STORMY WEATHER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 72, 24 March 1906, Page 5

STORMY WEATHER.

MAIL STEAMER DELAYED. The weather conditions are still unsettled. The wind changed to the west this morning, with the result that the sultry weather of yesterday gave place to cooler weather to-day, although the gale continues. The steamer Clansman arrived from the North at 5.30 pjn. yesterday, some twelve hours behind time. The steamer was some four hours 1 late on the passage from Mangonui to Russell last Thursday, having been delayed by thick weather, which completely obscured the land a mile and a half away. The weather was so bad Jhat night that Captain Farquhar decided to remain at Russell that night. At 4 a.m. on Friday morning the Clansman left RusselL The weather was still thick, and the gale had increased. Tremendous seas swept over the vessel, which made very slow progress, averaging only four knots an hour to Cape Bret. Better progress was made during the remainder of the passage, as the sea became calmer. Port was reached as j above. Captain Farquhar says the wind was not exceptionally strong, but the I seas were tremendous, conditions which Ihe believes are the aftermath of the hurricane experienced in higher latiI tudes.

The Northern Company's steamers Aupouri and Waiotahi are harbouringon the coast —the former at Hokianga, and the latter at Opotiki. The s.s. Aponui's trip to Mercury Bay, etc., last night has been postponed until Monday.

ROUGH PASSAGE OF THE SONOMA.

The American mail steamer Sonoma arrived from Sydney at half-past eleven o'clock this morning, some thirty hours late. The steamer was delayed by a heavy gale, which she encountered shortly after leaving Sydney, and had to contend against all the way across the Tasmau Sea.

The Sonoma cleared Sydney Heads at 1.50 p-m. last Monday, and experienced fine pleasant weather at the commencement of the voyage, but at noon on the following day the first of the bad weather was met with. The wind increased quickly into an exceptionally heavy gale from the south and east, accompanied by high and confused seas, which enveloped the vessel in spray, and not infrequently washed right over the top deck. The water found its way to some of the cabins situated in exposed positions, but those occupied by passengers were not visited by the seas. One huge sea broke right over the captain's bridge and fell in spray on to the upper deck. Some of the water found its way through the windows of the smokeroom, and this compartment for the time being was flooded out.

The gale showed no signs of moderating on Wednesday, but had rather increased, and the speed of the boat had to be further reduced. On Thursday there was still no improvement, but on the following day, when the vessel was in sight of the New Zealand coast, there was a marked improvement, and the engines were again put at normal speed. The passage down the coast occupied longer than usual owing to the fact that the weather was very thick, and the wind had again increased, raising a heavy sea. The Sonoma proved herself an excellent seaboat.

Capt. C. F. Herriman, the master of the Sonoma, when seen by a "Star" representative, said it was the worst passage he had made between Sydney and Auckland since he had been in command of the ship. li We were perfect_3' safe; no damage and lost nothing," he said. Continuing he said that the Sonoma was slowed down for 34 hours. The wind first came up from the south, then changed into the S.E. and E., and afterwards veered to the N.E. and • N., bloTving a hard gale all the time. CAPTAIN EDWIN'S FORECAST. The following is Captain Edwin's weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. this day: "Strong winds to gale from the westward: glass rise; rain probable." On inquiry at the Museum this morning a "Star" reporter was informed by the curator, Mr T. Cheeseman, that the barograph did not record anything exceptional in the atmospheric conditions. Shortly after 10 o'clock the reading was 29.72. "That of course is low," said Mr Cheeseman, "hut I have known it below 29. At the present time the barograph seems stationary, and I am inclined to think that the hurricane has expended itself somewhere to the north. The change of wind indicates that its course has been deflected, but the weather of the last day or two shows we have been on the fringe of a storm. Of course Captain Edwin was quite right in telegraphing his warning, for had the course of the hurricane not been deflected it might have been a serious matter had it arrived here without the shipping being duly warned. Fortunately Auckland has escaped the force of the hurricane so far, and I should think it has now expended itself."

We are informed by Mr J. T. Stevenson, F.R.A&, that the probability of Auckland experiencing the tail-end of the predicted hurricane is now unlikely, but westerly gales with rain are likely to prevail all over the North Island during the next twelve hours, and the weather will be generally unsettled in the South Island. At 2.30 p.m., when a westerly gale was blowing in Auckland, the barometer stood at 29.70 with a downward tendency.