BARQUE IN TROUBLE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10428, 20 September 1911, Page 5

BARQUE IN TROUBLE

UNACLE TO CAIN PORT.

TOW ROPE REPEATEDLY BROKEN.

By Telegraph—Press Association,

WANGANUI, Last Night,

Tho Danish barqiuentme Oarla, iwibich left Newcastle on August 15th iwrith a cargo of coal for the Wanga|aui gasworks, is lying atari6hor some faiiles south of the bar in a heavy tse-a.

The crew are in a boarding house tin town, and the fate of the vesset lis oh© of uncertainty. . The vessel arrived off the bar on (Saturday, but'no tug was available. She oame up again on Sunday, but fwas again unable to. secure a tug. jOn Monday morning she dropped anchor, and in the afternoon the steadier GertSe vent out to tow the vessel in. Tlhe weather was then, jfine, but a storm was breaking..The, steamer no sooner began to tow than the rope broke. •A gale and heavy seas were rising, and after mmch difficulty: the Gertie again got hold, of the vessel, (but again the tow rope parted. This |was repeated in all five times. Darkless had then set in, with heavy train, ar.d a very heavy gakt aafly <sea. The Carla's anchors were down, jbnit the vessel was dragging "botwards the beach. During the attempts to get the (tow -nope aboard, the Gertie ' had borne too close under the vessel's ibow, with tne result that the 'jib.jboom crashed on to the steamer's fleck, smashing a life boat into •match/wood, snapping, off the davits,: jpartly demolishing .the l d€ck-liou.Bie, (and nearly, carrying, away the funnel. r

The Oarla's jib-boom was -also and all the head sail g<ear fir as wrecked. Consequently she Iwas in a heilple&s state, and! wSien l&he wa© drifting into, great danger tthe captain decided to board) the (Gertie, which WiaiS standing by. | 'After great difficulty the crew Igot away in a lafelboat, and this Gertie having put out a considerable (quantity ol oil, the seven men were (enabled to get on board the steamer, (which this morning brought them to •shore.

To the surprise of all, the Carla, •instead of being on the beach, in the ■•morning was riding her anchors, hvhich hare evidently found a hard •bottom.

'. A heavy sea ha b been running all Jday, b/ut as darkness oame on the 'ves&el was still in the same posi•fcion.

The crew are awaiting an opportumity to board their vessel again.