RAISING OF THE AUSTRAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6871, 8 March 1883, Page 6

RAISING OF THE AUSTRAL.

The Argut give* the following description of the first day'u operation* on the Austral : The wide-spread* interest Mb in the fate of the magnificent vessel which has been lying under the waters of Keutral Boy aince Kor. 11 waa clearly chown thi* morning (Feb. 27) by the large number of people who aaeembled in steamboat*, launches, and eTery description of boat to witoes* the result of the pumping operations. There were so fewer than ten pumps in use, to dmo which saves engines were mod, the motto power being supplied from fire small harbour steamers. The first pump was started before 3 o'clock, and the others somewhat later. Very soon the vessel presented a most animated and extraordinary tight. Steam wa* issuing all along one side of the coffer dam from the exhausted pipes of the engines, *&d huge volumes of water were being ejected from the other side, while hundreds of persons gathered round in boats gazed with the deepest interest on the unusual scene. The first incident that marred the success of the proceedings was the bursting of the eonuaeting pipe of the £Oinoh pump, which exploded with a loud report, and as this pump was the largest of them all, the time occupied in repairing it had a marked efTsct in delaying the process of petting rid of the water. A similar accident occurred to this }>ump a second time, and then one of the orward pumps got choked. The result was that pumping operations had to be suspended altofetber, as the pumps aft had Kghtened the vessel to such an extent that she rose 7ft, while the forward part still remained fa»t in the mud. The ship was almost upright when the pumping ceased but afterwards gradually took a slight list again. The dam leaked a little, but not to such an extent as to have the slightest effect should the pumps get to work again. As the water receded from the deck, men were set to work there to sweep and clean up. In places there was a deuth of several inciiea of black slimy mud, but th* men employed »o»n bad the decks almoit as clean a* they were before the vessel became a receptacle for sawerage matter, which has evidently been the case while she was lying in Neutral Bay. The appearance of that part of the interior of the ship which is at present visible is melancholy in the extreme. Kverythaig is either covered with mud or utterly destroyed by the combined effects of the water and the mud.