STAR OF CANADA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1912, Page 3

STAR OF CANADA

PUMPING OPERATIONS j BAD WEATHER. j SCENE OF WILD DESOLATION. \ [si' TBLicmApa: — press association.) GISBORNE, 29th June. * Pumping operations "were carried out in real earnest on board the stranded steamer Star of Canada on Saturday morning. The tug Terawhiti was mcored upon- the port or leeward eido of the vessel^ about' 7 a.m., and preparations for putting the tug's powerful pumps into operation was at once put in hand, the work occupying until well on in the afternoon. Th& moorings, arrangements for the Terawhiti alone wero a specimen of great ingenuity. A spay was uncoupled from the Star of Canada, and placed acres? the tug's, stern in keep her well off from the big ship's rolling side, and the tug's moorings also demanded a good deal of mauoeurving co as to prevent the strain coming upon the pump pipes. This work being completed, holes which had previously been cut in the .Star of Canada's side were opened up, the pipes were inserted, and_ soon a steady stream of water was being ejooted from the stricken .vessel's holds.,,' As on previous occasions when pumping had boen carried out, the- discharged water was thick with papa mud,' and on one occasion a fairly largo stone was brought % to light. The pumping was kept up for some hours, and there was then a noticeable diminution in ' the water in tho ship's holds. Taking advantage, then, of a favou:able opportunity, Captain Hart rang "Stand by" to th« engine-room, ana there was, later, a further clanging of the telegraph. The great engines churned at full-speed astern, but without avail. The ship quivered and groaned while ■ her engines worked nobly for a minute or two, and tho pumps forward never ceased in their outward pour of water. Hut the Star of Canada was fixed, and soon the engines were stopped, and the Terawhiti withdrew her pumps, and left for. her moorings out in the bay. , TEST 6ATISFACTOBY. If we may judge from expressions ot opinion on board, the test was a satisfactory one, and Captain Hart and others are quite confident that they will be able to hold their own with tho water until such time as collision mats can be adjusted over any particularly large, holes which may be discovered in the vessel's bottom. To this end collision mats havo been ordered from Wellington. About six o'clock last evening the se& was rather choppy, and a visit to the boat disclosed the fact that at- the how. the water was lapping perilously closo to tho portholes on the port side. , The seamen's quarters are partly, under water as a result of the subsidence of the vessel ' into the papa bed upon which she lies, and an inspection of this part of the ship reveals a particularly dreary picture. As already reported, the mea have evacuated their quarters, and others have now been provided for them in tho 'tween decks of No. 5 hold. The starboard side -of the forecastle, however, is, still in occupation. It is stated that most of the water in this part of the vessel is due to the opening of a storm valve. George Lloyd, tho diver, made another descent on the leeward side of the vessel on Saturday morning, and examined the point at which the vessel first camo in contact with the" reef. 'As far as it was possible for him to ascertain, thero was no damage at this point, even though the upward rfss ol- the stern permitted him to walk right under the vessel. HEAVY GALE. The weather continued calm on Saturday evening until about 9 o'clock, when heavy rain sot 'in, accompanied' by a strong- wind from tho south-east.' The wind gradually gathered strength until, about 4 o'clock yesterday morning, it had developed into' a.' strong gale, which increased a 6 dawn broke, until the wind swept into the ba,y with' hurricane force, lashing the waters into fury and dashing them with, a wild roar high upon tho. beach. As day broke many residents who had fcpont' a sleepless night listening to the howling of the gale, hurried down to the beach anxious to see how the stranded vessel wae behaving. It was a scone of wild desolation which greeted them. Great seas were racing, madly across the bay, and breaking in showera over the fore part of the -distressed liner, while ehej swayed and shook beneath each succeeding onslaught, at her five stout anchor Knee until these threatened to break, and to allow the vessel to be precipitated upon the rocks lying gaunt and .hungry, their, black noses peeping above the swish of foam further up the beach. PESSIMISM. The morning air was chill and bitter, but this fact notwithstanding, many hundreds of people put in an appearance, their numbers increasing as the bitter day wore on. In the> harbour there was gloomy talk among the men who were engaged unloading the cargo which had beea brought by lighters from the Star of Canada on the previous evening. There was scarcely a hbpeful word. v During the day a cart arrived with several odd-looking pieces of mechanism, intended, it was stated, for lowering the pumps further into the holds. The carter approached Captain Palmer, of the Hipi, which was lying rhoored under cteani. "1 reckon the captain's foolish if he takes tbat lot out in this sea," said a member of bis crew. "We had quite enough last Sunday, and thie is just about as bad." It was finally decided "not to \iake the trip until the afternoon, and when the afternoon. came and the weather had not abated, the trip was abandoned until this morning. It was soon noticed by visitors i,to the beach that the Star of Canada's sister ship; Star of India, which had put in on Saturday to take the stranded vessel's cargo, had put out to eea to avoid the weather, while the, Terawhiti 'was' also missing; having evidently pulled up her anchor and left the bay. Under the lee of Young' Nick's Head a veeeel could bo seen through the driving gale" attempting to shelter. She is probably the steamer ihuinata, which is due from Newcastle with coal. The weather shows no signs of abating, and it may affect the chances of salvage very seriously.,