ADVENTURES AT SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20475, 29 January 1930, Page 10

ADVENTURES AT SEA.

CELEBRATED LONG DRIFT.

CAPTAIN WESTON'S CAREER,

STORY OF A FIRE ON SHIP* Ninety voyages between England and New Zealand, many of them in sailing ships during the seventies and eighties, is the record of Captain T. S. Weston, a former commodore in the New Zealand Shipping Company's fleet, who arrived by the Rotorua yesterday on a visit to friends in' the Dominion. Ha is one of the best-known captains on the Panama route, having in recent years commanded such ships as the Orari, Somerset and Hertford.

Although he retired in 1925, Captain Weston's affection for the sea is insatiable. He loses no opportunity to take a sea voyage, and on the present trip intends to Remain on the Rotorua during the whplo of her passage round the coasts, renewing old friendships in the various ports of call. Started Life as a Oadet. Captain Weston commenced his seafaring career as a cadet in the New Zealand Shipping Company in March, 1878, and he recalled yesterday several exciting incidents in his eventful life on steamship and windjammer. He was on his first ship, the Piako, and his third voyage as an apprentice, when he experienced ona of the most dreaded of ocean calamities—a fire at sea. The Piako, a sailing vessel, was bringing 280 immigrants to New Zealand ' via Capo Horn, when sho caught fire 200 miles off Pernambuco. Fortunately, another ship was sighted before the day was out and, in response to signals of distress, came to the Piako's assistance.

She was the Loch Doon, and her captain immediately decided to take tfie Piako's passengers on board. The transfer was effected without an accident and both ships put in at Pernambuco two days later, the Piako sailing under her own crew.' The ship was at that time burning furiously, and the only thing to do to put out the flames was to scuttle her in shallow water. The immigrants were landed and waited on shore four or five weeks until the vessel was raised by pumps and made seaworthy, whereupon the voyage was resumed without further incident.

Famous Incident ol the Waikato. On June 5, 1899, when in command of the steamer Waikato, Captain Weston was the central figure in a memorable occurrence that came within an ace of tragedy. When 180 miles south of the Cape of Good Hope, the propeller shaft broke in the stern tube, where it was impossible to repair it at sea. Rendered helpless, the vessel commenced to drift sideways under sail, the propeller, which could not be removed, counteracting the action of the rudder. The crew of 50 was put on rations, and cod liver oil, part of the ship's cargo, was burned every night to attract the attention of passing ships.

Four or five sailing vessels were sighted during the ensuing six weeks, but none could manage a tow, and it was not until the appearance of the barquentine Tecora that succour. was obtained. A tow rope was taken on. board the sailing ship and the two vessels proceeded during the night, but at 5 a.m. the wind fell and the ships collided. The Tecora was slightly damaged and, realising the danger of continuirg /the tow in this manner, the master abandoned the effort and proceeded to Mauritius to report the Waikato's position.

Long Tow to Fremantle. For another month the Waikato drifted across the ocean. Then, on September 15, For another month the Waikato drifted the steamer Asloun came up and succeeded in towing the derelict 2300 miles into Fremantle, which was reached on October 9. Once, during a gale, the towlina parted and for 24 hours the Waikato was adrift in the storm. Altogether, the vessel drifted 4500 miles in four months and during the four weeks a shortage of provisions added to the discomforts of the crew, who subsisted on small quantities of tinned herrings, sardines and biscuits. During the war Captain Weston commanded the Orari, which carried New Zealand troops to Egypt with the first convoy, and in 1918 he was in command of the Hurunui when she was torpedoed in the English Channel. The vessel was carrying a few passengers and a valuable food cargo from New Zealand when it was struck during the night of May 18 and sank in two hours. Passengers and crew were got into boats and were picked up by a destroyer. Only one life was lost—a man who jumped overboard.

Captain.Weston was altogether 49 years in the service of the. New Zealand 'Skipping Company, and had command of a number of its vessels for 30 years.