ON & OFF.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1796, 8 July 1913, Page 5

ON & OFF.

INDRABARAH REFLOATED: HER ARRIVAL HERE. MAKES PORT UNO.ER HER OWN STEAM. Optimistic views, iWneJi. havo boon oil' tertaincd by thoso who understood tho situation during the wluole of tho 58 days that the Tyser steamer ludrabanah. has been aground on Kongitikci Death, liavo been justified. By tho aid of new and powerful gear, tho vessel was warped off the eand Into on Sunday, and (tendered by tho Terawhiti) camo on to Wellington'. She was signalled oil Wellington Hendfl at 8 a.m. yesterday morning, and berthed at the King's Wharf about on hour later. Thousands went down to see Ilea' during the course of tho day. Sceptics in 'lie first little knot of spectators who watched Captain Hollingsworth bringing lb.o steamer in were more than astonished when they saw tho liner approach the wharf jiist as though slio was an ordinary "expected." Sho looked woathor-beaten,' and tho plates (more particularly on tho starboard side) wore very rusty. This side of the ship had been exposed to tho sea for two months. Only thoso wh( had special permits woro allowed to go un board. Real Problem of Floating Hor. It is just a month sinco tho first hauling operations wero begun, and tho problem really was: how far had tho 6ind bankwl up l>ohind tho ship by tho operation of tho tides, for every objcct on a New Zcar land beach which lias any sort of southerly aspect tends to gather sand behind it at every inflow of.tho flood tido. At ono stage tlfc vessel becamo in a fair way to float'off. but tho oxperts' luck was out. A rather violent westerly gate brought up a heavy sea. Tho four uiooring-liiios of steel cabin snapped like twine, and tho ludrabanah was swept back to her former position. Undaunted, the salving party got to work a.nd presently new lines and cables woro in position connecting the vessel with certain mushroom anchors, The Terawhili meanwhile stood by. In duo course tho vessel was onco mows in readiness, and a second "haul" wae nvadio on the very top of the tido, but without success. At this stage reports concerning the slate of tho vessol becamo womowhat unreliable, Among other rumours was a somewhat important one, viz., that several of the steamer's winches had been severely damaged during the course of tho strain that had been put on them. Tho third big haul w made last wwk, when tho full straia of the ship's 6team was brought to bornx on th« fonr cables attached to fivo anchors. This presently began to promise well, and eventually it was seen Wiat tho steamer had begnntomovo bodily out to sea- . . Sunday's Winning Effort.

On Sunday tin? work went on steadily and. carefully. Tho tides were about 10 inches higher than in tho previous month (.hilie). On Saturday afternoon operations were rendered somewhat difficult owing to a southerly galo springing up, and tho Terawhiti was ooinpeHod U) stand ouit to eea. On Sunday afternoon tho Indrabarah had been pulled about a i quarter of a mile, and her stern was pointing straoght out to sea. Her position was then similar do that on. Juno 5 and G, when the galo suapped tho mooring-lines. llus wind had moderated considerably, turn what "blow" there was .was owning onshore. This and tho 6Woll of the sea made tho position very favourable for an exit over tho sand-bar. Tho propellers wore kept going to clear away the sajidi, but great caro had' to bo exercised to prevent the cables froin fouling them. At 9.30 p.m. on Sunday the vessel was afloat, but there was still tho sand behind the 6hip. It proved surmountable, however, and, in two hours, tho "bar" had been negotiated, aiid the vessel, after successfully slipping tho cables, was at last free, and in deep water. As tho vessel began to steam off, the crew of tho Indrabarah 1 cheerod loudly, and answering checrs came from those on. tho Terawhiti, while Point Farewell cheers could bo hoard, drifting over tho water, from enthusiastio workers and watohors on the shore, who had stood by for so many days salvaging tho jettisoned cargo. . Acoompanied by tho Union Comtrtmy s powerful tug Terawhiti, tho Indrabarah, under full steam, commenced an unovontful voyage to Wellington. Fair weather with moderate sea 9 was experienced, and despito tho foct that tho vessel's propelling power had been reduced about 25 per cent., owing to damago to tho blades of her propellers, she averaged eleven knotf during the voyage. Damago Not Disclosed. The reticence which is being maintain od by the officials concerned makos it difficult to ascertain the extent of tho damage. Both propellers have .been knocked about, and will liavo to 1m practically replaced. Probably tho plating on tho undcrsido of tho hull has also suf> l'ercd. , Stato of the Cargo.' Tho frozen mutton and beef on board are intact, a 9 tho refrigerating machinery was kept going all the time. A good deal of pelts, wool, tallow, flax, peas, and kauri gum was dumped overboard, but most of it has been recovered without serious damago. ' The deck of tho vossol, when seen yesterday, was in a very "disorganised" condition. From 1 bow to stern heavy wiro, hawsers were lying about. Iron and wooden blocks woro also plentiful, and the steam winches liavo ovidciice of stress The Terawhiti seems to have done well. Altogether, she laid no fewer than fourteen anchors, and nearly six miles of steel cable. There wero two six-ton anchors, two four-ton stockless anchors, two fourton mushroom nncliors, and one two-ton mushroom, besides a number of shore and ltedge anchors. Several of tho t latter were laid and re-laid as tho occasion demanded. Cargo, Re-lnsurnnces, and Finance of Salving. During tho timo that tho vessel was on tho beach, re-insurancos up to as high as 50 per cent, wero effected. AVhcn tho vessel went ashore she had <m board tho following cargo (its approximate vtiluo is given in .parentheses):—Mutton and lamb (X 34,100), beef (.£5000), wool (.CSDOO), pelts £15,000), kauri gum (.£22,600), tallow (.£7300), peas (.£2.200), and flax (X 1000). Tflio ship would l>o worth .£IOO,OOO. Tho loss incurred falls on t.ho owners of tho cargo and tho owners of tho ship and tho frcriglit, and usually such risks aro fully insured. A rough estimate of saving tho vessel is from £20,000 upwards. Tho salvage steamer Terawhiti's services alono cost over .£l2O a day. and she has put in a. great number of days' attendance on tHio Indrabarah. Then thoro were tho specially cast anchors and stool hawsers specially obtained, fiomo from Sydney, and many other heavy incidental expenses, which aro uiiascertailiable. In all, about two hundred tons of cargo wero jettisoned,' much of which was secured. All of tho jettisoned cargo, with the exception of the barrels, iiavo been forwarded on by rail to Wellington. It is likely that tho meat cargo will bo land-* ed here and reshipiied to London. Tho vessel will probably sail shortly for Port Chalmers, where slio will bo docked, and tho exact damage sustained ascertained. Tho date of tho magisterial inquiry, whicV.i is to be hold in Wellington, has not Vfrt been fixed. Arranfreinouls aro now being mndo for tho inquiry, raid tho dnto will probably bo announced to-day or tomorrow.