LONG TOW STARTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23050, 30 May 1938, Page 6

LONG TOW STARTS

THREE SHIPS IN LINE TUG CARRIES A BRIDE The tug Frosty Moller, with the tug J. A. Boyd and the steamer Moruja in tow, left Sydney last Saturday morning for Shanghai. She was accompanied by the small steamer Ready, sailing under her own steam. Captain J. Potter, who is in charge of the towing vessel, said he did not expect to meet any great difficulty during the long voyage. The passage through the Great Barrier Reef would be the most anxious part of the journey. - The vessels were proceeding under the British flag, which was also painted on the deckworks of the Frosty Moller and Ready, and he -did not expect an? interference by the Japanese when he approached the coast of China. He m- r tended to call at Thursday Island, the Philippine Islands and Hongkong. The Frosty Moller,; has a crew of four Europeans and 14 Chinese. . ' . Captain Potter said the length <» the tow from the stern of the towing vessel to the stern of the last vesse towed would be about 1700 ft. . As the Frosty Moller cast ofi _ frp® the wharf, Mrs. Herman Mihiaoff. tne 18-year-old wife of the third officer, waved good-bye from the deck. Byore her marriage about four months ago she was Miss Audrey Best. She hrst met her husband in Melbourne, an decided to accompany iiim to China. The ,T. A. Boyd and the Moruya were towed from the wharf by separate tugs' !ind their tow lines were not made las to the Frosty Moller until they reached Watson's Bav. When the vessels cleared the Heads the sea was calm witfli a slight swell. The ready, whicii isunflCT, the command of Captain '. cleared the Heads ahead of the • and disappeared into the haze. Shei maintain wireless touch- with the i Moller throughout the voyage.