TALES OF ADVENTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 48, 26 February 1923, Page 7

TALES OF ADVENTURE.

FULL SPEED ASTERN. (By "GULBRAXDSEN.") Marine enjtineors are hard-headed folk not usually given to idle fancies. Here Is n very remarkable story, showing how the llvps of -HHi men on board a larj;<> steaiuer were saved through the seemingly incomprehensible action—even to himself—o£ the young engineer on watch. What was the explanation? Wae it the hand of Providence, or was it a striking example of telepathy? Whether the ship was in her correct position or off her course, naturally no ori'j knew, for ehe had been mitigated by "dead reckoning" for tlie last two days. Owing to mist and clouds, there had been no opportunity of taking observations, but tnerc wa= no ground for assuming that she was "'out ,, and if she was, tiic error could not be more thau a. mile or so. She was a modern ship of 5,000 tons, well found and equipped, belonging to a Japanese company, and her name- was Remiji Maru. She was now about two days out from Hongkong, bound for London and other European ports, fully laden. In addition to Her o.vn complement, which amounted to nearly 10U otiicers and men, she had on board an passengers about 350 officers and men of the Japanese navy. These were going to England as a navigating crew to take over and bring out a new battleship that Japan had acquired. Jn round numbers, there were tome 450 men on board, but no women, and of this number there wens but five Europeans, all English—the Remiji's captain, first and second oflicers, chief and second engineers. It is with the latter that this narrative is chiefly concerned, his name being Edward Fergersen, and his age about 25. At the moment my story opens he was asleep, and nothing in his tranquil ieatures would have led even a physiognomist to infer that he had any characteristics other than mediocrity. On the morning of the extraordinary occurrence I am about to relate, Fergersen went on watch at 4 a.m. It would serve no purpose to describe the procedure followed in "watch-relief" beyond saying that the head oilers and stokers had reported to him that everything was in order. .So Fergersen, after he had returned the morning salutations of the "'off-going" engineers, intimated that lie "took over." With the exception of his oilers he was now alono in the engine room, and, true to his habit, commenced pacing up and down—somewhat like a caged tiger—-the strip of matting that lay on the 35ft oi platform in front of the engines. j Fergersen knew and loved his engines as a man loves his mistress. His halfhourly round of inspection embraced the shaft-tunnel and the stokehold. In the former he was in a totally different atmosphere, almost tomb-like, dim, cool, and damp. Here the noise of the engine room melted into a continuous murmur, replaced, as he got farther aft, with the swish of the propellers cutting their endless spirals through the sea. The silence, lowness, and narrowness of the archeu space gave a curious, eerie feeling of j oppression. | in the stokehold there was another contrast, especially in the night-watches. Sometimes, when the men were cleaning fires, he would linger in his inspection to watch them at their work. On this occasion Fergersen had re--turned to the engineroom, and, filling his pipe, resumed his walk. The next round was half an unless anything was amiss. He looked at the gauges. Yes; the steam was creeping up. "Good men, those firemen," he thought: "they know their work and give no trouble." He counted the revolutions. "Yes, just over sixty-nine—seventy in five minutes for certain." Every revolution gained, he told himself, shortened the time to England, and all that he was looking forward to. Undoubtedly the first thing would be to order a thick grilled steaK, with floury potatoes, and a pint of stout in a -tankard, and then apple pie with thick cream; yes, and then cheese, -with real fresh butter, and perhaps another tankard. He smiled as lie thought of the jolly time he would have when in London. Suddenly both his thoughts and It is walk stopped abruptly. Turning quickly, in two strides he had grasped the reversing lever and jammed it down to the "Go astern" position. The reversing engine or cylinder always had steam, so the effect was nearly instantaneous. The huge engines quivered and shook as the enormous strain of arresting their momentum came upon them; they momentarily stopped and then started backward with gathering speed. What had he done? Fergerson still stood by the levers in a dazed manner. Thoughts rushed rapidly through his brain, each vivid and distinct. Yes; he knew his action would have smashed many engines, with a probable loss of life. Was he drunk or was he mad? Not the first, he knew; perhaps the second— and yet he could still think. But, hea- | yens! what would they say? This finished his sea life. He glanced at the telegraph; yes, there it stood, still indicating "Full speed ahead." He looked up, and saw above him the two oilers, with their hands grasping the handrails, bending over, watching him. His eyes travelled to the alleyway leading to the stokehold; and there he saw a small crowd of men staring at him—and well they might, he thought. All around him in their racks the polished spanners were dancing and jingling; the vihration of the ship was terrific, and as he noticed the vibation in the lamps, the inconsequent thought came to him of glasses dancing and breaking in the saloon pantries. Fergersen looked at the clock above the telegraph. Exactly 4.17; it was as well that he looked, he thought, because he must log it. The chief would be down in a minute or so, or he would whistle down his speaking-tube; no one could sleep in a vibration like that. But why didn't he stop her, and pull the reverse back? At that moment the telegraph rang clamorously. To and fro went the pointer I —Fergersen could see the matter was j urgent by the manner of its use on the i; ship's bridge—and finally it stoppod'at ;i "Full Speed Astern." The engineer stared jat it in a dazed manner, as if the order [ was superfluous, looked at the cranks— , yes, quite all right; they were going i! astern, and also faster than they should, 1 but he didn't attempt to check them. A , ; moment or two- after the telegrapn • ■ clanged out again, with the pointer comI ing to rest in the "Full Speed Astern - ; position. Fergersen looked asain at the ■ reversing lever and cranks, and muttered, ' "Curse the fools! Why, she is going • astern." Again, for the third time, it j rang. Fergersen went over to answer it and found that the answering handle was in the former or "Full Ahead" position. ■ He swung the handle over and the clami our stopped. This action seemed \o recall him to himself, and he eased the 1 speed slightly, for really the vibrations were awful.

