SUNKEN SCOW RAISED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15645, 26 June 1914, Page 8

SUNKEN SCOW RAISED.

REMOVAL FROM FAIRWAY." £

•'II HEAVY LIFT FOR FLOATIKQI

CRANE,

EFFECTS OF THE COLLISION,'

The successful removal o' the sco-v Pabifej which was sunk in the harbour eaily 0!1 Wednesday morning in a collision Kith the Northern Company's r.eamtr (Hateman, was accomplished yesterday an cr . noon. The sunken vessel was raised by means of the Harbour Board's 80-tojj crane and removed out of tht> (airway to Staniev Bay.

The operation of raisinf 'S* ow. whit]] was King in about sii ft thorns .! . a tor kjw interesting, and was carried out v.jthout a hitch under the super\ision of tin harbourmaster (Captain barman. £ x . treme care being necessary, about three hours were occupied in the -.'ork. Early yesterday morning Diver Walters went to the locality with gear, and v, a s successful in passing two long lengths a3 m wire, hawser round the hull of the submerged sisow, and forming the upper ends into slings. This work was cm; pioted by tk a time the floating crane rur. v.,-.] oa ti* scene, shortly after 1 p.m.

When the crane had btvn an:bored inj convenient position its lar-e grappling, hook was lowered, and, a 1 1-? two tr tkrea descents, the diver attached the slings to it. fastening them with shackles. At about 2.45 p.m. the first lift was made and the bow of the Pahiki gradually ap. pearH above the surface of the water, fcllowed shortly afterwards by the stem of the damaged vessel. Ttie latter was raised until practically the whole deck was clear of the water, and she har.j m ths slings with a strong list to pert. Scow Extensively Damaged. Of the scow's foremast' only a stump remained, whilst the mainmast was seen to be snapped off close to the deck. It lav forward buried beneath a litter of spars and ..ails and rigging. Aft, an overturned ship's boat floated at the end of a rope, ana loose hamper nf all descriptions was to be seen her" ana there about the wreck. There was an ugly rent- amidships or tba starboard side, marking the spot wher« tbo Clansman hsd struck the scow, From the extensive nature of the riMe it was apparent that the bow of th e larger vessel had penetrated through the side of tha hold and right in to the centre-board. Starboard Lamp in Pos 'Jon. One fact which was commented upon by those who witnessed the raising of the scow was that her starboard lamp wis still hanging in position. The damage done by the collision was jnst forward of the deck cabin, which the colliding steamer missed by a few inches only. Until a closer examination is made, when the scow is high and dry ashore, the actual extent of the damage cannot be ascertained. • At about 4 p.m.. after a good deal of lowering and derricking, the raised vessel was lashed in her slingi alongside the floating crane, and the Utter moved sir with her hurden. Grace Standi the Test Well. At no time was an exocssho strain put I upon the lifting capacity oi the crane, ! which did its work admirably. The greatest strain allowed was about 20 tons, the scow being kept just- low enough in the water to enable buoyancy to lessen her 1 weight. With a full load of shingle she would have weighed at least 60 tons, and, in her waterlogged condition, considerably moreStatement of the Scowmaster. A nautical .inqnirv into the cause of the collision is to be held. Captain Christensen, master of the scow, reporting officially. states that at 4.30 a.m. on tie day of the mishap he took up his anchor. His lichts jad been burning all the preceding night and were, he asserts, still burnrns* when tho collision occurred. He was tackinc towards North Shore when tie Clansman came into collision.