THE DREDGE MANCHESTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 61, 13 March 1900, Page 4

THE DREDGE MANCHESTER.

S'; ; V ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND.

!\ A VOYAGE OS 1. OVER A YEAR,

The steam hopper dredge Manchester, "which was purchased in 1898 by the Lyttelton Harbour Board, put into the Auckland Harbour yesterday to have repairs effected in her engine room. It is now over 13 months since the dredger left Liverpool, considerably more than half the time being spent in the various ports into ■which she called. In Gibraltar alone the vessel spent 81 days, whilst 49 days were spent in Malta. For the. first four days the dredger experienced a hurricane, and had .to put into Waterford for shelter, proceeding on to Cork for repairs. From the time the vessel left Cork up-io her departure from Brisbane she experienced nothing stronger than a moderate 'breeze, tout-across'the Tasman Sea a strong'southerly gale was met. An average speed of about 5?, knots was maintained on the passage. The hoppers used for holding the dredged mud leaked considerably on the way out, and the pumps were kteipt' frequently working, but no danger was occasioned. Captain B. Morris, the master of the vessel, joined her at Singapore, Captain R. Morris, her former captain, leaving at that port. Mr J. Golgen, the first officer, reports:—Left Liverpool on February 6, 1899, and ran into a south to north-westerly gale immediately after leaving. This gale lasted for four days, the vessel behaving very well in ii.ihough some heavy seas were shipped. She put into Waterford for shelter on February 10. and left, after repairs had been effected, on March 30, proceeding to Cork to go into dry dock for overhaul and examination. Left Cork Sunday, May 8, had light winds and fine weather till arrival at Gibraltar on June 6. Lay there until August 27, owing to a defect in the;engine room, a general overhaul being given then. Resumed the voyage at 7.30 a.m. on August 27. Light winds and calm, sultry weather prevailed until arrival at Malta in September, and here the vessel was placed in dry dock, the Admiralty undertaking the work of overhaul. Left there at 10 a.m. on October 20, and had a continuation of fine weather until arrival at Port Said on October 31. and lay there until November 5. when the voyage was resumed. Fine weather prevailed through •• the canal and down the Red Sea until arriving tit Aden on 16th. Left there at 1 p.m. on the. 22nd, after the engines had again been overhauled. Fresh to moderate winds ■were experienced until arrival at Colombo on December 9, after al7 days' run. After another overhaul left on December 27 for Singapore. Arrived there on /anuary 4, •fter a fine-weather run. Lay at Singa-

pore for overhaul until January 25, when ! the anchor was again hove up, and the ; vessel proceeded on to Thursday Island , for coal, arriving there on February 11, ] and leaving- on the 13th for Townsvilie. j Anchored off Townsvilie on 17th, and took , in water for the boiler, leaving- on the j 19th for Brisbane, and arriving on Febru- | ary 21, after a smooth-water run. Over- ! hauled there, and on February 28 proceed- ! ed to Lyttelton via East Coast of New Zealand. Moderate winds from the northeast prevailed until the 3rd, when the! wind suddenly shifted to the south-east i and blew ;i heavy gale, with continual j rain. The vessel shipped heavy water, flooding the deck and cabins, but no damage was done, nor was anything lost overboard. On -4th inst. Lord Howe's Island i ■was sighted, and the gale continued until [ the Gth, when it began to moderate. Squal- ; ly weather prevailed on the 7th, the gale | boing again met with. This weather con- I tinued until next day, when the wind and S'-a went down. The Three Kings were sifthted on the flth, when another hard gAlo from the south-east wasmet. Sighted i Cope Maria at 10.50 p.m. on 9th, and! North Cape next morning, when the gale abated. Called in at Whangamumu on the evening of the 10th, owing to the weather looking bad and the glass falling. Discovered there that the feed pipe was cracked, and determined to run to Auckland for repairs. Left at 5.30 p.m. on Sunday, and anchored in Omaha Creek at 6 p.m. Left at 5.30 a.m. yesterday and arrived, at 11.30 a.m.