BROKEN DOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 197, 18 August 1908, Page 5

BROKEN DOWN.

HAWEA'S DANGEROUS POSITION. DRIFTING TOWARDS THE REEE ANOTHER BOAT LANDS. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright-! SYDNEY, August 17. A boat from the Union Company's steamer Hawea, which is adrift in the Pacific with a broken propeller, landed on South Solitary Island, near Clarence River, to-day. The island is not connected by telegraph, but signals state that the boat is in charge of the chief officer, and that she left the Hawea on August 10, in lat. 29 deg. 15 mm. south and long. 154 deg. 57 mm. east.

The captain, the message states, requested to be immediately assisted, as he feared the vessel would drift on to the reefs to the northward of Lord Howe Island. The chief officer stated that the vessel's longitude position will probably be affected by the recent south-west gales. The occupants of the boat landed greatly exhausted. . NEAR THE MAINLAND. POSITION WHEN BOAT LEFT. (Received 5.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The Hawea's boat, which landed on Monday, contained the chief officer, Mr. Irwin), the third engineer (Mr. Kitson), and seaman Pascoe. According to the position given by Mr. Irwin it appears that the Hawea was less than a hundred miles from the mainland, due east of Byron Bay, iv the northeast of New South Wales, when the boat left. Recent gales have doubtless driven her many miles seaward. The opinion is entertained here that the Hawea has been already picked up. THE MOANA'S SEARCH. HAWEA NOT SIGHTED. The Union Co.'s steamer Moana, which arrived from Sydney this morning, made an extensive search in the vicinity of Lord Howe Island for the disabled steamer Hawea, but. did not see any sign of the missing vessel.

The Moana left Sydney on August 12, two days after the Hawea was come 90 miles east of the Clarence River, as reported in to-day's cables. The Moa.na proceeded direct to Lord Howe Island, and was never within a couple of hundred miles of the Hawea. While the Moana was proceeding along a northeasterly course from Sydney to Lord Howe Island, she was leaving the Hawea astern, many miles to the north'ard. But this was the route mapped out by the head office of the cornp.nny, it being thought at the time the lioana left Sydney that the Hawea would not get so far west as the position indicated in the above cable. After leaving Sydney, the Moana encountered a heavy easterly gale, which no doubt hurried the Hawea on towards the Australian coast. The Hawea broke her tail shaft between Lord Howe Island ajnd Norfolk Island on July 30, and has been adrift ever since. In the opinion of Capt. Newton, of the Moana. the Hawea probably drifted between Lord Howe Island and Elizabeth Reef, which are 97 miles apart, or between Elizabeth aod Middleton Reefs, which are separated by 27 miles of water In discussing iiie probabilities of finding the Hawea, Capt. Newton said that, according to the position she is reported to have been in on August 10, she would then be about 90 miles off the Clarence River. With a continuance of the easterly winds she would ietch up somewhere near Brisbane; but as it now seems that the wind has changed to W. and S.W., she would drift north, in which case it will, he said, take a Philadelphia lawyer to locate her. Had the Hawea got 30 miles nearer to the Australian coast, she would have mot with the southerly current, which would take her down to about Newcastle, where she would be more likely to be picked up. The Moana arrived off Lord Howe Island on August 14. She dropped anchor at 4.30 a.m.. and, although she waited there until 7.30 a,m., the twelve members of the Hawea's crew who landed there did not come off to the steamer. . The whistle was blown, and rockets and guns fired, to attract their attention, but they heard not. A boat from the island came, off to the steamer, and it was ascertained that the men were stopping at various houses all over the island, and would not be able to assemble in time. Capt. Newton left instructions that the men. were to proceed to Sydney by v steamer due to call at Lord Howe Island to-day. After leaving Lord Howe Island, the Moana proceeded north to search the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs for traces of the steamer, but found none. In years past numerous wrecks occurred on these reefs, but Captain Newton states none now remain, with the exception of the old ship Arizona. The Moana spent a day in searching the reefs and the open sea for a considerable distance to the north, and nothing being seen of the Hawea, Captain Newton followed out instructions by coming on to Auckland direct.

While the Moana was conducting the search for the Hawea, a number of the crew was stationed up aloft in thp crow's nest. On one occasion the look-out righted a' French barque seventeen miles away. The Moana steamed up to her. and ascertained that nothing bad been seen of the Hawea. Then a Tyser steamer, bound for Brisbane, was passed in the night. She wm not signalled, as it Was evident from the fact that she passed without speaking that she had not fallen in with the Hawea. The Flora and other steamers are out searching for the Hawea. THE OVERDUE AEON. The steamer Aeon i≤ now some 20 days overdue on the passage from. San Francisco to Auckland, and no tidings of her whereabouts have been received since the Atna reported that the Aeon was IS days overdue at Apia on the 4th inst. The vessel has apparently met with an accident between San Francisco and Samoa, but as these islands are not connected by cable it will probably be some time before more definite raws comes to hand. The Union Co.'s steamer Moana, which arrived from Sydney to-day, sighted a steamer of the Howard Smith Co., which owns the A own, this side of Norfolk Island on Saturday last, end from the

movements of the steamer she did not appear to be on her regular course. It was thought on board the Moana that the vessel might he searching for the Aeon. When the Aeon was last at Auckland she was in charge of Captain E. A. Downie, who was accompanied by his wife.. The deck officers were: Chief, Mr D. Thomas; second, Mr A. S. Leek: third, Mr M. Lancaster. The engine department was in charge of 'Mr J. Mirrott, with Messrs H. Irving, W. A. Thornton, and M. Hastie. The vessel carries a Chinese crew, including sailors, firemen, stewards, and servants, numbering about 30.