VAST OF THE INCA

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1927, Page 7

VAST OF THE INCA

BLOWN UP AND BURNED.

THE STORY OF RUFUS DAWES.

While Sydney slept'through the early hours of the morning of December 22, a select party had an exciting time three miles outside the Heads, where the old schooner Inca, saturated with 1000 gallons bf crude oil, and carrying two tons of old films, and 251 b.—-the limit allowed —of dynamite, was blown up and burned to the water-line. Some time next year the million sleepers in Sydney, and millions more all over the world, will see the same scenes re-enact-ed in the picture version of “For the Term of his Natural Life.” . As time fuses have an inconvenient habit of going off a little before or after the appointed time, six cinematographers were taken out to make sure that what was a very costly, scene for the producers would not by any chance be missed. A minute before the allotted time the first photographer began working. That he got nothing at all did not matter. The explosion occurred on time, and four out of the ai£' cameras caught it. There was ail exciting moment before the explosion, when the Inca was set on fire by two of the staff. Immediately it burst into raging flames and the launch with the operating party, which was on the lee side, was enveloped in smoke. No one knew for a few moments what had happened to the two men, but the whole party soon got round on the right side of the burning vessel. The main party returned to the city about midday, but a tug had to stand by the Inca to the eniL until what was left of the hull disappeared under the sea. The scene epacted occurs early, in the book, although the actual filming of the picture is nearly .finished. The convict ship, carrying Rufus Dawes to years of ■suffering, sights a burning vessel, and sends over a boat, which discovers her to be a powder ship, Hydaspes. So the Inca played its last role. The "stars” did not take part in the film adventure. Where necessary they were doubled by less expensive people. This was quite' safe because of the nature of the scenes,, and the distance, at which they were "shot.”