STORMS IN TASMAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23204, 31 May 1937, Page 10

STORMS IN TASMAN

CABLE STEAMER BUFFETED REPAIR WORK HAMPERED (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 30. After an absence from Auckland since March 24, endeavouring to repair (he Auckland-Sydney cable, the steamer Recorder returned on Saturday afternoon with her operations nullified by continual storms. Three cyclones and four gales were experienced in mid-Tasman. forcing the Recorder to shelter at Sydney for nearly a week. Temporarily abandoning work on the Auckland-Sydney cable the Recorder located and buoyed the Doubtless Bay—Norfolk Island cable and returned to Auckland for additional cable to carry out the repairs. She should sail again for the Tasman on Tuesday. The repair of the broken transTar.man cable has occupied the Recorder for a considerable time. The major fault is about 200 miles out from Sydney and in very deep water, but another fault has been located about 40 miles out from Muriwai. When the Recorder left Auckland she steamed to the break at the Auckland end encountering extremely bad weather. The end was located at a deptli of about 3000 fathoms, but when the grapnel apparatus had brought it almost to the surface, the cable carried away, owing to the pitching of the ship. The Recorder then proceeded to the break at the Sydney end, which is about 70 miles long, and spent three weeks under gale and cyclonic conditions, attempting to bring the cable to the surface. After gripping the end on two occasions and losing it in the heavy seas, the Recorder suspended operations and steamed to Sydney for shelter. On putting to sea again, the ship inspected the condition of the abandoned Wellington-Sydney cable and located and buoyed the ends of the Doubtless Bay-Norfolk Island cable.