THE DREDGE TIMARU

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 March 1907, Page 1

THE DREDGE TIMARU

The "dredge Timaru (says the Slav) has probably paid tin- last of her regular visits to Dunodin if the present nogotalions for her sale arc concluded ' satisfactorily. When the Timani Harbor Board had her built it * "ill not seem likely to be ever necosrary to dredge deeper than 26ft of water obainablc by the removal of the shingle in the basin ; but as they kept on increasing the depth of water the marine architects continued to do sign vessels of greater draught, until it was found that it the great ocean liners were to be catered for the bed ef hard blue clay beneath the shingle would have- to be removed. Although superseded by the new bucket dredge that came out last year, only because ef the hard bottom to be worked, the i Id dredge is still one of the best of her class, and can dredge to a depth of 60ft on a suitable bottom. The Strachan Harbor Board reckon she will bo suitable for keeping the bar char after- bad weather, and have sent over Mr Green, who is Inspector if machinery for the Tasmanian Government, as well as a member of the Beard, to inspect her with a view to purchase. On coming out of dock or. Saturday she was temporarily berthed at, the sheer legs wharf, until Mi" Green (who had previously sighted her bottom) came on board 'accompanied by Capthin M'Callum, Mr Bardsley (secretary of ho Timaru Harbor Board), and pilot Thompson, when she steamed down the bank opposite to the powder magazine to have the- survey finished by running the machinery and testing the sand pumps. After the pumps were start ed it was some time before the sand would stay in the hopper, owing to the doors not litting tightly, through her edges being worn by the shingle, she has been accustomed to work. However, after the leaks were blocked, she filled the hoppers with over 50(1 tons of sand in little over half an {hour, everything" ivork|ng satisfactorily and without a hitch. Tho visiting officials admitted the merit of the performance, and admired the ease with which she could bo handled Captain Tait, who was no less pleased than his chief engineer thai; she worked up to old form under test conditions considers, that she is as good as the day she left tho Clyde 13 years ago, for although not costing a penny through accidents or breakdowns, she has been kept in a thorough state of repair.