THE CAPTAIN OF THE TALUNE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10388, 28 June 1899, Page 6

THE CAPTAIN OF THE TALUNE.

THE TOWING ARRANGEMENTS.

DELUGED WITH CONGRATULATIONS.

Captain Spinks, of the Talune, was af course among the first to be interviewed. After describing the course he shaped to find the Perthshire, and the discovery of the longloet steamer, he went on. to say: — "Arrangements were at once made for getting a hawser on board from the Perthshire, both crews working splendidly, and about 8.37 a.m. we were nicely under weigh at half-speed. Things went along smoothly, and the 14in rope hawser and 4_in "wire seemed to be holding all right, but shortly before breakfast on the 15th the weather became very rough, with sharp rain squalls, accompanied by a heavy head sea. I then began to have doubts of our chances of keeping together long, and at half-past 8 o'clock, amid much excitement, the tow rope parted, notwithstanding that all along the speed had been regulated according to the strain on the hawser. •"I got all the hands on deck at once. We were then about 480 miles from Sydney, south of Lord Howe Island. We decided to tow by means of the anchor cables, with 50 fathoms of wire cable between the cables of each steamer. Our chain was run out from the stern on the starboard side right along the promenade deck (wooden rafts being used to prevent it chafing the wood of the deck) forward to the fo'castle head, with a heaivy spring bent on to the cable, and! hove taut, so as to relieve the weighty forward. The heavy sea running made the" work of connection difficult and dangerous, and too much praise cannot be given to the crews, who worked like Trojans. A rocket had to be used to get the line on board, but eventually, f after a delay of nearly eight hours, about 3.46 p.m., the Perthshire signalled "All right," and we started easy ahead, bound ior Sydney, and up to 6 o'clock experienced a moderate gale, with high head sea. The ship pitched considerably- About this tune the weather moderated, with every prospect of a fine night, but at 10 p.m., the wind and sea increasing, andf-the ship straining considerably,. I reduced the speed of the engines. Very heavy weather continued up till midnight on Friday, the 16th, and the speed had to be regulated according to tbe roiling and straining of the steamer, but the cables, although tested severelvi held all right, and were well looked after by special watches. . . - • I found the Perthshire just 1005 miles out after leaving Wellington, and then towed her about 700 miles. The Talune had to stand a very heavy strain, especially in the engine-room, but otherwise there is hardly a mark on her from the cables, owing to the way in which my men worked. The officers, engineers, and men deserve a lot of credit, don't forget that, and I must say it was half the battle to have such a body of men to help mc." Almost before Cdptain Spinks could get off the bridge when the steamer berthed at tbe Union Company's wharf, he was besieged with congratulations, and. for some-time it was almost impossible to get near his room on the promenade deck. Telegraph messengers were continuously passing with cables and telegrams from all'parts offering congratulations. Almost the first cable placed in his hand was from the manager of the Shire line, as follows: —"In my private capacity, I offer congratulations on success." Taming to the "Daily Telegraph representative, and with a sheaf of telegrams in Ms hand, Captain Spinks said, "Well, this is certainly enough to make a man 1 satisfied. I certainly admit that I had a lot of luck when all is said and done. It is a strange thing, too, we bad on board the Talune as passengers several priests and nuns, and no doubt their good angels followed the ship. What touched mc a bit was when we first sighted the Perthshire, among the passengers who congratulated mc was a lady who rushed up, and after grasping mc warmly by the hand, rushed off at once to the piano, and played ."The Hymn of Praise." Curious -things occur at sea, but even this little incident, heightened as it was by aach place and circumstance, did not go unnoticed among those on board.