STRICKEN LINER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10316, 27 January 1927, Page 5

STRICKEN LINER

——: TfEVe&ISH WORK ON NORTHUMBERLAND. FIRST MAT TO COVER HOLE PROVES USELESS. PUMPS IN NOS. 1 AND 3 HOLDS COPE WITH WATER. WELLINGTON TUGS EXPECTED THIS MORNING. Lying in the roadstead with a heavy list to port abaft the To’castle, the Federal Steam Navigation Company’s liner Northumberland has been the scene of constant and fevrish activity since she limped into port at 3.30 on Tuesday afternoon, with a gaping hole loft long and 2it wide in her hull. Preparations to effect temporary repairs and pumping operations to reduce the level of the water in No. 1,2 and 3 holds have kept the crew, Harbor Board and Union Company officials fully engaged throughout the night, yesterday, and again last night. After the hole on the bilge of No. 2 hold was located by Diver Richardson the Union Company officials were fully engaged throughout the night, very few of the men having as much as a wink, of sleep during those anxious hours. When the inrush of water through the hole in the hull into No. 2 hold stopped, and the gash was located by Diver Richardson about 6 o’clock on Tuesday evening, eiforts were concentrated. i'm manufacturing a collision imat to' cover the hole. A hatch tarpaulin. spread out in triangular shape was laid out on deck and a dozen or so bed mattresses were sewn down to it and at a late hour the mat was ready for placing into poistion. This work was performed with some diffijculty but owing to the shape of the Imat being unsuitable, it crumpled up land had to be removed. , The crew were/then set to work making another collision mat of an oblong shape to which steel battens were attached at either end. Meantime the diver made another descent and after measuring the exact position of the hole, the mat was slung into position at dawn yesterday morning. It was adjusted below the water by the diver and completely covered the hole. The mat was then bound in position by wire ropes.

PUMPING OUT THE HOLES. The removal of some of the water from the holds was the next consideration, for which .preparations were quickly prosecuted pending the arrival of the tugs Toia and Terewhiti from Wellington with the object oi relieving the pressure on the bulkheads, which solely were keeping the vessel afloat. There were 36ft of water in No. 2 hold and 20ft and 18ft respectively in No. 1 and No.- 3 holds, the water apparently seeping through the bulkheads from No. 2 hold at a fairly rapid rate, inquiries were made on Tuesday evening, as to the suitability of the'Fire Brigade’s trail-

r pumps, .but it was found that the ilant would be too cumbersome to landle, so the Harbor Board’s Sin. mmp with a capacity of 50 gallons a ninute. and Mr E. Goodman’s, ccntriugal piinip capable of delivering 100 lions a minute, were delivered board at a late hour that night, and ho fitting uo of the Harbor Board’s ,innp in No. 1 hold proceeded hroughout the early hours -of the norning. The water here had gradually increased from 18ft to about 10ft., the lower hold hatches being i float, thus endangering the hulkicads to an e v en greater extent than

Sbefore. | Pumping in No. 1 hold was start--1.(1 at daylight yesterday, but the delivery of water was comparatively [slow at the pumping plant not running properly, ft was stuppeu briefly for adjustments and the water

iiicldv filled up. to 20ft again, seeplg through - the apparently strained

ulkheads. When pumping was again resumed le outward flow was much improved, ad during the afternoon the level of ie water had been reduced by about

jj't, and ut> to a late hour last eveuffirr a furtiier drop of a couple of lect Mas evident. H The pump in this hold is now cop»g with the inflow of water, but it |jas not proposed to attempt to pump #e hold dry for fear that the bullcBads would give way under the pres|lre in No. 2 hold. ||Tlic ship’s pump, which was started shortly after the vessel struck the Hk near Gable End Foreland, was iifpt running continuously throughout the night and to-day in No. 3 hold. j|Bjl last evening the plant was cop||g with the inrush of water. OTRGO FLOATING IN NO. 2 HOLD ■ Mien No. 2 hatch was opened this 91 ruing tile cargo, comprising boxes H| jewing machine accessories and balH| bf wallpaper could tie seen floating lH|nd m tne water, which was a cou||S of feet off the Hatches in the seciqnii iiotd. The fitting up of Mr -*■ . Hdnum’s centrifugal pump in pre|p®'atiou for operations in No. 2 hold Stls proceeded with ■ expeditiously, bli a commencement was delayed uy Bk of a bend and a stop valve which ■ere landed on the steamer by the Buatea last evening, tne town having ■ecu scoured lor these appliances. ■he filling up of this apparatus was El ion proceeded with and it was anticipated that pumping in No. 2 hold would be commenced early this morning. The pumps brought from ashore were mounted on heavy baulks of timber, winch had been brought the previous night from Gisborne.

