A STEAMER ADRIFT.
;; Per Press Association. •- WELLINGTON, June 3. Captain Watson, of the steamer 'Bleriaeim, which arrived to-day,., reports' that he picked up the steamer Woottdii disabled 1 m Cook Strait. Ihe Blenheim towed the Wootton to the vicinity of Cape Palliser, and then had to let her go, owing to shortness of ipoal; : , ' , The Wootton had a sea anchor out "•when the Blenheim steamed away. The Wootton (Captain Scott) is a wooden vessel of 150 tons, owned ] by the Kaiapci Shipping and Trading Company. She . left Wellington last . Thursday for Nydia Bay (Pelorus Sound) and Lyttelton. :Captain Watson states that .he crossed the Wairau bar at 4.35 p.m. 'yesterday. At 6.20 p.m. he sighted a vessel ■m distress; She was carrying t.wo-red lights, firing rockets, and exhibiting flareups. On drawing near her, ebme" seven miles out of his course to the. south-west, Captain,-. Watson as : 'certained that it" Vas-;:the Kaiapoi steamer Wootton:;..He spoke the vessel, and asked if he: could fender any assistance. Those on: board said the phip:had broken down,r.ilwidr ; aßked to vto towed to WellingtoniGnlWiith great difficulty the Blenheim drawq alongside near enough to throw a line torn board. 'A, stiff N.N.W. sea was running at the:'time', and made towing extremely ■hazardous., Captain Watson cou,lp?,?noli discover the precise details, asithtfee ©a board both vessels were tooiljiasy with the towing operations. ■' \ .r: The Blenheim towed the Wootton till 6.40 this morning, and she; castoff then about eighteen miles south of Pencarrow. There was then a heavy north-west gale blowing through the strait. Captain Watson had to leave the Wootton. where she was, .because 'he had not enough coal to take both •vessels into Wellington. The weather iwas 1 making the passage very slow, as the vessels were against a strong head "•■.wind all the time. , o The tug Ducp left shortly after 2 o'clock and returned between 8 and •9 to-night. She reports having searched .fhe coast line for-22 miles south oi v Eencarrow,. but, saw no traces of the •Woottpn- Those ,on board ; the Duco could see several miles further along the-coast. There was a, heavy galo blow--1 ing, with a..heayji sea. *'i- TThe st^ari^er .Duchess .will probably be despatched "'to search to-morrow ievening. "."-.-. - . .
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Bibliographic details
Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7813, 4 June 1909, Page 3
Word Count
367A STEAMER ADRIFT. Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7813, 4 June 1909, Page 3
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