THE UNION COMPANY CONFIDENT.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11102, 22 October 1901, Page 5

THE UNION COMPANY CONFIDENT.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR KEEPING A LOOK-OUT. (SPECIAL TO "THS PBE3S.") , " DUNEDIN, October 2L The Union Company is confident there is no reason for anxiety about the Monowai, which. left here with a large number of i passengers, including Musgrove's Opera Company (69). She was very light, and if under these circumstances she encountered bad weather it would knock her back con- . eiderably. On the.other hand she may j have met with a mishap taller engines, al- !* though she has never had a breakdown sjnce.entering.the intercolonial running. It is also thought possible that the steamer has met with the same weather >s the City of Lincoln,, en'iountered after leaving Melbourne, compelling her to put into-Adelaide after losing 200 Horses. Though the headquarters staff of the Union Company do not feel any special anxiety respecting the safety of the vessel, they are taking energetic precautions to' allay public misgivings arising ojit of her non-arrival. ; Captain Spinks, of the Mokoia, which left the' Bluff this afternoon for Hobart and Mcl- , bourne, has orders to take double time (three j days) on his passage, aadto feave no stone j unturned in' the hope of coming across: the | Monowai. He has no positive instructions • as to which route he shall take, and. it. has I been; left to himself to do whatever he thinks i best under the drcumstaooes. '" Captain : Spinks is so thoroughly well versed in matters of thi* kind,.;and has so intimate a knowledge of the stretch of the <feea,n dividing the Bluff from Hobart, that he can confidently' be relied on to do everything that is possible in.the hope of falling in- with the f overdue red funnel liner.. Captain Spi_k« : has been further advised that the Westratia is due at Milford Sound from Hobart today, and it is therefore not unlikely that the Huddart, Parker Company's vessel may have seen the opposition steamer. Further steps are being taken by the Company'to provide every safeguard within.their.means by instructing the Herald, leaving the. Bluff tomorrow for Greymouth, to very sharp look-out on the coast, while the Corinna, sailing from Westport tomorrow morning, will take sufficient coal to last 'her for some days, and will zigzag across to Hobart. Captain ChatSeM, of the Monowai, is acknowledged to'be one of the most skilful ieamen m Australasian, waters. He recently piloted the Ophir in New Zealand waters. The Company have received advice from the other side that strong southerly winds have been ruling during the past few days, and if any mishap has occurred in the engine- ' room, with, a' head wind in her teeth, -the vessel would be considerably handicapped,. ; Captain Spinks, it will be remembered, picked up the disabled Perthshire a few years ago., , The reported mishap Monowai is causing much interest in Lyttelton, though the seaworthiness of the steamer aed the experience Of her commander, Osptaia- Chatfield, have allayed anxiety. Mr Parsons, acting third'officer,* two of the engineers (Messrs Ronald and McLean), and Mr John Pitcaithly (a passenger) belong to Lyttelton.