BUFFETED BY STORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22191, 19 August 1935, Page 10

BUFFETED BY STORM

THE STEAMER FOR DSD ALE SEAS CRASH ON BOARD VALUABLE HORSE'S ORDEAL A considerable buffeting by a severe westerly storm on Saturday when she was Hearing New Zealand was experienced bv the Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer Fordsdale, which arrived from Liverpool yesterday afternoon. During tho height of the storm seas crashed 011 board and did considerable damage. A horse box which was lashed on tho after deck and contained a valuable pedigree Clydesdale stallion was smashed, and the horse narrowly escaped injury. The sailors had a dangerous and difficult task covering the broken woodwork of tho box with tarpaulins to givo the animal as much protection as was possible from the flying spray and heavy rain. Owing to tho steamer rolling heavily in the high seas it was impossible to remove tho horse to any other part of the vessel as the animal was shod and could not have walked along tho slanting iron deck without falling. Generally fair weather had been experienced by tho Fordsdale during tho voyage until early last week, when freshening head winds were encountered. As tho vessel neared New Zealand the wind continued to increase until Saturday when it culminated in a hard westerly gale with exceptionally high seas, which caused the steamer to labour heavily and to repeatedly ship water on deck. Two steel ventilators leading to tho engine room were broken off and tho cowls from some of the forward ventilators were torn adrift. The glass port in the boatswain's cabin was smashed and the cabin flooded when the sea penetrated the open port hole. As the vessel rolled, an exceptionally high wave struck the boat deck and lifted two heavy lifeboats out of the chocks on the starboard sido of the deck, which is about 40ft. above tho water line. About six o'clock on Saturday evening another heavy sea smashed the horse box, and tho vessel's course had to be altered to make tho starboard side tho lee sido while the sailors were relashing and covering the horse's shelter. The weather continued very boisterous until tho vessel reached port, but the sea gradually decreased. HAIL IN WELLINGTON UNUSUAL SEVERITY OF STORM [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] "WELLINGTON, Saturday An electric storm of unusual severity visited Wellington yesterday. After a I wet evening, a hailstorm commenced with remarkable suddenness about 8.30, and during the few minutes it lasted drifts piled up in corners. Some of the stones were very large, and at Karori and Northland and near by, where the storm was particularly severe, jagged lumps ot ice, many of them three quarters of an innh square, fell. Many motor-cars had to remain pulled up, and Friday night shoppers were terrified. Vivid lightning and rolling thunder continued, the storm appearing to bo circling Wellington and Hutt Valley. It eased after 10 o'clock, but at 1.15 a.m. a vivid flash and an unusually heavy clap of thunder shook houses and awakened most people i in the Wellington area, and heavy rain ; again fell I The north-west gale persisted, but I gradually changed to south. Gusts up to 50 miles an hour were registered.