COLLIER’S PLIGHT

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1928, Page 4

COLLIER’S PLIGHT

IN INDIAN OCEAN. SYDNEY, October 29. the arrival’of the 1 collier Annie M Miller in Sydney yesterday Captain A Williamson admitted that he had gvave fears for saMy ot the vessel and the crew of 18 during tne run across the Indian Ocean. Hold back for 19 days by adverse weather, he took stock of the coal in. the bunkers a fortnight bpfore reaching the Western Australian coast, and came to the conclusion that the vessel could barely make port undei her own Engineers and officers on deck collaborated in securing the best result from every pound of coal used'. The last few days of the journey proved to be a terrific strain on those who were aware of the situation. It was a great relief when the vessel was tied up m Bunbury (Western Australia). There were then only between two and three tons of coal remaining—sufficient to steam the collier for one watch under normal conditions.. . The vessel carried no wireless, and was away from the route of the passenger vessels. Faced with the possibility of the coal giving out, and the vessel drifting helplessly about in the Indian Ocean, and eventually being carried into the Antarctic by the currents prevailing on his course, Captain Williamson took steps to conserve the stocks of food. To add to his difficulties, it was reported one morning that portion of the stock of salt meat had gone bad, and it had to be thrown overboard. All hands were immediately placed on a food ration, which, while ample, provided against waste. Every issue to the galey was plaged under the strictest supervision. There was no truth, said Captain Williamson, in the report that the men were on a starvation scale. On arrival in Bunbury there were still three or four days’ supply left on the restricted rate of rationing. The most alarming feature of the food problem was the rapidity with which the tinned goods disappeared as soon as the supplies of salt meat had been exhausted.

TERRIFIC SEAS. The Annie M. Miller left Glasgow on August 18, and made a good passage of 24 days- to Cape Guardafui, on the north-east coast of Africa. Terrific seas raised by the monsoonal winds compelled the ship to return after 12 hours, and the Annie M. Miller remained in shelter at Guardafui for nine days. Captain Williamson said the journey was resumed on Sept. 14, when the monsoons had died away. Abnormally strong trade winds were encountered, and against this head weather the collier made poor progress.

“For eight days,” he said, “we steamed an average of only 75 miles a day. Under normal conditions our daily rate of progress would have been 210 miles. “As soon as it became evident that the Annie M. Miller and those on board were in a precarious position, I consulted with the officers and engineers, and we took stock. When the weather was favourable we proceeded at a speed consistent with the most economical consumption of coal, and when a head wind was met with the engines were reduced to dead slow. Most of the crew were nominated immigrants, and not being seafaring men they knew practically nothing of the seriousness of the situation. A strict lookout was kept, but not a single steamer was sighted right across the Indian Ocean, and 1 can tell you that all the officers were greatly relieved when we sighted the Western Australian coast on October 14, a month after leaving Cane Guardafui.” On leaving Scotland the Annie M. Miller was coaled and provisioned for a voyage which, it was estimated, would take 60 days. In fact it occupied 79 days. Apart from the delay at Guardafui the vessel took 31 days instead of the estimated 20 days to cross the Indian Oceanl The Annie M. Miller was built at the yards of the Clyde Shipbuilding Company for the coal carrying trade between Newcastle and Sydney conducted by Messrs It. W. Miller and Co. The steamer has a gross tonnage of 600 tons, and her principal dimensions are:—Length 160 feet, beam 30 feet, depth 11 feet 6 inches. A feature of her equipment is the self-trimming bulkheads, and the provision of grabs for the rapid discharge of coal.