UNLUCKY VOYAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 130, 5 June 1933, Page 5

UNLUCKY VOYAGE.

DALCROY IN PORT. ASHORE ON CORAL' REEF. TRIMMER BURIED AT SEA. There is an old superstition among sailormen that to kill' an albatross is to invite bad luck, and the experiences of the British steamer Dalcroy, which arrived at Auckland with a sugar cargo from Java this morning, seem to bear out the truth of the time-honoured belief, even though it was an ordinary gull and not a stately albatross that fell a victim to a slug from an apprentice's air Tifle.. Since leaving England a few weeks ago the ship has lost one of licr crew by drowning and has been ashore on a coral reef in Torres

Straits. The Dalcroy, owned by the United Steam Navigation Company, Limited, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, sailed from her home port on- March 2 with a part cargo of coal for Java. Fine weather was experienced and the early part of the tramp's voyage was peaceful in the extreme, -Among the cadets of the ship there is keen rivalry as to prowess with an air rifle which belongs to one of the four youths, and between watches the lads often indulge in target practice. One sunny morning, when tins were being knocked off the top of the bulwarks by well directed slugs, the sight of a sea gull wheeling near the ship proved too strong for one of the apprentices, and an accurate shot dropped the bird into the ocean. The shooting, it Avas stated, earned a stern rebuke from the master, but doubtless the incident was soon forgotten.

Man Overboard. For two days the tranquility of the voyage continued undisturbed, but on the day before the steamer crossed the line the first of the master's troubles began. Early one afternoon a trimmer named J. lally, a married man with five childrejv who-was making Jbis first voyage

after over a year on the dole, went overboard from the stern. The alarm was promptly given and a lifebuoy was thrown, but It is stated the man made 110 effort to reach it. A lifeboat was lowered and the man picked up, but although he had been in the water only a few minutes he showed no signs of life. On board the Dalcroy artificial respiration was tried for two hours, but without result, and the man was buried at sea the same day.

The remainder of tho run to Sourabaya was made without incident, the ship's coal cargo was discharged, and a full cargo of sugar for Auckland loaded. Tho steamer, a modern freighter of 4558 tons, left Java for New Zealand on May 12, but further trouble was ahead.

Strikes a Reef. Early in the evening of May 21 the ship ran ashore on a coral reef off Dove Island, in the Torres Straits. "Tlie first wo knew about it was when we heard a noise like the anchor being let go," said a member of the crew, when describing the stranding this morning. According to a wireless message sent out after the ship struck, she was aground from her stem to about her foremast. Her engines were run astern for some time, but without result, and as the tide i fell the steamer listed to starboard. Throughout the night the Dalcroy remained on the reef, and at nine o'clock on the following morning, less than 141 hours after the accident, the ship got off under her own power.

Temporary Repairs. Although she was making water in her forepeak, no trouble was experienced in keeping the inflow in check, and the steamer headed for Thursday Island. On arrival at Black Rock Anchorage the services of Japanese pearl divers were enlisted to inspect the damage, which turned out to be comparatively small. Several rivet holes were, plugged, and a portion of the forepeak was concreted, and when these temporary repairs, which, with the inspection, occupied four days, had been completed, the steamer was able to continue her voyage. A pilot was taken aboard at the island, and the ship passed inside the Barrier Reef. The remainder of the voyage to Auckland was uneventful, the ship making good time.

Unlikely to Dock Here. When Captain A. E. Peck, master of tlie Dalcroy, was approached by a reporter this morning, /he ~ saicLthatihe

had been instructed not to make any public statement concerning the accident. lie said, however, that it was extremely unlikely that his ship would bo dry docked at Auckland. "If you get any information from anyone else it will be good luck for you, but bad luck for tiiem," lie smiled. Most men who follow the sea for a living take such things as strandings as being all in the day's work, and the crew of the Dalcroy, even allowing for the fact that they were under orders not to talk, appeared to regard the accident off Dove Island as an incident of little consequence. One young man told of having seen large sharks cruising lazily in the clear water around the reef, and confessed that ho would not have gone overboard at any price.- Another member of the crew spoke enthusiastically of the efforts of the Japanese pearl divers who examined the ship's hull when she was anchored at Thursday Island. "They wear only a helmet and jacket and have no need for a complete diving suit or weighted boots," lie said.

The Dalcroy sailed from Thursday Island on May 25 and covered the 2560 miles to Auckland at her normal speed, arriving early this morning. Discharge was commenced as soon as ship berthed at Chelsea. Until No. 1 hold has been emptied it will not be definitely known whether any of the cargo has been affected by salt water, but it is thought that this is unlikely.