers were not aware of the gravity of the accident till daylight. The most alarming thing to the passengers was

THE FEARFUL LURCHING of the vessel in the trough of the sea. She rolled top sides under on the port siJe. The temporary steering .gear was carried away several times, but the crew worked bravely to repair the damage. At 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the 11th the main trysail was bent to steady the ship, and at 6 o'clock a sea anchor was hove in for repairs. At 9.50 the repairs were effected, and the anchor towed from the starboard bows. Heavy squalls of rain and A TERRIFIC SEA continued. The sea anchor stopped ths drift somewhat, but at 2 o'clock on the morning of the 12th the anchors were carried away. At 7 o'clock in the morning the foresail was set, and canvas rigged in the fore-rigging, oil being used with baneficial effect to smooth the sea. The passengers, during these two days, behaved admirably. When the vessel broke down she was 220 miles off the coast, but under the influence of the west-south-west gale she drifted back considerably. At 4.20 a.m. on the 12th, the MOKOIA SIGHTED HER. The weather was very thick. To thosa on board the Monowai it was regarded a3 miraculous that the Auckland steamer saw her. However, in fifteen minutes she was alongside. Then A THRILLING FEAT was psrformed by Captain Smith. "It was the finest piece of seamanship I have ever seen," said Captain Rolls. "The sea was terrific, and no boat cduH have lived through it. Therefore Captain Smith essayed to run close up alongside. It was a period of INTENSE EXCITEMENT. As the Monowai sunk in the trough of fje sea, the Mokoia towered above her, and looked as if she must inevitably crush our steamer. Striking the psychological moment, the Mokoia came full speed on the leefelgide, throwing her head off at the bright instant, allowing her stern to brush past the Monowai actually touching her on the port bow. LIKE A FLASH a line was thrown aboard and a steel hawser made fast." Both vessels settlsd down to halfspeed, but the tow only lasted forty minutes, the hawser snapping. Darkness settled down, and it was impossible to try the feat again of placing a rope aboard the Monowai. The Mokoia therefore stood by till daylight after th? line parted. A dangerous task was successfully carried out aboard the Monowai, that of getting the port anchor hove aboard. In smooth water such a task might be easy enough, but with the wild diving of the vessel the operation was a difficult one. There was always a possibility of the anchor going through the ship as she lurched. Nevertheless, it was managed, and the anchor was safely stowed on board. At 5.40 on the morning of the 14th, the Mokoia, splendidly handled, got alongside again, and passed a rope and a hawser was fastened to sixty fathoms of tb2 Monowai's cable, which stood the strain beautifully, and the long tow of 294 miles was executed. At the time of starting the tow the weather began to moderate, but occasionally there were

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United Press Association —Hy Electric Telegraph Copyright. FIERCE SQUALLS with mountainous seas. As the weather gut finer the rudder tackles were readjusted aboard the Monowai, and the vessel came more under control. Indeed, had the weather been at all fine after the accident, she would have made Sydney under makeshift gear. Tugs relieved the Mokoia at the Heads, but when once inside, the Monowai was able to proceed up the harbour without assistance. For three days and nights Captain Rolls never left the bridge. The passengers are loud in their praise of his coolness and lescurcefulness, and to all the officers and men the warmest praise is due. How the Mokoia came to pick up the Monowai is explained by Captain Smith. He states: "As the Monowai was somewhat overdue when 1 left Sydney, and nut sighting her before dark, I excluded that something must be' wrong, to decided to keep to the southwai'd, which I did till I sighted the Monowai to the northward flying the signal, 'Rudder Disabled.' I went near enough to put a line aboard, and eventually commenced to tow her at 6.55 o'clock on Friday morning, the weather gradually in-proving." W 112:1 both the vesse T s reached the wharf, the passengers cheered one another and bands played, "For They Are Jolly Good Fellows" and "Auld Lang Syne." Until the Monowai is docked, it is impossible to say how long the repairs may take. ! The Mokoia resumed her journey at 10.30 a.m. The Manuka met the vessels in tow, and signalled the news to South Head. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, September 15. The news of the Monowai's arrival at Sydney was received in Wellington with feelings of gratitude and relief. The majority of her passengers were from Wellington, this causing great anxiety to be felt during the past few days, besides which the steamer's officers are well-known and popular at this port. It is possible that the Warrimor, which leftLyttelton las'; night to search for the Monowai, may be intercepted when passing Farewell Spit this afternoon, and thus saved a fruitless voyage.