DOOMED

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 20 May 1913, Page 5

DOOMED

B.S. IU DRAB A RAH,

SEAMAN'S OPINION.

{By Telegraph, —Jfress Association.) , 'WELLINGTON, Last Night. It is the opinion of Captain J. Grotty, master of the Storm bird, that the Tndrabarah is - doomed, and that there is practically no chance of ever getting her orf Captain Grotty speaks with the experience of over twenty years on ,that coast, and says that in all that time he has never yet seen a boat beached on th stretch of coast on which the. Indra--1 barah is lying g?t off. Even a very much smaller craft in the Fusilier once grounded on x-he .Rangitikei beach, and -has remained there ever since. The Terawhiti and Stormbird, it was stated, had got alongside the stranded steamer, ibut this: is incorrect. The Stormb'ird was always at least some 300 yards ofF, and Captain Crotty says she had then only some 16 feet f' water beneath her. In his opinion it would be unsafe for small boats to go much further in as it was very probable they would find the sand if they did. The Isndrabarah is firmly embedded in the sand, and once the hard crust on the beach is broken through the sand below becomes alive. The Tyser boat, though still well out of the water, is burrowing deeper every day, and every day encircling sand rises about her hull.' "It's my private opinion, that no matter what money is spent in the attempt the Indrabarah will remain where she is. She may work a little further, up the beach. At the present time I should judge there is not'bit of water under hetr. Seen from well off with her stacks smoking she presents the appearance of sailing up the coast, but I feel that there is no hope for this big boat. If my craft could not get within, say, 200 yards of the shore safely, what chance is there for such a vessel as this?"

PLACING THE ANCHORS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) ' WANGANtJI, Last Night. The tug TerawhTfci arrived at Gastlecliff to-night and proposes to sail early to-morrow if the weather permits. At the- present time the predicted gale is rising, and it is very likely that she will remain in port. The Terawliiti placed a hig anchor on Saturday and yesterday placed the one which the Stormhird brought fromi Wellington. The beach is describcs as being alive at high tide to-day, and the opinion was expressed that coaxing operations , to-morrow night, if the weather be favourable should be fairly successful.