DAMAGED SHIP'S VOYAGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13973, 6 August 1909, Page 3

DAMAGED SHIP'S VOYAGE.

Tito steamer .N'otherton, wJjic.li last month arrived safely at \Vest Hartlepool, has a somewhat remarkable history. A year or more ago an explosion of benzine occurred in the- forehold, and the whole of the forepart of the ship was reduced practically to a mass of scrap iron,'says the •"Yorkshire Post." in this condition she lay at Singapore, and all hopes of repairing her sufficiently to enable her to be brought to England having been given up she was eventually sold as a "wreck."

Messrs W. H. Loveridgo and Co.', of West Hartlepool, bought her. and sent out Mr W. J. liusse.il, a local marine surveyor with experience in the J ,- ar Kast, to see if he could devise some scheme of temporary repair. The task was one of very considerable difficulty, for the ship was an absoluto wreck from amidships right forward, and as a result of the'fire which followed the explosion her sides were drawn in. A scheme of repairs was earned out, the main feature of which was the introduction of two huge girders, one on each side of the vessel, extending over the whole of the damaged portion, firmly rivetted to the bow and 'midships shell plating, and supported at intervals by strong vertical struts of plates and angles. The wreckage forward'was cut away, and a temporary, deck of wood was laid and covered with canvas. The engines and boilers were found to bo in fairly good tion/ and two months ago the Netherton, patched as she was., began her voyage Homo in charge of Captain "Watson; and with a crew largely consisting of Chinamen. The Netherton was built on the Tyiio in 1905. and is a vessel of about 7000 tons deadweight.