NO DAMAGE DONE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 8054, 7 March 1912, Page 1

NO DAMAGE DONE

SECURE ON A SOFT BED? EASY TO GET OFF. Captain Manley, who took charge of the Gertie for this trip; did not think the position of the Himitangi at all serious. She lay on soft, shifting sand, and had lain there since February 11th without sustaining any damage or going further ashore, so her position could not he considered dangerous. At halftide one could walk right round her. All she wanted now was power with a little heavier gear and favouring tide and wind and she could be got off easily. FISH - CARGO PROBABLY RUINED. Her engines and propeller were i all right, but the fish cargo was likely to bo ruined as, the water-pipes being i blocked with sand, the temperature 1 could not be kept down. The hatches '

were, of course, kept down, but t temperature had risen nevertheless 38deg. F. Tho Gertie could not render assii anoe in the direction of helping t stranded vessel off, but it was qui safe to leave her as she was. ,She hi three anchors out, and was making i water. All that a relief /vessel -con do was to take down a little heavi - gear. It might be necessary to < some digging out, but she might con off even without this.