He looked up again to the platform above him; the oilers had returned iv their duties, apparently satisfied now that they saw tlie telegraph-pointer corresponded to the direction of the engines, tie gave a curt answer or two, and glanced at thu steam-gauge to see that Uie pressure was all right. What tne trouule was on deck did not concern him much; what worried him was the insistent questions—"W ny had he reversed without orders?" and 'Why did the oraer come about twenty seconds alter he had reversed," He knew it could not have been much more, or even less, for he had counted at least ten revolutions after he had reversed, and then the engines were turning hardly more than fifty to the minute, and alter that he had noticed the men watching hfm.

While he was thus trying to account for these things that troubled and worried him, he lelt the platform heave and then move from under him. ' Involuntarily he took a stop forward to save himself from falling. Then came a bump, and then another; and the vibration, which had lessened, ceased entirely. Now he knew the ship was aground; of this he v. as sure, for he had been aground before. Fergersen signed to an oiler, who evidently knew that something serious had happened, for he came at the double. Fergersen told him to call all the engineers to the engineroom as well as the eight-to-twelve watch that had lately gone off to stand-by on deck for orders. He then whistled up the -chief engineer's speakingtube and told his superior what had occurred and of the steps and orders he had taken and issued. The old chiefs reply was characteristic: Fergersen was to "carry on," do the best he could and look to his pumps, and, if he could spare them, send him two or three men. It was still too dark to see what had really happened, he added, but as soon as he could find out he would let him (Forgersen) know. Fergersen glanced at the clock. It was 4.20; three minutes had gone since he reversed.

Extra pumps were put on, but it was of no use, the water gained steadily, and they knew that the ship was either

"holed" or had sprung a big leak. As yet Fergersen had received no reports from the deck about the water in the holds; these would come soon enough, he thought.

He looked upward to the ekylights, and saw that dawn %vas just breaking (it was now about 5 a.m.), and as the water was now rapidly gaining be thought lie would go on deck and see if the pumps were discharging their full bore, and also to speak with the Chief, whom he had not seen since the grounding. Everything below was all right, except for the rising water, so up he went.

Although he had not been gone more than five minutes the water on the starboard side was nearly awash with the footplates when he got back to the engine room. He had the bilge injection connectetj, but even this did not help, and soon the cranks were dipping at every revolution and picking up the black, dirty oil and scum floating on the surface, throwing it in showers over the engines and everything near. Fer'gersen instructed the "third" that nobody was to leave the engine-room, without his orders, and then returned to the stokehold.

■ It was not long before the water was above the footplates and was fast rising to the ashpits of the centre furnaces. He went back to the engineroom and reduced the revolutions a little, for he could sec now that all efforts would be nearly useless, because very soon the fires wouM be put out. and it was as well to let them have steam on deck as long as he could.

By this time the engineroom was a veritable shower-bath; every man, including himself, was soaked and dripping with oil and water. The "third. , in obedience to his orders had taken up a position on the ladder, and was vainly endeavouring to light a sodden cigarette; the others were splashing about knee-deep in water. Fergersen returned once more to the stokehold, and shortly after the ship again slightly listed and suddenly submerged the starboard wing and centre fires. This sudden quenching of the roaring fires was similar to a mild explosion; he looked above through the fiddleys and saw the funnel belch out a huge dense volume of smoky steam and ashes. "They will know what that means!" he thought as he saw it.

The steam-pressure fell rapidly, so he again reduced the revolutions. He himself saw no use in going on. "Why not let the men go and give them a chance if anything is going to happen?'' he thought; but orders were orders, and they must stick it for a bit yet. It was not long, however, before other THres were out, and again the steam fell rapidly. He moved "from the stokehold ladder steps, where he had stood, and made a sign that all was over. Up went the men quickly, orderly and silent: not one had attempted to leave without permission.

