THE RESCUE

Northern Advocate, 25 January 1922, Page 5

THE RESCUE

H.B. STERLING WRECK.

GALLANT SEAMANSHIP.

AMIDST RAGING BILLOWS.

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The cruiser Melbourne arrived here Hast night with the passengers and •crew of the American schooner Helen B. Sterling.

The captain states that they had fine weather until Saturday, when a heavy sprang up with a high • sea. The ship was shortened down, •double reefed and hove to. At 5 a.m. •on Sunday the mainmast carricd away. Fortunately the wireless apparatus was = attached to the foremast and jiggermast, the other two masts being short<er. and the aerial was not damaged. The heavy seas caused the schooner to leak on the decks and topsides, and the seas constantly breaking on board prevented the crew from working the ,pumps, which arc on the main deck. The casualties reported previously only of minor cuts and bruises. After pouring oil on the water the Melbourne's cutter was launched, •Commander Wardhunt being in charge iwith 14 men. When near the schooner the cutter threw a line, by means of which with a breeches buoy all were transferred, being dragged through the \water for 60 feet. In the darkness and with the raging seas the task was one 'Of greatest difficulty and its success :is attributed largely to the commander's skilful judgment.—Press Assn.

PERSONAL NARRATIONS. EXTREME ANXIETY. SEARCHLIGHTS TELL OF HOPE,

AUCKLAND, This Day. Ac-counts given by the crew of the Helen B. Sterling show that the vessel met with heavy weather on Sunday last. At 4 a.m. on that day the mainjnast carried away. Apparently this •strained the vessel's timbers and let in a certain amount of water, while two ■of the hatches failed to hold and the seas which camc aboard leaked Into the hold. The wireless operator, Mr Shaw, sent "Out the first wireless at 8 a.m., followed by others, of a despairing nature, the of this being that those •on board were doubtful if the messages ■:were being received, the power on board being insufficient for receiving properly, though the sending capacity was adequate. The hopes of all on board the doomed vessel were raised by the welcome sight late on Sunday night of the of the Melbourne then -racing to the rescue. The lights were •discerned 50 or 60 miles away. When the Melbourne came in sight the schooner was virtually awash, -only the poop deck appearing above water. The Melbourne drew near the schooner and poured oil on the troubled waters to leeward between her and the smaller craft. A perilous time then •ensued in lowering one of tha wardship's cutters. Eventually she was got away safely.

The cutter went to within some 70 or ••80 feet of the schooner, which threw a line which was hitched on to the euttor. The commander of the cutter then had a breeches buoy affixed to a rope. 'This was sent aboard the schooner, when the rescue gear was fixed in readiness an apprentice was first sent -•across. Some of the ercw were then rescued in the same way, it being deemed inadvisable to bring off the women too early as the passage in the breeches buoy meant dragging them through the water for about 60 feet with the in- • ■tevitable consequcnces" of a wetting. Further, it was desired to thoroughly test the gear with the men. The last to be hauled into the cutter was the captain, though simultaneously almost the second mate dived •overboard with a rope attached to him ■and "'as dragged into the rescuing boat. Meanwhile the Melbourne had gone around to the windward side of the schooner and poured more oil cn the .sea. Both at this stage of the proceedings and during the Melbourne's thrilling race to the rescue every soul on l»oard the warship worked like demons. 1 After the survivors had been plaecd •aboard the warship, the whole operation occupying some two hour?, the .schooner was seen to be lying low in the water, heavy seas washing over her continuously, and it was judged that she must sink within three or four hours. The Melbourne had a rough trip to port, arriving at 10 o'clock last niglit. ;w!ien the schooner's crew were taken to the homes of friends or to the Sailor.-' Home.—Press Assn.

The Melbourne, which has a displace inent of 5000 tons, is one of *he four illght cruisers comprising the Melbourne class, her sister ships being the fiydney, the Brisbane, and the Adelaide. She was laid down at the Cnm-rncll-Laird yards in April, 1911, and