SAFELY IN PORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 139, 15 June 1938, Page 5

SAFELY IN PORT.

DISABLED BARQUE. DAMAGE TO MASNMAST. STRUCK BY A SQtJALL. (B.V Telegraph. - I'rvss Association.) DINKDIN. rtie.-il.iv. Struck suddenly liy a squall, w liicli rendered Iter mainmast useless off the coast of Tasmania at 1.10 a.m. on June 1. the three-masted l-'innish barque IVihiiil'. bound from Port. Vic toria, South Australia, to the I'nited Kingdom with a cargo of wheat, began a half -peed journey, which ended when she was towed to Port Chalmers this a fternoon. Since early on Sunday afternoon the ship had been held lip outside the Otilgo Heads liy rough weather, and even today. when the tow was undertaken, the seas were sufficiently high to make the task of bringing her into harbour a delicate one. It is not known how long; repairs will occupy, lmt the condition of the main toptnaM t(*duv indicated that the work will occupy some time. With a fai wind In-hind her, the PenaiiL' was moviirj along; under full ■a ; I ihi ti . a ight uf dti tie I . said (a]it ain | K. v . Karl son, w lien suddenly she was [ lick by a si|tiall that literally threw ! her "ii her lieum ends. The main topmast. which was liroken in two places. | went overboard, and for live minutes or .-o the ship had a decided li?-t to starboard. the bulwarks being under water. Only the starboard watch was on deck I when the ship was struck, but as soon (is the mishap occurred the cry of "All I hand.- on deck'' was immediately given. | and no time was lo>t in lashing the broken mast and loose gear. The task j could have been made eai-ier by eutting I away the royal and upper topgallant yards, but Captain Karlsson made a point of saving: these and thereby minimising the 10.-s caused by the mishap. The Penally was in latitude 40 to . r >o decrees south, and about ">0(1 miles from Stewart Island, when she was struck, and Captain Karlsson decided to make for Otago Harbour for repairs, as it was in the general direction of his course for the I'nited Kingdom. The average speed of the ship hefnre she was disdbled was 10 knots, but the loss of the use of her mainmast reduced her rat,' of progress by half. She wins reall\' within striking distance of the harbour two days before she was sighted oil the Heads on Sundav.