A SENSATIONAL INCIDENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14579, 19 July 1909, Page 5

A SENSATIONAL INCIDENT

SIR HARRY RAWSON'S EXPERIENCE. Press- Association—By Telegraph-Copyright, SYDNEY, July 17. Sir Harry Rawson had a sensational experience on his trip Home. Ho was' travelling in the Canadian Pacific Company's steamer Assiniboia, plying on the Great Lakes, a vessel of nearly 4000 tons. She was waiting in a lock with the water at the same level, as Lake Superior, and 18ft above tho level of the channel below at tho lower gates of the lock. Tho steamer, when manoeuvring outside these lower gales, crashed into them, and with the. frightful rush and force of the waters of Lake Superior behind her the Assiniboia was carried iiko a straw through the lock, her mooring lines snapping like threads. Tho whole affair lasted only a couple of minutes, and the Afsinihoi'a ami several other steamers were grounded some distance down. The spectators said that as the Assiniboia shot down tho cataract that poured out of the lock her bow was pitched down tho incline of water till her stern was so' high that her propeller was clean out of tho water. Then she struck tho level below, and the rush of the current swayed her over on' her beam ends so that she took in water through her gangway. , ° Sir ILRotsoii, when interviewed, said that the water came down with a magnificent rush, and it was a pretty sight. There was no panic. A couple of ladies fainted; "But they always do that, you know," added the Admiral.