Tn the engineroom the engines were still running, although slowly. Fergersen did not speak, but nodded his head towards the ladder. The gesture was understood, and up they all went. Fergersen shut the main stop-valve to save the remaining steam for the deck. He looked at the clock. It was five minutes to six—the shortest watch he had ever kept, and his engines were stopped for ever.

Fergersen could not dismiss from his mind the events of the morning, especially what he now called his fit of mental aberration. As they were returning together from the Captain's room, his Chief noticed this silence and asked the reason. Fergersen then told him of the whole affair.

The old gentleman (he was over sixty) thought for some time before he replied, and then said that the only possible explanation he could think of was that he (Fergersen) was overwrought by the suddenness of the accident, and that his imagination had played a trick upon him.

Fergersen wouldn't have this, for he knew different, and maintained that what he had related undoubtedly occurred. While he was trying to convince his superior he noticed one of his oilers on the deck, and immediately suggested to his Chief that ho should call and question him. for Fergersen knew that the man had seen all that happened.

The Chief did so. and Fergersen walked away, in order that the man should not be influenced by his proximity. After he had seen the oiler depart he rejoined his Chief. "Yes." said the Chief, "the oiler confirms what you say. I asked him in Japanese if you did reverse without orders from the telegraph, and he said you did. I then asked him what his thoughts were when he saw your action, and it pains mc to say. Fergersen. that his reply was that he thought you were either drunk or ill."

There was a slight twinkle in the old eentleman's eye as lie saiil this, and then he continued: "I asked him also how long was the time between the reversal and the ringing of the telegraph,

and he answered that it wag quite ft minute, but few men can estimate small fractions of time, and these people possibly least of all, and no doubt the period you mention is far nearer tae mark."

They walked in silence for a time, and then the Chief broke in with: "It is the most providential thing I have ever known or heard of, and I believe you will think the same when I tell you that they took soundings before trying to put the kedge-anchors out and found forty fathoms (two hundred and forty feet) a ship's length ahead of us, and more the same distance astern. The ship is evidently resting on her middle on the very narrow apex of a steep shelving rock, and it would seem that had you not reversed when you did we should have struck, ripped her bottom out, gone over and sunk like a stone in three or four hundred feet of water, and every man now alive woo Id be in Eternity! "We can thank God," he added, in a quiet little voice.

The Remiji's chiefofficer kept the four-to-eight watch on the bridge, and it was he who had been on watch when the ship went aground.

Fergersen, although wishing to speak to him all the morning, did not have an opportunity of doing so until nearly Funch-time. He then met him entering his room to fetch some personal belongings that he wished to take with him in the boat which would shortly put off,' under his command, on its long and hazardous voyage to seek assistance for those left on the ship.

Although they had only known each other since joining, they were on very friendly terms and good shipmates; co when he had told him of his wish to speak to him, Fergersen accepted the invitation to enter his room and have a gin and bitters before lunch, especially as they both tacitly knew it might be the last drink they would have together. After they had drunk to each other's luck and safety, Fergersen requested him to describe the sighting of tne rocks, and what occurred on the bridge that morning.

Barriford, the chief officer, complied readily, and said that he was doing the customary pacing up and down the bridge, occasionally glancing at the compass and keeping the usual look-out on either side and ahead, when he heard a shout from the "look-out" man in the bows. He could not catch exactly What he said, 6O he leant over the front rails to hear more distinctly. The cry was "Breakers ahead!" Barriford gripped the rails and stared ahead for all he was worth, and dimly saw through the darkness the white water breaking over something, he did not know what. It appeared to be the same on both sides. He did not dare to try and turn the ship: she would not have answered the helm quickly enough. He was* horrorstruck, and could not even relax 'his grip of the rails; he could neither ehout nor speak. All that he thought of was: "Oh, if the engines would only igo astern!" This thought was so insistent and etrong that be seemed to grasp the rails the harder. Then he felt the ship vibrate and shake; this brought him relief, for he jumped immediately to the telegraph and rang "Full Speed Astern." He rang it very hard —so hard, in fact, that he thought he had broken it, especially as he got'no answer. "Why was that, Fergersen?' he asked, interrupting hie narrative. Fergersen then tolcl him what had occurred below and explained how he had reversed before getting the telegraph signal, and that the vibrations were the result. He further pointed, out —what Barriford could now easily see—what the result would have been if he had not done so. Barriford was silent for a moment, and then said, "By heaven! It was the hand of Providence." Fergersen, 'however, had his own ideas on the subject; he thought it might be telepathy, but was not sure. Both the boats, favoured with smooth seas and a fair wind, reached their destination in safety and procured assistance, which arrived in the form of a speciallychartered relief ship, which took off the whole crew (with three exceptions), after they had been on the wreck ten days.

From observations taken on board it was found that the Remiji was forty miles to the westward of her proper course.