RESCUE AWAITED

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1935, Page 5

RESCUE AWAITED

LINER DRIVEN ASHORE HUGE SEAS OFF FLORIDA ANOTHER SHIP IN TROUBLE VESSELS STANDING BY. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 8.30 p.m. New York, Sept. 3. A copyright message from the Associated Press correspondent aboard the s.s. Platano, which is standing by the liner Dixie, driven ashore off Florida by yesterday’s hurricane, said the Dixie wirelessed shortly after 10 p.m. stating that she was still in no apparent danger and, like the rescue vessels standing by, was waiting for daylight to attempt rescue operations through squalls, rain and mist. From the mountainous waves the Dixie was visible intermittently earlier tonight about three miles off the starboard bow. Three other vessels also hove to. The Limon Gatun, Eloccidente (an oil tanker) and the Reaper were no longer in sight. The Dixie sent the following wireless message to its New York office at 10 p.m. eastern standard time:— “Chief engineer reports that the floor plates in the stokehold are up two inches. Making no water except in the double bottom of the ship. The morale of the passengers is high.”—Captain E. W. Sundstrom. It is not known what the reference to the floor plates meant. The oil tanker Reaper wirelessed: “We are two miles off the reef and are unable to see the Dixie. We are taking radio bearings to follow it in.” It was indicated that the sector was enshrouded in fog. An 80-miles-an-hour gale sent huge waves pounding against the Dixie, and she was in danger of breaking up. Her regular radio apparatus is not functioning, but with an emergency wireless she sent out brief, vague reports. A coast guard intercepted a message stating that the British tanker Capulet was in distress on the Florida coast. The engines are broken down, but we don t think we need help,” said the message. Later advices stated that the Capulet had engine trouble 40 miles east of Hollywood, Florida. The vessel stopped to make repairs but was not in need of assistance. Coincident with huiTicane damage to shipping off southern Florida it was announced to-day that President Roosevelt had approved of a £1,000,000 allotment for preliminary work on a canal to connect the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico across northern Florida, using the Saint Johns and other rivers. The canal would save one to two days’ shipping time between New York and New Orleans and avoid the dangerous area where the Dixie is now grounded. It is estimated that the project would cost about £20,000,000.