THE KARORI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17787, 20 November 1919, Page 2

THE KARORI.

SUBMERGED AT HIGH TIDE. TUG TERAWTIITI REQUISITIONED. j> At hig-h tide yesterday morning tho collier Karori was floating; aft, but her bow rciiKiimxl firmly embedded in the mud. Last night sho was still settling' down, and tbo'water was flowing freely over her starboard gunwales alouig tho wholo longih of the snip. When tho tide was at the full h?r decks were covered by about 4ft. of water, but so far it has not, found its way through the hatches. Several stout lines aro holding the vessel in to tho wihnrf side, and these are beintr subjected to a heavy strain on account of her starboard list. It is evident, from the rapid way in which the water found entry into tho ship, that tho damage sustained is much greater than was at first anticiiKitcd, and it is now thought that her hull has been ripped open for a considerable length from the- forepoak to the engine, room. Any attempt at pumping out tho ship with the present apparatus available woidd havo been rendered abortive by the stamping of the vess?l at high tide, so tho Union Company's tug Tcrawhiti has been requisitioned. The tug left Wellington, at noon yesterday, and sho should arrive here to-night with n powerful pumping plant, and when this has been connected up a start will be made to pump tho Karori out.

The vessel's mishap is doubly unfortunate at the present time, when tho coal shortage is so acute. She had been fixed to • load general cargo for Auckland, and the Union Company has been unable to place another boat on the Karori's running. The engine ars, when it was foreseen that the engine room was going to be flooded out, took tho precaution of tarring all of tho vital parts of :hor machinery, so that tho salt water will not have much effect on them.

The ledge of rock on which tho Karori struck lies on tho channel side of Quarantine Island. The spot is marked by a fixsd guiding light and beacon. It was at the same place that tho Ulimaroa struck and sustained serious damage to her bull some years ago, which necessitated her going into dock for soma time at Lyttelton to undergo repairs. The former Union Company steamer Warrimoo also touched this ledge some years ago, but escaped serious damage. A start was made yesterday afternoon to discharge tho Karori's coal cargo into the hulk lying alongside, but with the advent of the heavy rain showers tho work was discontinued: