A COLLIER'S BREAKDOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 197, 18 August 1908, Page 4

A COLLIER'S BREAKDOWN.

, TOWTED BACK TO PORT. (By TelegrapU.—Press Association.) ' \ CHEISTOHUBCH, Monday. 9jj Considerable surprise was caused at Lyttelton yesterday morning -when it 'became known that the Blackball Coal Company's collier Petone was coming into port. The Petone had finished charging on' Sa-turday, aild sailed-at &..W/< p.m. for GreymoutH. The Mararoa brought the uew s tbafc the Petone was in tow of the Harbour Board's tug,'a fact which indicated tuat there had been a serious breakdown in the collier's a> '■' gineroom. Shortly after midday the Petone, wi-th the tug alongside, came inside the breakwater, and was berthed.

Outwardly, there was no sign of any damage to the vessel, but a "Prese" Tβ* porter ascertained that the crank shaft of the engine had broken in the after* bearing. There- had evidently been * flaw in the shaft, and the scarred and jagged broken ends showed that the break had gone diagonally. More eerioua than this, however, was the damage which had resulted to the engine*, the heavy solid bedplate of which was badly cracked. Ugly cracks were showing in five or six places, and the damage was to* garded by the chief engineer as being ttw most serious part of the whole affair* Everything had gone well on Saturday . night until 11.35 o'clock, when there w«| a sudden crash, followed by a heavy jar. As there was not the least chance of doing anything in the way of repair*, Captain Christian decided to tail-tit* steamer back to Lyttelton. A tqoare sail, trysail, and two etaysails were rigged up on the foremast, and the vewil got under way before a light north-wesi wind. The Petone was spoken by a smell < &slnng boat, which was on her. war u> the fishing grounds off Kaikourt, *nd which at once ran back and reported tilt accident to the harbourmaster. The mishap occurred about 33 miles from Lyttel> ton Heads, and the Petone had covered a little over 18 miles under sail when, *M was met by the tng and towed back to port. As the wind was favourable, she would have been able to reach Lytteltb* Tinder sail, but Captain Christian decide! to run no risks, and accepted the scrvvwi of the tug. ,''■''!•-•■