SHIPS AND THE SEA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 107, 1 November 1913, Page 12

SHIPS AND THE SEA

WRECK OF A WELL KNOWN COASTER. S.S. EUROKA ASHORE AT LONG REEF. WhiUt proceeding to Sydney from Lake Macquarie early last week the well-known coaster Euroka sprang a leak, and, before any assistance could reach her, drifted ashore on Long Reef. She struck hard, and very soon filled up with water, her position becoming Buoh that she is regarded as a total wreck by some. Fortunately, however, tho crew managed to reach land safely in the ship's boat. From the story told by those on board it seems that for some time after she crossed out of Lake Maoquarie all went well. Then it was suddenly discovered that she was making water amidships, but the damaged spot could not bo found, ana after a littlo time, as tho inflow was increasing rapidly, signals of distress were hoisted. No assistance camo, and as night was setting in, and tho vessel settling down the captain deoided to abandon the steamer. This was done at once, and the whole crew set off for safety, giving the Euroka, which, it was assumed might explode, a wide berth. The Euroka was then about five miles from Long Reef, upon which she ultimately struck and settled down. Tho Euroka was at ono time owned by the North Coast S.N. Co., and plied between the North Coast and Sydney for many years with great success. Some little timo ago she was iiold, and, according to tho shipping records, was at the tim& of her loss, owned by Valentine Gearf, Ltd. She was a paddle Bteamer, and was built at Balmain in 1897, tho principal dimensions being:— Length, 120 ft 4in; breadth, 22ft lin; and depth, 6ft 9in. Her tonnage is set down as 170 gross and 90 net, ana she was of 30 h.p. WARSHIP BUILDING AT S^NEY. Delay hoe arisen in the construction of tho oruiser Brisbane at Cockatoo Island owing to the scarcity of riveters (says the Sydney Morning Herald). The naval authorities state that it has been found impossible to secure a sufficient number of men, although high rates of wages are offered. Nearly all tho materials for the cruiser and the destroyers aro at Cockatoo Island, and if the proper class of workman was offering good progress could bo made. At Sutherland Dook tho steps at tho base aro being removed, in ordor that clearance may bo given to the large bilges of the flagship Australia when ehe desires *to enter. There will be room for tho other protruding part* of the battleship. TO DISOVER IOEBERG-S. One of the scientifio staff of the old Dundee whaler Scotia, which after » five months' search for ice'bergg in the North Atlantic, returned to Dundee, has expressed some indignation at the rather rude manner in which people have spoken of tho vessel's adventurous cruise. He deolares that far from the experiment having been a failure, the etaff have obtained a great deal of valuable data regarding tho breaking up of tho pack-ice and tho movemont of the floes, and expresses the con1 viotion that it will now be possible, by studying tho atmosphorio conditions which govern tho ocean, ourronto carrying the ice, to discover tho position of the bergs themselves. We hope so, indeed (says Syren), otherwise the mdnoy spent on fit-ting-out and maintaining tho Scotia at Bea ■will have been to a large extent thrown away. 104 YEARS OF AGE. INCIDENTS RECALLED BY AN OLD SAILOR. Early last month Mr. Edward Munroe, an ex-quartermaster of the American Navy, attained the great age of 104 years. Although troubled by dizziness, he is able to walk without the aid of a stick between the rooms which ne ocoupios in London. He was born in Nova Scotia, and went to America when between seven and eight years of age. Speaking of his career he said: — "I joined the American Navy at 17, and for some years after that was engaged in pirate hunting. There were swarms of pirates in the Gulf of Mexico in those days. We oaptured one who was known as tho 'Black Demon,' because that was tho name of his vessel. His proper name was Velasquez. Ho was always taking ships and murdering the orows, and then 'seizing the valuables and burning the vessels. We had been hunting him tor a long time. It was either in 1829 or 1830 that we came across him in the open sea. She was flying the black flag, on which were a skull and orossbones. There were 200 or 300 pirates aboard her, and, although sho carried four more guns than our vessel, wo tackled her. After broadsides had been exohanged we boarded her, and after a desperate fight wo captured the oaptain and_ the orew. They woro taken ashore, tried, and hanged." Recalling the Civil War, Mr. Munroe said that he took part in very littlo hand-to-hand fighting. "It was all bombarding forts," he stated. "I was at Now Orleans, Charleston, and Savannah. _ I was quartermaster then. After leaving the navy I joined the merchant service, and my last voyage was on a merchantman to Mauritius 20 years ago. For five years after that I made journeys around the English coast, and on leaving the sea settled in London. I have been shipwrecked four times, the most exciting experience being off tho Swedish coast 22 years ago. The .merchantman went ashore on tho rooks, which knocked her bottom out. It_ was winter time, and for four days and nights we had to remain on the ship* as no boats oould get Out to us. Wo wer& rescued when the sea went down." In answer to a question about his health, Mr. Munroe said that two or three years ago he was knocked down and broke his thigh. "Something troubles me in the leg," he said, "ond I got dizzy." Mr. Munroe has remained a bachelor all his life, and has not a relative living. Ho enjoys a small pension. Another example" of quick despatch comes from Rotterdam. Tho g.s. Berwindale, from Galveeton, ontered the new waterway on the 16th at 2.50 a.m. with a cargo of about 8000 tons of grain. Discharge was begun at 7.30 that morning with four elevators belonging to the Independent Grain Elevator Company, and by 4 a.m. oh Sunday morning the wholo of tho cargo had boon discharged; Botween 7.30 on tho Saturday morning and 6 the dainc evening the elevators discharged 6050 tons, one of tho machines alone during that period (9 hours, after deducting breaks for meals) discharged no loss than 2083 tone. The American barquontins Lahaina, Captain N. P. Carlson, recently made the voyage practically from North Cape, New Zealand, to Mahukoma, Hawaiian Islands, a distance of 5000 miles, by dead reckoning, duo to tho chronometer beooming useless. When the mounting on the islands becamo visible tho barquentine was 'only thirty miles out of her proper position. ■ Of the large fleet of sailing vessels under ohartei to load new-crop gain at Portland for Europe, only two fly the Frenoh flag— l tho barque Jean, now in tho river, and Ernest Legouvre, on route from Glasgow with general Cargo. It is the smallest number from, that country to bo on the list for Portland loading in the last ten years, 'in former years, French windjammer^ almost monopolised tho North Pacific grain trade, thanks to ih6 sailing bounties. Tho Uruguayan authorities (says tho Times of Argentina) are beginning to play ducks and drakes i with their new port. Their last move is to issue a regulation that no more cargo is to come "to order." The reason given is^that the Customs thereby have difficulty in getting payment of the dues oh that cargo. Honce tho steamer is to bo made to pay tho piper again, because if sho brings cafgo "to Orddr" and the consignee does not show himself inside of eight days, then the steamship agent is to b<> made to pay up. As three-fifths of tho oargo for Monto Vidao is "to order," a right royal row is promised very soon.

A Raumati farmer, at a meeting of farmers at Dannevirks to form a cowtjstinp association, said such a procedure won u«olo«» unletts tho broad Arrow w«« • put on all culls.