THE S.S. TRIUMPH AFLOAT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3355, 4 January 1884, Page 2

THE S.S. TRIUMPH AFLOAT.

[By Telegraph .J Auckland, Jan. 3. The steamer Triumph was successfully floated this morning, and is now about a mile from Tiritiri, steaming towards Auckland, 11 p.m. The Triumph has not yet arrived. Four steamers are now with her in the Gulf and towing her up stern foremost. They are the Waitaki, Glenelg, Rotomahana and McGregor. News received of the [floating operations state that her hatches were battened down, and steam got up and water pumped out, and at high water she floated off. The gale rising, her hawsers parted, and at one time it was feared she would drift on to Shearer Rock. Men were working up to the waist in water in the stoke hole, and owing to the list of the vessel, it was difficult to pump her. At one time fears were

entertained for the lives of all on board, but Fisher (engineer of the Triumph), dived to the door of compartment No 2, and let water into it, which rendered the vessel more stable. The Triumph at last got to the lee of Tiritiri, when desperate efforts were made to keep the water under till the steam tugs signalled for arrived, and steps could be taken to reduce the water in the stoke hole,which threatened to put out the fires. On the tug steamers arriving, the worst was over. The Triumph is expected in harbor in the morning. All engaged on her deserve great, praise for their courage.

Wellington, Jan, 3. The following telegram was received from Auckland at 12.30 p.m.:—“ The Triumph has passed to the leeward of Tiritiri two or three miles. The steamer Waitaki has just started to her assistance, and the Rotomahana follows at 2 o’clock. A white flag is hoisted at the signal station to intimate that the Triumph is now out of sight. It is thought the adverse sea and tide are too strong for her. It is not known whether she is making more water.” At 1.15 p.m. another telegram was received as follows;— 1 “ Triumph seems to have anchored three miles from Tiritiri. There is a strong adverse breeze and a billy sea. No details of the floating of the steamer have yet reached town. All that had been done to her prior to floating was to remove heavy cargo and coal, to stop all leaks in the sections aft of the fore compartment, and pump her out, the pumps fixed being equal to 500 tons per hour. Her forehold being full of water will make navigation difficult, especially with the sea now running.”

The purchaser of tibe vessel, “hull machinery, and anchors,” was Mr Fraser, of Fraser and Tinne, engineers ; he was supposed to be acting in connection with the Auckland Refrigerating Company, for whom probably he purchased another lot—the refrigerating machinery. The prices were for the hull, &c., £2100; for the refrigerating machinery, £320. Captain Brotherton, in his evidence, said the vessel cost £40,000, and that the owners were immediately offered £IO,OOO on their bargain, the Triumph haying been built at a time when iron was exceedingly cheap. The Triumph was built in 1880, by Clayton, Dixon and Oo.,Middlesborough-on-Tees. Her dimensions are—Length, 350 f t; beam, 35ft 2in ; depth of hold, 28ft ; registered tonnage, 1797 tons, but she is capable of carrying 2997 tons. Her engines were manufactured at the workshops of Messrs Blair, Stockton-on-Tees, and are compound direct action vertical, inverted principle, nominal horse-power, 400, and actual h.p. 2000. Her hull has a full, heavy appearance,as she was built with the main object of being a large cargo carrier. Her saloon accommodation is small. She is schooner-rigged, with doable topsail yards, and is fitted with both hand and steam-steering apparatus. She is divided into six watertight compartments, and provision is made for 600 tons of water ballast. There was a large refrigerator aboard. The dimensions of the Auckland dock are—Length, 315 f t; width, 46ft; depth of sill, 15tt. Those of the Dunedin dock are, 328 ft, 60ft, 19ft; and those of Lyttelton are, 460 ft, 62ft, 23ft. It will be seen that the Lyttelton dock is the only one the Triumph can be got into in New Zealand.