A NARROW ESCAPE

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 September 1917, Page 7

A NARROW ESCAPE

act of providence

SAVES A SHIP’S CREW

An instance of what, might be described ns an intervention of Providence was related in. Masterton last week by a man who was recently employed as a trimmer on a deep-sea

boat s-aysi an exchange. Not long ago the man —who, by the way, is unfit for military sendee owing to having undergone an operation U> his side —wa, s engaged on a boat carrying wheat from America to Italy, Several of the boats \n this trade had been blown up by internal machines, and great precautions were taken to prevent these machines being placed on board. On the particular boat under notice several detectives kept vigil during the loading operations', and it was thought when the boat sailed that she was free from anything - in the way >4 explosives. Shortly after leaving the American port the boat struck a. reef, and an inrush of water compelled the captain to put into port. When the wheat was removed from Die hold r case over four feet long was discovered. In tills case were five cells containing high explosives and connected with clockwork, which would have caused an explosion but for tlie fact that the water'had poured into tho hold and stopped the action of the deadly contrivance.

How the machine was put on board is a. mystery, but the crew realised the extremely narrow escape they had from'being blown to eternity.