SMALL STEAMER IN PERIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20087, 26 October 1928, Page 12

SMALL STEAMER IN PERIL.

THE ARAPAWA DISABLED.

MANUKAU BAR ACCIDENT.

SEVERE DAMAGE TO ENGINES. SIX HOURS IN THE BREAKERS. SAFELY TOWED TO ONEHUNGA. With her engines broken and her deck scarred as the result of a terrific buffeting by the seas, the Northern Steamship Company's steamer Arapawa crawled into Onehunga last evening in tow of the Alexander after a narrow cscapo from disaster on the Manukau Bar.

The mishap was due to a bolt in th» piston-crank breaking as a result of the screw racing out of the water. For six hours the vessel held on to her anchor* on the edge of the treacherous sands, her machinery disabled, bcr decks lashed by tremendous breakers. All the efforts of the engineers to effect repairs wero defeated by tho flooding of tho engine room and it was not until the small uteamer Alexander lent assistance thaf the vessel and its crew were rescued from a perilous situation.

With cargo from Wanganui tho Arapawa arrived off the Manukau Bar just before 9 a.m. Tho wind was blowing lightly from the west and a heavy westerly swell was causing tho sea to break heavily on tho bar. Captain A. Pert, who, with tho second mate, Mr. H. C. Gibson, was on tho bridge, agreed that the crossing would not ho lll'iclllly difficult and, on receiving signalled confirmation from iho signal-station at tho heads, essayed the crossing. Plying Steel in Engine-room. "Wo went through tho first set of breakers without trouble, although the screw raced badly when the stern roso out of the water," said a member of the ship's company who was on deck. "The engines began to race again when we went over the next lot of breakers and then, when the screw ploughed into tho water again, tho smash came. "A deafening sound of splintering steel issued from tho engine-room. I thought at first wo had struck a sandbank, but tho noise continued like the crashing of broken glass and then I knew tho engines had gone." The second engineer, Mr. H. Budge, and a fireman, Mr. C. Lambden, who were in the engine-room when the accident occurred, had a narrow escape from death or injury by flying pieces of metal. It was the bottom bolt of the crank which came away and the piston, which continued working, smashed the cylinder to pieces and hurtled jagged pieces of steel in all directions in tho engine-room, like the bursting of a shrapnel shell. Tho two men miracuously came through the ordeal without a scratch. Pounded by the ,Breakers. With her engines stopped, the' vessel was at the mercy of the breakers, which battered her with such force that the stern rails wero twisted and the crew had to hold on, as they said, "by tho skin of their teeth." The impetus which had forged the ship through the breakers carried her just over the bar, where two anchors were put down just in time to save the ship from foundering. The tide was on tho ebb, causing the disabled vessel to drift back on to tho breakers, which pounded her as she lay broadside on. Great seas buried tho decks every few minutes, flooded the engine-room and tho cook's galley and loosened the hatches which, however, were quickly secured by order of tho captain. Signals c? distress wero hoisted and were seen by the signalman five miles away, but before help arrived the crew put up a desperate fight to prevent disaster. Under the guidance of the chief engineer, Mr. W. La Roche, an effort was made to get the remaining two cylinders working, but water poured continually into the engine-room and the violent pitching of the ship threw tho men about like shuttlecocks.

• Attempt to Use Sails. Fearing the anchors would not hold, Captain Pert and his chief officer, Mr. R. Savage, decided to manoeuvre the vessel out of danger by using the favourable wind. A staysail, foresail and mainsail were rigged up out of tarpaulins and the anchors were taken up, but the wind was not strong enough, and the powerful ebb which was running carried the steamer further back on to the breakers. The anchors were hastily put down again and the shore signalled for help. Alter hours of tension, with the thunder of the breakers in their cars, expecting every moment to be the last, the men were at last relieved to see the approach of the Anchor Line steamer Alexander. It was only with the greatest difficulty and exercise of caution that the rescuing steamer could draw near, owing to the breaking seas. A Sjin. tow rope was made fast to the Arapawa's bow, but the disabled steamer was tossing so violently that the lino snapped, carrying away the forecastle end bits, through which it passed. A second lino held securely and the helpless vessel was rescued from her dangerous position about 3 p.m. With a list to starboard, caused by the flooding of her engine-room, the Arapawn, lashed to her rescuer, was brought into Onehunga shortly beforo seven o'clock. Repairs, which will ln» put in band this morning, arc expected to occupy nearly a week.