VESSEL AGROUND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22398, 20 April 1936, Page 8

VESSEL AGROUND

MISHAP AT WHANGAREI LARGE TRAMP STEAMER SHOAL IN RIVER STRUCK EFFORTS' AT REFLOATING [by telegraph—OWN correspondent} WHANGAREI, Sunday While steaming up the narrow, winding Whangarei River leading from the open sea about four o'clock yesterday afternoon the British tramp Bteamer Salvus ran aground on a sandstone bank. Prolonged attempts by the paddle-steamer 'tug Lyttelton, which was summongd from Portland, and a powerful twin-screw Diesel launch failed to move the vessel.

Tho Salvus arrived at Auckland from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, last week with a large cargo of newsprint, and left Auckland for Whangarei early yesterday morning. When off the heads the vessel picked up the local pilot, Captain Murdoch McGregor, who was in chargo when the mishap occurred. Difficult Navigation The weather was very thick at the time. A-strong north-easterly wind and driving rain reduced visibility to a minimum and made the navigation of the ship extremely difficult. The Salvus had swung sharply to starboard after rounding Kaiwaka Point and was on the weather side of the channel when she suddenly ran bow first on to a bank. The tide was particularly high at the time as it had been backed up by the strong wind. Some hours were spent in attempting to move the ship under her own power, but she appeared to be firmly fast. Efforts at Refloating The Kauri Timber Company's tug Lyttelton was brought from Portland this afternoon and Captain W. 11. Patterson's launch Rakanui arrived from Whangarei. Both craft attached hawsers to the stern of the Salvus, which was also using her own engines, and the tow was made in all possible directions. It was thought that if the small craft could move the Salvus even a short distance the suction between the bottom of the ship and the bank would be overcome and the vessel refloated with little further difficulty. According to eye-witnesses, however, the ship did not move an inch during the operations, which lasted for over two hours both before and after high tide. Further Attempt To-day

It is intended to make another attempt to refloat the ship at daybreak to-morrow, when it is expected that in addition to the Lyttelton the assistance will be obtained of the Northern Company's steamer Claymore, which sailed from Auckland last evening.

If the Salvus still remains fast the authorities will be faced with the alternative of transhipping some of the vessel's cargo to barges and thus lightening her, or summoning tugs from Auckland. The ship is actually within about a irile of the Kioreroa Wharf, where it was intended she should berth. Vessel Not Making Water

As far as is known at present the vessel has suffered little, if any, damage to her hull. She is not making any water and is in no danger as the sea in the vicinity, even in the strongest of gales, only rises to a steep chop. With the exception of the Tofua, which berthed at the Kioreroa Wharf to take on coal when en route to Japan, the only other vessel which has called at the wharf since its erection three years ago was the Antonio, which also had a cargo of newsprint.

The Salvus, a single screw steamer of 4815 tons, is under the command of Captain W. C. Smith and is owned by the Tempus Shipping Company, Limited, of Cardiff. Captain M. McGregor has been the pilot at Whangarei for a number of years, and, although the Salvus is only the third large ship to enter the port, he has taken many smaller craft into tjie port without a mishap.