THE MONOWAI SAFE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6315, 16 September 1907, Page 7

THE MONOWAI SAFE.

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Received September 15, 2.17 p.m.) SYDNEY, September 15. The Union Company's steamer Monowai, which left Wellington, New Zealand, on Friday, September Oth, and has boon overdue at Sydney since last Tuesday, arrived here this morning, in tow of the Mokoia. At 3 o’clock last Tuesday morning tho Monowai broke her rudder shaft, and at 4 a.m. on Thursday she was picked up by the Mokoia —all well. SPLENDID SEAiMANSHIP. The story of- the Monowai’s breakdown and rescue is a story of splendid seamanship, both on the part of the Monowai’s own officers and crew and those of the Mokoia. At 3.30 o’clock this morning South Hoad signalled “Monowai in tow of what appears to be a warship.” Very shortly afterwards Captain Crawshaw, of the Union Company’s staff, and representatives of tho Press Association, left Sydney with a couple of tugs. The weather was fine, with a roll on outside. Daylight had broken, and it was seen that it .was the Mokoia that had the disabled steamer in tow. The Monowai was under her own steam. That dispelled the idea that her machinery had broken down. RUDDER-POST GONE. On boarding tho vessel it was found that her rudder-post had carried away. The Monowai had dirty weather after leaving Wellington, a tremendous beam sea running. Everything went well till 3 o’clock on Tuesday morning, when the ship suddenly failed to answer her helm. Speed was immediately reduced. A strong west-south-west gale was blowing and the ship was plunging heavily. All hands set to work rigging spars to -secure the rudder, and sea anchors were got out. It was a perilous task getting wire hawsers attached to the rudder, but eventually it was accomplished from heavy booms rigged out aft on both sides, a wire rope from the helm being passed on to the winches. 1 FEARFUL LURCHING. The passengers were not aware of the gravity of the accident till daylight. The most alarming thing to tho passengers was the fearful lurching of the 1 vessel in the trough of the sea. She rolled top sides under on the port side. The temporary steering gear carried away several times, but the crow worked bravely and repaired the damage. ' , At 3 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon the main trysail was bent to steady the ship, and at 6 o’clock one of the sea- anchors was hove in for repairs. At 9.50 repairs were effected and the anchor towed from the starboard bow, heavy squalls of rain and a terrific sea continuing. .ANCHORS LOST. The sea anchors stopped the drift .somewhat, but at 2 o’clock on Thursday morning the anchors carried away. At 7 o’clock in the morning a, foresail was set and canvas rigged in the fore rigging, oil being used with beneficial effect to smooth the sea.

The passengers during these two days behaved admirably. "When the vessel broke down she was two hundred and twenty miles off the coast, but under the influence of the west-south-west gale, she drifted back ablyHELP ARRIVES. At 4.20 a.m. on Thursday.the Mokoia was sighted. The weather was very thick. To those on board the Monowai it was regarded as miraculous that the Auckland-bound steamer saw her. However, in fifteen minutes she was alongside. \ Then a thrilling feat was performed by Captain Smith. "It was the finest piece of seamanship I have ever seen,” said Captain Rolls. “The sea was terrific, and no boat could have lived through it. Therefore, Captain Smith essayed to run close up was a period of intense excitement. As the Monowai sank in the trough of the sea the Mokoia towered above her and looked as if she must inevitably crush our steamer. “Striking the psychological moment, the Mokoia came full-speed on our leeside, throwing her head off at the right instant, and allowing her stern to brush past the Monowai, actually touching her on the port bow. Like a flash a line was thrown aboard, and a steel hawser was then made fast. Both vessels settled down to half-speed. ADRIFT AGAIN. “But the tow only lasted forty minutes, the hawser snapping. Darkness settled down at this stage., making it impossible to try the feat again of placing a rope aboard the Monowai. Therefore, the. Mokoia stood by till daylight. “After the line parted a dangerous task was successfully carried out aboard the Monowai—that of getting the port anchor hove aboard. In smooth WAter

TOWED TO SYDNEY. POUND ON THURSDAY BY THE MOKOIA, RUDDER SHAFT BROKEN. MAGNIFICENT SEAMANSHIP DISPLAYED.

