"THERE FOR KEEPS."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 9

"THERE FOR KEEPS."

OCEAN TRANSPORT WRECK.

ASHORE OH PACIFIC ISLAND.]

VESSEL STARTS TO BREAK UP.

| "She is there for keeps," said Mr. W. P. Trenear, of Sydney, who arrived from Ocean Island this morning by the steamer Gambia River, in referring to the wreck of the steamer Ocean Transport.

The steamer went ashore on a reef at Ocean Island on Januaiy 30. Shej was owned, by the Empire Transport Company, one of the Furness Lines. She was under charter to Andrew Weir and Company, visited Auckland on September 5 of last year, and discharged a cargo of sulphur from Texas. The steamer arrived at Ocean Island on January 14 last, and was ready to load when she was driven ashore.

"The steamer is now starting to break up," said Mr. Trenear, "and a lot of holes have been knocked in along her 1 bilge. At the time of the mishap she was moored to a buoy and flying light. A strong westerly wind came up, and she was caught on the beam and thrown on the reef. There was no chance of anchoring, as there are 180 fathoms of water right alongside it. It was so rough at the tine that the launches could not go out, but eventually one

managed to get to seaward of the wreck, lines were run to the buoy, and an attempt was made to haul the steamer's stern off. All the lines carried away, and the steamer pounded so heavily that th% winches began to come out of the deck. Finally the salvage attempt was given up as a bad job, and the officers and crew went ashore. Mr. Trenear said that the Ocean Transport, by the merest fluke, missed going ashore at the boat harbour for surf boats and launches. The vessel's stern just cleared the entrance before she went on the reef.

The officers and crew of the steamer were hospitably looked after by the white residents on the island, and were sent back to Australia by the next steamer that called.