THE WRECKED DEVON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume xxv, Issue 10713, 29 August 1913, Page 5

THE WRECKED DEVON.

• .. . . » '—— SURVEY OF THE VESSEL. A CONSTRUCTIVE TOTAL LOSS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night.

. The members of the crew of the wreckejd steamer Devon to-day recovered their personal effects, which were lowered into a small boat lying alongside. This afternoon Mr Archibald Walker (Lloyd's surveyor) made an examination of the wreck. He finds that the' Devon is a constructive total loss, which means that even if she could be got off the rocks, the cost of repair would be too great to make it worth while. She lies on a reef which runs diagonally from a point 120 feet from tho stern ah the starboard side to a point 160 feet from the stern on tho port side. Thus thirty feet of the vessel is resting on the rocks. The reef sets up about four to five feet from the , bottom. Soundings (show a very even grade on the bottom, from 3J fathoms at the bow, to about five fathoms at the stern at high tide. The contour of the hull is unaltered. The transomd of the counter is flattened in, and the decks have started. Numbers 4 an<3 5 hatches are burst open, indicating that the bottom of numbers 4 and 5 holds are up starboard. The boiler has been raised, indicating that the bottom from the stokehold aft is set up. There is only 10ft of water in No. 1 hold and a lot of the cargo is therefore uninjured. No. 2 hold is empty. ,In the lower holds (Nos. 3 and 4) the" cargo, which is principally rolls of newspaper and general merchandise, is under water but the cargo in 'tween, decks is saleable. If there is. no change in the weather, the salvage of the cargo should be secured without any trouble. There is no chance of the vessel breaking up for many months, except in exceptionally heavy weather. Although the d&ek-hotises are bound i is|pgo, it is possible to remove the -winches, refrigerating machinery, flteampipes, and fittings • throughout. The local agents for the owners have received a similar report from Capj tain G. T. Hull, which has been I transmitted to them. A reply giving instructions is expected to-morrow.