WELLINGTON TUGS EXPECTED .THIS MOKNING. j The tugis Toia and Terewhiti from* "Wellington, with powerful pumping i equipment were expected to arrive in i the roadstead at 8 o’clock last evening. There was much disappointmeat on some of the public s part that the. vessels did not pot in an appearance, but considering that they left Wellington at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. tlfe previous night their arrival could ! not be expected. A wireless message (received yesterday from the Tere- : whiti indicated that the tugs will ar- ’ r ive here at 5 a.m. to-day, and they 1 will immediately commence op era- ■ tions on No. 2 hold. C. i Th° Koau arrived here yesterday : with “a loin Centrifugal pump and N-'p’er hut on investigation it was found to be unsuitable for the purpose.

LIGHTERING OF CARGO TEMi PORARILY CTEASES.

[ The lightering of the cargo on the i port side from No. 1 find No. 3 holds \ commenced about 7.30 on Tuesday (evening and proceeded uninterruptedly until 1.15 in the morning, when it was evident from the material improvement in the vessel’s position substantially lessening her list, that sufficient had been removed and_ the men returned to shore by Jhe Takiturnn. The pumping commenced early yesterday morning, which helped to improve her, and where the vessel was drawing 191 ft at the stern in the morning, slie was drawing over 20ft late last evening, indicating that the piimps. ere more than holding their own. The lightered cargo was taken ashore and stowed in the whart sheds and the men were .given to understand that they would not be required until the pumping operations have removed some of the water from : the holds. ■ -.-- • ■> • -N^

During, the day preparations were made for strengthening up the bulkheads on either, side, while a portion of the cargo jn No. 3 hold was removed to facilitate pumping in that hatch in which were 15 to 16 feet of water.

PREPARATIONS FOR SECOND COLLISION MAT. The • successful covering of the hole in* the hull with a collision mat at dawn yesterday after three unsuccessful eiforts raised the hopes of the crew of the Northumberland yesterday. However, stout as the mat covering the hole-was constructed, too much reliance was not placed on it, and last evening preparations were made to lower a second collision mat to - bolster up' that covering the hole in the hull to prevent suction, which must be considerable when the tugs commence pumping operations this morning. Despite the incessant toil that proceeded from 7 p.m. until dawn, and throughout yesterday the only perceptible change in the vessel’s position is that she is riding on a more even keel, but is still badly down forward, but earlier fears that the vessel would have to be beached ha\ e practically been dispelled, provided that the weather holds until the "Wellington tugs start pumping. ANXIOUS TIME FOR CREW. The discipline of the crew, cb wn to the youngest cadet, was splendid, even under the most trying circumstances and arduous toil to which all hands turned to with a will Lorn the time the vessel struck until dawn today. Few, if any, had any s-cep, working all night preparing collision mats, getting ropes slung under the hull and assisting the diver. The temporary patching of tire hole did not cause the ship’s offiers to relax precautions for the safety of the ciew, who worked with lifeboats swung out on the davits, in preparation for a sudden evacuation of the vessel should it be necessary while the members of the crew made preparations for the removal of their possessions. The scene on the decks yesterday, however, was one of marked orderliness in contrast to the feverish activities of the previous night, and v.itii the initial preparations lor safeguarding the ship completed tiio crew returned to their usual watches. Pieparations, however, proceeded actively for the arrival of the tmrs trom Wellington to commence pumping operations.

VALUABLE WORK OF HARBOR BOARD STAFF.

Throughout Tuesday night the Harbor Board launchmen, under Mr R. Morse and Captain Hawke and staff of the Tuatea, toiled incessantly, the former being mainly responsible for the successful construction of the collision mat and hauling.it into position covering the hole, while both vessels were engaged in conveying artisans and materials to the stricken steamer during the evening, and stood by her all night. The small vessels lent invaluable assistance. A hopper barge was stuck in the channel at the mouth of the river, during the afternoon and early evening, and this made the entrances and exits from the port even less easy than usual. The Tuatea, in .first clearing the channel to stand by the Northumberland, when she entered the bay, lodged on a shoal, and had to be assisted over the shallows by the Hipi.

XZS CO’S MARINE SUPERINTENDENT ARRIVES.

The Marine Superintendent of the New Zealand Shipping Co., Captain Olphert, arrived in Gisborne lari night to take charge of the. further salvage operations in connection with the Northumberland. It is expected that the discharge of cargo from the forward part of the vessel will be resumed to-day, and will continue as the depth of water in the holds is reduced. The cargo in the. forward holds comprises general shipments, including a consignment of sewing machines and another of baled paper. The agents for Lloyd’s at Gisborne are Messrs Williams and Kettle. Captain J. W. Holmes is acting in the capacity of marine surveyor lor Lloyd’s.

THE LINER’S CARGO.

The Northumberland, which arrived at Auckland from Liverpool on January 13, brought 7492 tons of carao for discharge at. New Zealand ports. She unloaded 3324 tons at Auckland, and when the vessel quitted the northern port she had -9--£ tons for discharge at Napier, 163/ tons for Wellington, 943 tons for Christchurch, and 666 tons for Dunedin. All Gisborne cargo was unloaded in Auckland. Most of. tne cargo lightered from Nos. 1 and 3 holds was for Napier and Wellington.