DISABLED STEAMER GLAUCUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13226, 11 July 1906, Page 6

DISABLED STEAMER GLAUCUS.

AX EXCITING EXPERIENCE.

FINE RESCUE BY THE KANOWXA.,

That iho Melbourne collier Glaueus was not > » overtaken by serious disaster liming the recent breakdown off tbo Victorian coast win largely due to the timely »>sirianee rendered - by iho A.U.S.N. Company'* Moani-M Ka> ltowna. Totally disabled as she whs, through the breaking of tier fail shaft, the Gl.iiic:i - i was in a serious predicament, when the ' Kanowna, en route from Melbourne to SjiJ. ney, went to hoi* assistance. It wan, blowing : ;':,S it howling gale at the time, ami the Glaucus as she wallowed ill the big .was, dang-crou*!-* closes to Capo Lipirap, with 15 hands cliuging to her slippery deciles, looked doomed, The first intimation on board the Kaiuiunn ' that the Grlatieii.it had broken down came '»> the form of distress signal* tired by tho disabled steamer. Tlu> Kanowna left Me!' bourne on Friday last, and had got cltho to Capo Liptrap when the signals from the Glaucus were observed by the Jookout on the big liner. The Kanowna was headed towards tho GUiaua. The wind was blowing a gale from the westward and a heavy .-(.-* ' ; f| was rolling in, causing the disabled bivamci to knock a!>out considerably. "Tho \vaw,-/' ' said one of tbo passengers, "were dashing : liigh over the crippled steamer, deluging Uw ' decks fore and aft, mid tho crew ol the ; vessel could be seen hanging on for then •' ,1 lives." As the Kanowna approached ll» captain of tho Glaucu« signalled that tho \&-. net tail shaft had broken, and asked to lis taken in tow. Owing' to tho heavy sea it was impossible to launch a boat, but Lay- ■ ', tain Watt manoeuvred his steamer in fine, stylo in his efforts to get a lino on board. ."'.'> The Kanowna rounded up close to (he bow ■ of tins disabled vessel, and an effort \w.« made to pass a lino cm board. This was mi successful. Tho Holmes patent blueligins attached to lines, were floated towards the Glaueus, and afterwards rockets were fired,' over her. One of tho rockets with a-Jmo' reached tho steamer, but in tlw darluicda'ilip crow were unable to secure it. All this time the Kanowna was being buffeted about by the gale, but, htill Captain Watt persevered in his efforts to get the di« "** abled ship in tow. At last he »utcr»?dwl. Although tho towline, a bk'cl hawser, waquickly made, fast, in parted as won av .1 '' strain was put upon it. : a Tho Kanowna bad now been w>ino three or four hours knocking about tho Glaucus ,J and Captain Watt told the captain that ho could do no more for him that night. Cap tain Firth, of the Glaucus, was asked whe- ' ther ho would abandon his ship, but he replied in the negative. Captain Watt then signalled that be would stand by till day- '', light, but the reply came back that it would ; be too late, as the ship was blowing inshore, "There was nothing for it." .-aid Captain Watt, " but. to stand by, and when davlight, broke the Glaueus w;as sighted tumblmu about in a heavy sea, with both anchors down, only ft mile and a-half from the shore." , It was a bad position, but the Kauowns once more went to the rescue. She anchored right ahead of her, and the second officer, Mr. Holdridgc, put off in charge of a life- . boat, with two lines. These were placed on the Glaueus. the work being attended with considerable risk, owing to the heavy ten. One lino was made fast to the chain cable from the Glaucus, and the other wan secured on deck. The boat got back safely, an-' then the work of towing was started. TinKanowna proceeded ''dead slow," to eav* tho strain on the tow-rope, ai«d she had boon towing for a couple of bourn, heading off the land, when ■both lines parted, with a loud report. By this time the (Jlaueu- ha:* got a fairly good offing, and the weather W moderated slightly, though there was ■-till c nasty sea. Another line was got out, an'put aboard- the Glaueus, ami towing resumed, a course being shaped for Port ; Phillip. All day Saturday the Katiownstruggled on with the Glaueus astern. A change of wind to the liorlh-wost ooctirrcij, " and heavy rain squalls obscured the land a times. Wilson's' Promontory was picked up between the squalls, and at last, toward" midnight on Saturday, the weather was <•'> boisterous that the two vessels were prae_ , licallv hove to. In this way they drifted 40 miles, mostly in a south-south-east direction. By nine o'clock on .Sunday morulas . , the weather had improved, and both vessels H ".\" kept away !>efore wind and sea. The towline had to be' '* nursed'' throughout, as ffe Glaueus proved a heavy tow, and there was danger of again losing her. Captain Wat; ; says that the steamers almost drifted in towards the land, so slowly did they proceed, : g;il| and at last, notwithstanding all "the.-e pre-, cautions, the lino again carried away. At this time, the Kanowna hail reached th? smooth water under the promontory. The Glaueus set her bead sails, and with the at- ; sistance of the tide, and the Kanowna rv&ck' < ed the entrance to Waterloo Bav. anchoring ' " in 19 fathoms of water. The, Glance? *» ! so clos«> in that the Kanowna could do nothing further for her, and Captain Watt, ''.• having satisfied him-elf that -he wa- s*fcand, seeing the Melbourne S.S. Company'* steamer Perth sheltering in'the vicinity, eon- * : tinued tho voyage for Sydney.