EARLY MARITIME MISHAP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20389, 21 April 1928, Page 21

EARLY MARITIME MISHAP.

SALVAGING OF THE KAIPARA. VESSEL'S SUBSEQUENT FATE. The docking of the C. A. Larsen at Port Chalmers recalls . the salvaging of the New Zealand Shipping • Company’s cargo . steamer Kaipara in Rangitoto Channel (Auckland) over 20 years ago. A Dunedin resident, who lived in Auckland at ..the time, .when interviewed by an Otago Daily' Times .reporter gave some interesting particulars concerning the mishap to the Kaipara and the subsequent salvaging of the vessel. On the afternoon of January 14, 1908, the Kaipara, carrying a full shipment of frozen meat, wool, and other products, gleaned at the Customs, and left her berth at ; Auckland’s principal wharf, bound *fOr London, via Cape Horn and Montevideo, under the command of Captain'. de la '■ Cour Cornwall. The ship did not ..reach her destination on that particular, trip. Steaming down Auckland Harbour in the bright sunlight, the Kaipara rounded North Head with the crew making everything snug for the long voyage to ihe Homeland, Thousands of people sporting in the surf at Cheltenham Beach, Devouport, were startled when they saw the deeply-laden ship round the high bluft which stands as a sentinel to Auckland Harbour. Everyone realised that something was amiss. And such proved to be the case. The captain had stood too close in to the Devonport shore after rounding North Head. The vessel was out qf the regular navigation channel, and she had not steamed half a mile past the head when she struck a reef of rocks which were known to exist within a few hundred yards of the shore. With a grinding die heavy sljlp came to a sudden stop, and in a few minutes she was deep in the water by the bow. The news of the mishap spread quickly, and small tag" and ferry boats soon put in an appearance. It was realised that the Kaipara was badly crippled, and all efforts made to move her failed.

The salvage work was delayed owing to a dispute with the two Auckland divers regarding terms. In the meantime the ship lay on the bottom, with the water almost level with her main deck. After some further delay the Auckland manager for the New Zealand Shipping Company appealed to the com mander of the British warship Ringaroomi for assistance. It was readily given, the commander sending three divers, the warship’s doctor, and an officer, together with under-water telephonic equipment to the stranded vessel. When the Auckland divers realised what was happening their dispute ended. They were engaged for the salvage work, and all five divers worked at the ship for five days. The method adopted for stopping the gaping holes in the Kaipara s hull was on the lines used in those days. Large collision mats were placed over the' biggest holes—the ship’s hull below the waterline had been ripped open for about 120 ft froin the fore-part on the port side. Long wooden wedges were- then placed between- the damaged plates, and thousands of small wooden plugs were used to plug the' rivet holes, the rivets having been torn clean oiit of the plates. The Union Company’s tug Tcrawhiti came from Wellington and when ever,thing was ready, with the tug at the Kaipara’s bow and fenv boats on th*. port and starboard sides, and other small tugs at the stern., the, Kaipara was refloated. Before this was done, however, a stench arose from the frozen meat cargo, which was damaged by the salt water. It was necessary to remove this freight, and scows and "barges were employed m carrying thousands of carcasses to sea, the moat being jettisoned far out in Hauraki Gulf. , The Kaipara -was towed into Auckland Harbour, but owing to the inflow of water she again filled and sank off Hobson’s Bay. The balance of the frozen meat was then transferred to scows and barges and taken out to sea. _ Altogether oyer 30,000 carcasses were jettisoned. ihe damaged ship was floated into Calliope Dock the sixth or seventh day after striking the rock. She occupied the dock for four months. Her plates on the port side were cut clean through. These had to be renewed, and the whole cost of repairs and dock dues totalled over £40,000. The Kaipara afterwards Continued to run in the trade between New Zealand and England, but her career was ended six years after the mishap. She was Homeward bound from New Zealand during the latter part of 1914. The vessel was under the charge of Captain Makepeace, and when close to the Canary Islands encountered the German raider Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse._ The German commander ordered the Kaipara’s officers and crew to leave the ship. They were given 20 minutes in which to do so. The German ship then stood off and shot after shot from her guns were fired at the New Zealand trader. The old ship, however, met her end defiantly, as it took over .120 rounds to send her to, the bottom.