THE PERTHSHIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 144, 20 June 1899, Page 5

THE PERTHSHIRE.

VDDITIONA L PARTICULARS,

SYDNEY, this day. The Perthshire docks and dis-

charges cargo here

The first engineer of t'lie Perthshire gives an interesting account of the attempts to repair the propeiller.

The day after the breakage it was secured with chains. Owing to the difficulty of repairing, it was decided as preferable to wait i'or passing steamers. Meanwhile they removed the stern tube, and found that the breakage was at the after liner.

After they got the ends together they had much trouble, and it slipped several times.

He states that when the vessel was | picked up everything was working' ; smoothly. The engineers were of the | opinion that they would have had no ! difficulty in reaching port, and were greatly disappointed at bciing picked up, after so much trouble had been gone to in fixing it up.

While the repairs were proceeding the engineers had scarcely two hours' sleep a day, and barely took time to eat their meals. They considered that if the repairs had been taken in hand at the first, instead of waiting foi- a steamer, they would have been finished on May 9.

The fourth officer's private log furnishes an excellent account of the experiences.

The Perthshire met a heavy southerly gale after leaving Sydney, and when it subsided it left a heavy sea, in which the ship laboured heavily. When the vessel broke down, a boat was lowered, containing the chief officer and the chief engineer, and an inspection showed the propeller lying against the rudder-post. The night was dark, the sea high and confused, and nothing could be done with safety.

All sail was bent and set to a southerly wind

At daybreak the next morning the boat was again lowered, and the propeller, with much difficulty, was securely lashed. Every eifort was made to get the vessel into the track of the steamers, but she could get no steerage way. A powerful searchlight was rigged. The efforts to reach the track of vessels were disheartening, No sooner would they gain a trifle than the wind would shift to another quarter, and even the most patient of those on board were now becoming irritable, matters getting worse and worse. On May 6 the gale increased, the vessel labouring heavily, and rolling in the trough of the sea. After nine days blowing about they found that they wer,e only nine miles to the northward of their first posi-

tion. , On May 7 hope once more dawned, as the gale moderated, and they were enabled to make 37 miles north and east. In proportion, as they got north, their spirits revived, and they began to answer one another more civilly and look less miserable. On the- 10th they were just.six miles southward of the track men they <>'Ot on the track every eitort was madYto keep her there. They rigged a drag over the starboard-quarter but failed to get the vessel round. I hen they were continually tortured With the knowledge that the vessel was now drifting across the track, getting- further away. . On the 13th there was great excitement on sighting a sail, and they almost beg~a.n to think that they were the remnants of a great world on a Noah's ark expedition. The little schooner stopped by the Perthshire all nio-ht. Then, after the Whangaroa left them-, they were again in solitude. . All attempts to get the ship round failed. Up to this point the average drift was 17 miles daily, north and east. .'• ■ The 17th saw another gale, which caused the chain lashing of the propeller on the port side to carry away. The wind was still northerly, and they were nearing the Auckland track, and hope was renewed. They nursed the hope that they would be picked up for a certainty. The 24th was the Queen's Birthday, and they did not forget to wish Her Majesty many more years of happiness and a peaceful entry into the next- world when her time should come.

The 25th found them 30 miles from the track and a sail in sig-ht, but their •hopes were damped to find it was not a steamer. Then, after sending some messages, the Northern Chief left them.alone once more. Next day they had crossed the track.

..Potatoes had run out, and so had yeast.; but bread was made by utilising' som-e stout in some mysterious manner. The bread was black and scarcely palatable and weighed twice as heavy as ordinary bread.

The. Perthshine kept sending off rockets while in the track at night. On the 27th she was 60 miles northward of the track, or 920 miles of a drift since the breakdown, On the 31st, as. the captain decided they were drifting1 amongst the islands, something had to be done to repair the damage.

On June 1 a terrific southerly gale was experienced, and they drifted 73 miles, and were now 150 miles southward and westward of Norfolk Island.

. As the gale moderated, the engineers commenced the hazardous work oh the stern tube, which, owing to the fineness, of the vessel at this part, was extremely difficult. On June sth a weather stage was erected round the propeller, the men narrowly escaping being washed off the staging. They managed to get a packing round the shaft, and got the propeller hove into position. Then the Verajean hove in sight. On the Bth they were looking forward to a great trial of the propeller, and then the couplings were eventually .successfully placed. On the 11th the engines started, and they had covered 100 miles when the Tai•une was sighted. Then the great question arose as to whether they should accept assistance.

The captain went on board of the Tahine, and instructions were shortly signalled from the Talune to prepare, to tow.

Tlie Talune nearly massed her, as an hour later- she would have steamed on her course to Sydney.