such a task might be easy enough, but with the wild diving of the vessel the operation was difficult. There was always the possibility of the anchor going through tho ship's side as she lurched. Nevertheless, the task was managed, and the anchor safely stowed on board. MORE EXCELLENT WORK. “At 6.40 o’clock on Friday morning the Mokoia, splendidly handled, got alongside again, and passed a rope and a hawser fastened to sixty fathoms of cable. The Monowai’s cable stood the strain beautifully, and the long tow of 294 miles was Executed.” GETTJNG UNDER CONTROL. At the time of starting the tow tho weather began to moderate, but occasionally there were fierce squalls, with mountainous seas. As the weather got finer, rudder tackles were readjusted aboard the Monowai, and the vessel came more under control. Indeed, had tho weather been at all fine after the accident she could have made Sydney under makeshift gear. Tugs relieved the Mokoia at the Heads, but when once inside, the Monowai was able to proceed up the harbour without assistance. For three days and nights Captain Rolls never left the bridge. The passengers are loud in praise of his coolness and resourcefulness; indeed, to all the officers and men the warmest praise is due. 1 CAPTAIN SMITH’S STORY. How the Mokoia came to pick up the Monowai is explained by Captain Smith. He states :—‘ ‘As the Monowai was overdue somewhat when I left Sydney, and as we did not sight her before dark, I concluded that something must be wrong, so 1 decided to • keep to the southward, which I did till we- sighted the Monowai to the northward flying the signal ‘Rudder disabled.’ “I went near enough to put a line aboard, and eventually commenced to tow her at 6.55 o’clock on Friday morning. The weather gradually improved.” CHEERS. When both vessels reached tho wharf the passengers cheered one another, and hands played “For They are Jolly Good Fellows” and “Auld Lang Syne.” Until the Monowai is docked it will be impossible to say how long repairs may take. The Mokoia resumed her journey for Auckland at 10.30 a.m. to-day. The Manuka met the vessels in tow and signalled the news to South Head. The Monowai’s horses and sheep are in good condition.

SIX YEARS AGO. A SIMILAR MISHAP. The Monowai had a somewhat similar breakdown sis years ago, and, singularly enough, was towed to port by the Mokoia. The Monowai left the Bluff for Hobart at 5 p.m. on October Xsth, 1901. Two days out, and 442 miles from the Bluff, half the boss of the prropeller snapped off, carrying with it two, of the propeller blades. The vessel drifted, in calm, bright weather, for six days, being picked up by the Mokoia on the evening of October 23rd, and towed back to Dunedin. Among the passengers were about seventy members of Musgrove’s Grand Opera Company, and the Jubilee Singers. A "Lyttelton Times” reporter had a chat with M. Q. Slapoffski, conductor of the orchestra in Musgrove's Grand Opera Company. M. Slapoffski occupied a similar position in the first Grand Opera Company, and was a passenger aboard the Monowai on her eventful voyage. Ho stated that the accident to the propeller occurred in calm weather, and the officers did their best to allay the anxiety of the passengers, their efforts . being partially successful. The Monowai, so far as he was competent to judge, was a soundly-built, staunch vessel, and so long as the fine weather lasted there was not much to fear. An attempt was made to vec some steering way on the vessel by ■ rigging a few sails, but the Monowai was not very well suited for sailing purposes, and the experiment was not successful. The passengers amused themselves, and appeared to be happy enough. There were plenty of musical people aboard, and several concerts were held, which helped to make the time pass pleasantly. A large sea anchor was made, to keep the vessel’s head to the sea, and then all that could be done was to keep a sharp lookout for passing vessels. M. Slapoffski said that ho believed that he was the first passenger to sight the Mokoia’s lights. "And when'l had sighted the light,” he added, "my imagination got to work, and I sighted about four hundred other lights that were not there." In reply to a question as to whether there was much anxiety felt by the passengers, he said: "I know that some of us worried; I did myself, but we didn’t let on.” On the day the Mokoia picked the vessel up a rumour was going round that the bread was giving out, but there were plenty of other provisions. Vessels still out on the Tasman Sea searching for the Monowai are the Union Company’s collier Kaiapoi, which left Sydney at 1.30 p.m. on Friday, the tug Hero, which sailed from Sydney at 6 p.m. on the same day; the ocean tug Champion, which loft Newcastle earlyon Friday morning; and the Union Company’s tug Terawhiti, which left Wellington last night. On Saturday the Union Company’s office at Wellington was besieged bv inquirers anxious for news of the Monowai. It was arranged that in the event of the Monowai being reported a red flag would be hoisted yesterday at the General Post Office. The first news from Sydney of the approach of the Monowai in tow of another vessel was received by

Sir Whitson, the company's acting local manager, at G o'clock yesterday morning. Sir Whitson at once had the information of the safety of the Monowai telephoned to his Excellency the Governor, the Premier, the Mayor, members of the Ministry, officers of the Marine Department, tho principal hotels and clubs. The clergy were also advised of the vessel’s sdfo arrival at Sydney, and the good nows was announceu from several pulpits. It is a striking coincidence that the Mokoia should on two occasions have rescued tho Monowai when disabled. The Monowai had trouble with her rudder-post on a previous occasion. About seven years ago, when leaving Newcastle, she bumped heavily on the bar. On arrival at Sydney a diver was sent down to examine the vessel, but the scrutiny under water failed to reveal damage. The Monowai proceeded on her round trip to New Zealand, Hobart, and Melbourne, and on her return from Wellington to Sydney encountered heavy weather, and made port leaking. The Monowai was placed in Mort’s dock for repairs, which occupied about six weeks, and included the forging of a new rud-der-post.