LINER IN PERIL. PAPANUI STRIKES A ROCK.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 144, 15 December 1909, Page 7

LINER IN PERIL. PAPANUI STRIKES A ROCK.

BOATS GOT READY. r FLOATED OFF AFTER SEVERAL HOURS. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. (Received December 15, 10 a.m.) LAUNCESTON, This Day. The New Zealand Shipping Company's liner Papanui struck a rock, probably an uncharted one, six miles west of Waterhouse Island, at 8.30 on Monday evening. The captain is reticent, but it has been learned that the vessel, while travelling at the rate of thirteen knots an hour, was brought to a sudden standstill by a terrific shock. The boats were got ready. The barque Kassa, observing signals of distress, Went to the steamer's assistance, but the Papanui floated off easily, after being aground for several horus. The Papanui is a representative of the New Zealand Shipping Company's fleet, and is a single-screw steamer of 5548 tons gross and 4242 tons net register. She was built in 1898, at the yards ot "William Denny and Brothers, of Dumbarton, her dimensions being : length, 430 feet; beam, 54.1 feet; depth, 30.1 feet. It will be remembered that, the Papanui arrived in Wellington harbour on the morning of Tuesday week, the 7th inst., from London, via Capetown. She came only to disembark about a hundred and thirty third-class passengers, and the steamer herself remained at anchor in the bay. After rebunkering, she sailed last Wednesday for Beauty Point Tasmania, with a cargo of 2400 tons of railway iron for the Tasmanian Government, to replace the rails lost in the wreck of the Maori near Capetown. After delivery of this, the Papanui was to return in ballast to New Zealand ports to load for London. At mid-day to-day, the local office of the New Zealand Shipping Company received intimation that the Papanui Jiad struck an uncharted shoal, and that there was no water in the holds. She was drawing 24 feet of water when she left Wellington, and this would be reduced slightly by the coal consumption on the trip across. Captain A. H. Ryley, R.N.R., is in command of the Papanui, the officer© being: — Chief, Mr. A. E. Dunn; second, Mr. H. S. S. Curtis; third, Mr. E. Pattinson ; fourth, Mr. C. Loady. Mr. W. Jenkinson is chief engineer. Fires, rather than collisions or groundings, have been the Papanui's chief misfortunes in the past. Toward the latter part of 1901, while on a voyage from New Zealand to London, the vessel put into Vigo, Spain, in consequence of a very serious fire. Thirtyeight thousand carcases of mutton had to be thrown overboard. The damage to the ship was extensive, and all the cargo in Ko, 3 hold was badly damaged. In fact, the entire contents of this hold had to be jettisoned. In No. 2 hold, the lower tiers of frozen rabbits were damaged by water. The Papanui was again on fire when lying at the Victoria Docks, London, in April of this year. The outbreak started in the ''passengers' berths and spread to the saloon, also to No. 5 hold and to the main deck and hatchway. Four steamers, a float, and dock appliances were requisitioned to fight the flamen, but it was three hours before the fire was got under. Damage to the extent of £1000 was done to the ship. Subsequently the Papanui, after being laid up at London during the slack season, sailed for New Zealand in October last. Although both a passenger and cargo-steamer, she has now been thrown somewhat into the shade by newer and faster steamers of the same line. Waterhouse Island is a small island in Bass's Strait, a few miles off the western end of Ringarooma Bay.