PRAISE OF THE OFFICERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7237, 25 October 1901, Page 3

PRAISE OF THE OFFICERS.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT. [From Our Correspondent] DUNEDIN, Oct. 25. The Mqnowai's passengers are full of praise of Captain Chat-licld and his officers. "We owe our deliverance to Providence," said one whoso statement was assented to by the rest, " but must not forget the skill displayed by both captains." Mr Smith, the engineer of the Monowai, said: — "We left Dimediu on Oct. 14 and the Bluff on Oct. 15. Everything went all right till tho following day, when we had a south-west gale with a very heavy sea. The engines were eased down at 1.30 a,.m. It was reported to me that there had been a heavy crash aft, as if the propeller had struck .something, and a slight jarring was felt aft after that. At 6.45 a.m. the engine took a. heavy race. On making) an examination it was found that the propeller boss had burst open in a V shape." Asked to say exactly what this meant, he replied : " The boss is that part of the propeller that the blades are fastened on to. What happened was that the shaft was left exposed through the boss, and there was an absolute disablement of the machinery beyond the possibility of repair till the ship could be tipped to get the shaft out of the water. That could not be dene in theye latitudes. There was nothing in the shape of a breakage of ; the ship's frame, and it meant no danger, to the ship, but it meant that she was absolutely crippled, and nothing could be done £11 ithey. could get a. new boss fitted.' Mr Conk, the Union Steamship Company's engineer, asked if such an accident was common, replied: — "This is. the first time within my recollection that such a, thing happened at sea. We have found these things defective in dock, but nothing • like this has ever 'happened in the sums way. The 'Monowai was in dock only five weeks ago." Mr Smith said, so far as he knew, nobody saw anything taf the object lhat the propeller struck. He could no-t even guess what it was. though many thought it must have 'been a piece of partially sunken wreckage, and possibly enough 'that was the case. THE CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE. Captain Chatfield's story was that the weather got gradually 'worse up to the time of the mishap, and that, .though she set all 'the ship's ordinary sails, and bent clher?, including a square* sail, he found it inipcssibln io get- meritee way i;n tin; vcj-ss-I. and Che most •"he could dv was io try iv diroct hen drift towards New- Zmtetifl. <>r. rather, Io help her in her <!iif! ; n tiKit- direction. The course sh?. look was at fir.-i Inclined to northerly, and 'then ale. ut east. H«- w.is 442 :n*lps fix-nr tlip. Bluff when the vessel brokf down, itnd 342 miles when siie was pii'k»d up. The Mokoia's tow of the disabled vessel w; s i;i all 472 miles. As io fo-d, he had n-> anxie'y, knowing thar, 'with Hie foodstuffs in the car-go, lie could have hung out for live mcutlis on rations of meat, notatop« an.l oatmeal. The pas-s-enters behaved themselves romnrkablv well, and seeaif 1 not in tlie least- d'spiriretl. amusing themselves with conceits and sour'.s. The captain poii.'ledlv H'l'eiis "ti> liie way in which ilu» t-mv woi-ked. All the nassfi-.L'tus will embark in the M'okoia at 5.20 p.m. to-day for Melbmirne.