THE PAPAROA.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18680, 1 May 1926, Page 10

THE PAPAROA.

burning at sea. VIVID STORY. BY AN EYE-WITNESS. i«03l &CB OWS COiSSSPOSMST.) SYDNEY, April 16. A vivid story "of the burning of the Jsew Zealand Shipping Company's •teatner Paparoa in the South Atlantic last month is told by an officer of the steamer Barrabool, which arrived at Adelaide last week-end. The Paparoa cleared for Australia from Liverpool on February 20th, and all went well on the passage out until March 13th, when it was discovered that there was a fire in the main bunkers. Only fumes and light smoke proclaimed this fact and outward signs of the fire grew no worse during the next three days. Officers of the ship were just beginning to think that the matter woi i resolve itself into one merely of confined bunker fires 'Of a limited nature, when early on' March' 17th, events developed • with dramatic suddenness. Shortly before 4 a.m. the chief engines found evidence of a spread of the fire, and hoses were fonnd useless' to stem the almost incredible rapidity with which the flames spread round the hold. In a few minutes the firefighters were beaten back into the stokehold. The scene of efforts was then changed to the ripper, deck, which was the only remaining point from which'the fire could be tackled. ' Corners of a couple of hatches were lifted so as to give space for the hoses, ten of which were played into the hold below. The hearts of the sailors sank as they looked, down into the red mass-of flames. The crackle and hiss of burning insulation as it fed the everleaping crimson fury told its naked threat in undisguised terms to those men of the sea. but they professed not to hear it.' They sealed their ears, and . grimly; sought to ignore the prophecy of. destruction as'they waged the unequal struggle, and tried to.save the hatches from being burnt through, which would mean death to tho ship-

The. S.O.S. Call. But there was one • man who could not disregard the signs of doom. This waß the captain, and with the thought of the safety of those aboard lio sent out a wireless describing the plight of the Paparoa, and calling'for assistance. The only vessel near enough to give assistance was the Barrabool, 187 miles away, and she immediately answered tho call, which' was received shortly after 7 a.m. The whole' of tho crew turned out, and double banked the -fires.'' Speed was increased from ten to.'fourteen knots. . Meantime on the Paparoa, the upper hatches and tarpaulins had been burnt through, giving access to the swirling wind, which' fanned the fire into a roaring furnace, At 1.26 p.nj. came the burning vessel the laconics 1 message "Position hopeless." The Paparoa was sighted right. ahea3 of the Barraboql, exactly as expected and on time to the very minute.' It was' a'fine example of accurate navigation under unfavourable conditions.

When the Barrabool drew close to tlje doomed vessel, heavy banks of grey smoke- poured from one of. the holds round which a! cl uster of men worked with-hoses. The paint of .the . hulL.waa burnt off or hung in strips along the heated plating, which sent tip a cloud of steam as the ship dipped in the swell. The Paparoa. was heejed over to starboard at an angle of 18 degrees. The clieer of encouragement which Trent across the intervening water from the lusty lungs of the Barrabool's complement must surely have been more than a welcome to the blackened crew of the Paparoa. One of the Barrabool's lifeboats headed towards the sfern of the Paparoa while the parent ship acted as a floating breakwater. Everyone felt a thrill of pride as the small craft rode the big rollers, and rounded the stern of'the Paparoa. The Barrabool then took np a position on the lee side, and. more cheers rose from the excited passengers when the boat'returned with four passengers, sis! stowaways. '■ and an injured fireman from the Paparoa.

All Saved. ■ Before dark most of crew of the Paparoa had been taken aboard the Barrabool, but it was not until.lo. p.m. that Captain Wilde and the last party left tho burning ship. Then the flames were seen to flicker for a .few seconds, and the .boat' deck just behind the bridge, then the whole of the bridge and passenger structure'as far aft as the funnel burst simultaneously, into''a mass of flames, the cracklking of which was plainly heard by those oa the Barrabool. The instantaneous outbreak was so sudden that it hushed all conversation among the spectators. A few moments later a series of sharp explosions occurred on tho Paparoa, which was alight along th© whole midships block of passenger accommodation, which , flared like a -gigantic hayrick, up flames 60ft -high.Throughout the long night more than 1100 passengers crowded the decks of the Barrabool, and watched the burning shell-of the. Paparoa across, .the crimson flare-life water that separated the two ships. As the hours passed the roaring flames swept the Paparoa fore and aft until- at daybreak there remained, merely a gutted, blackened hull, still burning sullenly throughout The -officers of .the Barrabool obtained the ship's position,' which was broadcast, and the liner swung. slowly and left the dying hulk settled, deep in the water with the.port rail nearly awash. That was the last seen of the Paparoa Towards the end of the following "day H.M.B. Birmingham arrived at the scene with orders to sink the derelict, but found only a long line of partially bnrnt flotsam,' and areas of floating charcoal. It was the marine grave of the Paparoa.