“NIAGARA” SALVAGE

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1942, Page 3

“NIAGARA” SALVAGE

TEN TONS OF GOLD Details of Expedition [Per Press Association.] WHANGAREI, February 23. The recovery of ten tons of gold from the wreck of the liner Niagara, off Whangarei, has led to the discovery that the liner sank as the result of striking at least two mines. This disposes of any suspicion that the wreck may have been caused by an internal explosion. It is considered probable that the Niagara, after striking one mine, contacted another during her final plunge to the bottom. From the observation chamber, it was seen that the main fracture was below No. 2 hold, the bottom plate of the ship in that area being blown away completely. In addition to this, a huge cavity extended aft from the lines of the funnels for about 240 feet. Had this damage been sustained while the ship was still afloat, everybody in the engine-room would have been killed instantly, whereas actually no casualties occurred. It is also apparent that the Niagara had broken her back, probably as a' result of her tremendous impact with the seabed, coupled with the explosion of a second mine. _ , „ , The members of the United Salvage Company, Limited, and the personnel of the Claymore, consisted solely of New Zealanders and Australians. The Claymore was transformed from a useless hulk to a useful salvage ship, while much of the machinery, in the shape of grab and derricks and hauling apparatus, was fashioned on the job or was made in Whangarei. Neither of the Johnstone brothers, who acted as divers, had previously operated an observation bell. Despite the dangers and difficulties, they worked, uninterruptedly, save when the weather was so bad that the Claymore had to leave her moorings. The system of moorings adopted was a marked improvement on that used by the Italians employed on the Egypt, the Italians having to cut the mooring cables when rough weather approached. The Claymore, however, was able to tie up almost as easily as if she were mooring at the wharf, three hawsers astern and three hawsers over the bows holding her securely to six-ton concrete blocks, which had been placed on the ocean bed. When the Claymore returned to the scene of the wreck, it was never necessary to move her more than a few feet in order to place her in the right position for the submergence of the bell and grab. This, it is claimed, was largely responsible for the efficiency with 'which the salvage operations were carried out, and it is a tribute to the ability of the joint navigators. Captain Williams and Captain James Herd.

Though the principle of the observation bell had been adopted by the Italians in the salvage of the Egypt’s gold, that used in the Niagara undertaking contained a number of unique features. It was fortunate that the bell had been almost completed by the company, for use in another sphere, at the time of the Niagara wreck, for this enabled Captain Williams and his men to begin work without delay. No other observation chamber of this nature was available in the Southern Hemisphere. On one occasion, the bell fouled a cable on the bed of the ocean. Being unable to extricate the bell, Diver J. Johnstone gave the signal to be hauled to the surface. Then came a revelation which tested the courage of the whole IS men aboard, for it was seen that a mine with protruding horns had become entangled with the bell wires. Extreme care had to be taken lest the mine should explode, and for some time tension was high. At last, the fouling wire was cut. This, however, threatened to destroy the ship, for the mine, released from its cable, scraped the side of the ship, fortunately without exploding. Going down in diver’s suits, J. Johnstone cut through the shackles of the mine, which was destroyer by rifle lire from a minesweeper whose services had been requisitioned in the meantime. The discovery of this mine was followed by an intensified search by minesweepers, and in eight days over 40 mines were discovered and destroyed. But for hdr light draught, the Claymore, it is stated, would probably have been blown to smithereens, for in her journeying to and from the wreck she passed through what was a veritbale minefield. The search for the wreck was, ail the company admit, the most disheartening part of the whole undertaking. There was very little authentic information, the only indication being a bearing obtained by the third officer of the" Niagara, nine minutes before she hit a mine. Thereafter, she was at the mercy of the wind and a strong tide tor an hour and 40 minutes. As she had travelled nearly two miles after the third officer had taken the bearing, and had gone ahead and astern at different times after the explosion, the salvagers had to depend upon deductions, which eventually proved to be correct. An echo-sounder evolved 'by the British Admiralty, was used to good purpose, as was sweeping with a form of trawl, acting in the water much as kites do in the air. This involved the handling of two miles of wire every two hours, which, one of the leaders remarked, “was apt to get on our nerves and cramp our tortured hands.”

The searchers were overjoyed when, on February 2, Diver J. Johnstone definitely located the wreck. It was late in the afternoon and visibility was poor, but through the windows of the bell Johnstone espied dark objects. First a drum took shape, then he saw a boat davit with a ship’s rail close handy. Below this, on the mudline, was a porthole, out of which could be seen a ventilator lying downward. “This,” said the diver, “completed the picture. We had found the Niagara.” Then.began (he long and arduous task of blasting a way into the bullion room. November 11 was the salvagers’ most successful day, and boxes came to the surface at a rate which would have pleased a fisherman after infinitely smaller fry. The boxes came up singly, in twos and in threes, at roughly every quarterhour, the day’s total being 46 boxes, valued at £389,160. On five occasions, the jaws of the grab brought up four boxes of gold in one lift. This also happened twice on November 7 and November 19. The diver in the observation bell .directed the movements of’ the grab by telephonic messages to the Claymore’s men operating the derricks and winches. Incidentally, one of the aft winchmen was ex-chief cashier of the Commonwealth Bank. V. E. Neilley, who for the latter six months of the expedition was the bank’s representative on board the Claymore. In the final stages, the grab’s visits to the bullion room were frequent, but the returns became progressively smaller. During the last five days, only eight boxes were recovered. The last single bar was given grudgingly, for it reached the deck of the Claymore on December 7, twisted and torn, as though the'grab had captured a most-un-willing victim.