EVENTFUL VOYAGE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 29, 29 October 1934, Page 8

EVENTFUL VOYAGE

Experiences of Steamer Armadale MORRO CASTLE DISASTER / One of the vessels that went to the rescue of the passengers and crew of the' tourist liner Morro Castle when she was destroyed by fire, with heavy. Joss of life, on September 8, was the motor-ship Armadale, which is due at Wellington this afternoon from New York, via Auckland. However, the Armadale’s services were not required, and, after stopping for about half an hour, she resumed her voyage to New York to complete loading her present cargo. No call for assistance had been received from the Morro Castle, and it was by accident that the news of the tragedy reached the Armadale, which was only 30 miles away from the burning liner. Particulars of the tire and rescue work were being broadcast by wireless 'stations on shore and were heard by Mr. W. R. Mackie, the chief engineer of the Aramadale, when he was listening-in with his cabin set at six o’clock in the morning. He reported the matter to the captain of tbe Armadale, which was then driven with all speed to the scene of the disaster, where she arrived three hours later. The Armadale stopped about’half,a mile from the Morro Castle, which was then ablaze from the bridge to the stern. The burning vessel was at 'anchor and had swung head to wind, which blew the flames and smoke away from the forepart'of the doomed vessel, where a number of people cOuld be seen moving about on deck. ■ Over 200 members of the crew and passengers had been rescued by- the vessels Andrea F. Luckenbach, City of Savanah and Monarch of Bermuda, which were about to depart with the survivors when the Armadale arrived. Small vessels, including a coastguard cutter and a pilot boat, were cruising around the liner, which was afterward towed ashore, burning fore and aft. This was the second time the Armadale had gone to the assistance of a vessel in distress. She was one of the vessels which answered the S.O.S. call and stood by when the Union Company’s liner Tahiti foundered in the Pacific in August, 1930.'

The Armadale’s present voyage has been unusually eventful. Besides going to the burning liner, s he has had two accidents. When she was swinging at Balboa she rammed the wharf with her bow and twisted about 12ft. of her stem. Temporary repairs were carried out before she left Balboa, but the stem will later be taken off and straightened. The second accident occurred when the vessel was arriving at Auckland on Thursday night. One of tlie cylinder heads of the engines cracked and a spare cylinder head was fitted in its place while the vessel discharged cargo at the north port.