TROUBLE WITH CREW

Evening Star, Issue 25849, 20 July 1946, Page 7

TROUBLE WITH CREW

CAPTAIN CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE DESTROYER ESCORTS COLLIER TO PORT (Rec. 10.15 a.m.) " LONDON, July 19. A destroyer escorted the collier Victoria Peak into Southend this morning following receipt of a request for assistance from the master of the vessel last night. "Mutiny aboard" was the message picked up by a naval station from the collier.. Police met the vessel and arrests are expected. The destroyer /Bleasdale 1 put an armed party aboard the Victoria Peak to guard the firemen's quarters. A ship's officer said: " Things looked for a time as though they might be unpleasant." The armed guard remained on board until the morning. It is believed that difference of political opinion between the firemen and the deckhands was the cause of the trouble. The ' Evening News' says a disturbance occurred after the- vessel left the Hook of Holland for Genoa with coal for Unrra. The police were told that the firemen let down the pressure, refused to wprk, ! and disobeyed orders to return to their stations. The fires went out. The captain called for assistance to settle the dispute and get his ship moving. The firemen eventually returned to work and the collier Teached Southend under her own steam. The crew comprised 10 English officers and.s4 Chinese.