THE WHANGAPE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13250, 19 October 1908, Page 3

THE WHANGAPE.

~ « DANGEROUS REPAIRING WORK. (SPECIAL TO "TUB rBESS.") AUCKLAND, October 18. Additional particulars of th© drift, of the steamer Whangape after her tailshaft snapped on September 18th, when she was 232 miles from Capo Washington, Kadavu Island, Fiji; wero received on the arrival of the vessel at Auckland last evening. Early in the drift, so the story goes, the propeller dropped out to its furthest limits, .touching the rudder-post. So as to connect it with the tail-shaft again it was necessary to secure the _>ropellcr _ n position. A staging was lowered to within three feet of the wator. and on this Mr Stanley, chief officer, and t'ho boatswain and carpenter took up their positions to carry out the work. The waves rose above the staging, adding to the discomfort of tho men. A wire purchase was run round the boss of the propeller, which was got into position with difficulty. The carpenter had to caulk the stern tube to keep the water from entering the shaft. This was risky enough, but tho discovery that thoy were being followed by large sharks 10ft to 15ft long brought another element of danger into the work, and the feelings of the men can be easily imagined. Throughout the Whangape's drift sharks followed her, and several were caught, one being 16ft long. The Whangape's engineers managed to effect a temporary coupling of the tailshaft with main shaft, and when the vessel was picked up by the Tofua she was under easy steam. The Tofua took tho Whangape to Suva, where the disabled vessel was tilted up aft to enable the engineers to fit a new tail-shaft. On the way up to Auckland tlio Whangape averaged a speed of 8-J- knots per hour, which is very creditable under the circumstances. After discharging her cargo, tho Whangape will be docked to havo repairs to her stern tube effected.