TOWED ACROSS WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1933, Page 9

TOWED ACROSS WORLD

VESSEL AT NEW PLYMOUTH. DISASTROUS FIRE RECALLED. The longest tow to which a merchant ship has ever been subject has been the experience of the steamer City of Singatx>fe, which is to arrive at New Plymouth at 8 this morning from Wellington. Th© vessel was nearly destroyed by fire and afterwards she was towed from Adelaide to Rotterdam for permanent repairs. Tlie fire - occurred on • April 26, 1924, when the vessel was at Adelaide with 700 tons of petrol and other oils from Nevz York on board. Before the outbreak was subdued, four firemen lost their lives and 13 other persons were seriously injured. Three hours after the fire started a terrific explosion occurred and timber and ship’s fittings were blown high. The damage was estimated at £250,000. The opinion was expressed that the vessel would never leave the port again, as it was thought it would cost as much to repair her as to build another vessel.

Eventually she was taken over by Mr. W. J. Russell, salvage expert, and he arranged for her to be temporarily repaired and then taken in tow to Rotterdam, where permanent repairs could be effected. The Dutch tugs Willen Barendsz and Vivian Deren had arrived in Australia with a barge from java and the two tugs were given the contract to carry out the long tow, which was completed successfully. The City of Singapore was then one of the newest steamers of the Ellerman Line, having been built in 1923. The City of Singapore, which is a steel, cruiser-stem vessel of 6567 tons, left New York on August 22 for New Zealand ports. The vessel loaded general cargo at New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk, sulphur and general cargo at New Orleans, and sulphur at Galveston. She left Galveston on September 5 and cleared Panama on September 12. Stormy weather was experienced on the passage from Norfolk to New Orleans. When she was at Galveston the centre of a severe hurricane passed about 100 miles from that port. After leaving Galveston boisterous conditions were experienced on the passage to Panama. Generally fair weather prevailed in the Pacific. A short stay was made at Pitcairn Island on September 25. The vessel arrived at Auckland on October 7, and later proceeded to Wellington, where she was berthed on Sunday. At New Plymouth she is to discharge 1100 tons of sulphur and 50 tons of general American cargo, and she is to proceed to Lyttelton, Dunedin and Australian ports either on Friday night or on Saturday morning to complete discharge.