SHIPPING CASUALTIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13393, 17 September 1907, Page 5

SHIPPING CASUALTIES.

STRANDING OF THE WARRIMOO. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, September 16. Early yesterday morning a sensation was caused in ihe city by <t;he news that the Union Company's steamer Warrimoo, which left Lyttelton on Saturday night for Newcastle, was ashoro close to the lighthouse at Cape Farewell. Mr Whitsoh, acting manager at the Company's Wellington office, states that the Warrimoo, after being painted and overhauled in the Lytteltpn graving dock, was floated out on Saturday morning. Instead of going to Port Chalmers she completed her overhaul and saile:\ at 11.50 on Saturday night for Newcastle with the Monowai's spare tail shaft, propeller, boss, and crank shaft, which had been brought up from Port Cahlmers by the Tarawera in case the Monowai required any of these parts. . The alteration of the Wai imoo's movements was necessitated by the disarrangement of the timetable .due to the Monowai's non-arrival at Svdnev.

Captain Mcßeth, who was in charge of the Warrimoo, had been advised to communicate with Farewell Spit Lighthouse yesterday afternoon with a. view to obtaining tidings of the Monowai. Mr Whitson, on receipt of the news of the mishap, directed the Westport branch t" fend the Arahura to the Warrimoos assistance, and the Nelson branch was instructed to despatch the Rotoiti on arrival from Wellington. The collier Pukaki was despatched at 11.15 last night for Farewell Spit with •salvage gear. At 2.30 this morning the Union, Company received the following t-elegraim. from Cape Fare-well:—"High water, wind south freshening, no change in "Warrimoo's position. No signs of any other steamer?. If the Warrimoo remains aground at high water it. is expected that the combined efforts of the Company's steamers will extricate the vessel' from her perilous position on this afternoon's tide." The. vessel, it is believed, has neither passengers nor cargo of any kind, find Imposition cannot be considered dangerous under the circumstances.

SAFELY FLOATED OFF. NELSON, September .16. The Warrimoo went ashore about 6 o'clock last evening. It is surmised that the captain Rot close in to communicate with the liffhthouse for tidings of the Monowni. The weather was foggy at the timo, and the steamer approached, too cloki'- to the sand spit. The, sea was calm at the tim.\ but. a strong south-easter was, blowing: The Warrimoo was about- two miles from the end of the spit on the Golden Bay side hi a sheltered position on a sandy bottom. At hi"h* water this morning an attempt was made to kedge % steamer off with anchors, and Ml steam, but it was unsuccessful. The south-easter blowing assisted to nullify the efforts made. Farlv this morning the Rotoiti wa.3 sent to Farewell Spit to assist, the Warrimoo, arriving there at half-past 7 o'clock. The stranded-steamer was about thrw-quarters of a mile on the nor'-west side of the lin-hthnuse lying bow on to the sandy b"ao.h, and at, dead low water her propellev was just visible. A strong southeaster was blowing, with a, considerable sea. The Rotoiti steamed within one hundred yards: and preparations w-ere mad© for towing off when the tide rose, by a wire hawser connecting the vessels. At .a, quarter to 1 o'clock the Mararoa. arrived from Wellington' and stood by. a, quarter of a mile from the Rotoiti, while half an hour later the Aiahura steamed up from West port. At 1.20 p.m. the Rotoiti commenced towing, the -engines being put slow ahead, then "half speed, and finally full speed. The Warrimoo glided off the sand bank into deep water at 1.30, when Captain Mcßeth signalled "No damage." The Warrimoo and Mararoa steamed off to Wellington, the Arahura left, for Westport and the Rotoiti for Nelson. Greab praise is due to Captain Robertson for the jeamanlike manner in which lie handled the Rotoiti. It- was ascertained that Captain Mcßeth was standing in ck-s:.! to the spit lighthouse to riscertam if there were any tidings of the Monowai when the Warrimoo touched one of the ever-moving sand banks, 'the water decreasing in a few yards from twenty fathoms to nine fathoms.