SHIPS IN GALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9192, 23 March 1908, Page 1

SHIPS IN GALES.

♦ : THE ROTOMAHANA DELAYED. WSPBRmNC^IN~THE STRAITS. [Per Pbess Associa.tion._T WELLINGTON, March 22. The bad weather which had been experienced for several days seemed to reach its heigjht yesterday. The wind blew with hurricane force, and it trained the whole day. Tbe Rotomahana, which left Lyttelton at 6.10 p.m. on Friday, and was thus due about 6 a.m. yesterday, did not put in an appearance till 9 p.m.' When off Kaikoura the wind began to freshen, and by the time the vessel Unas passing Cape Campbell a hard (Southerly was blowing. About 4 a.m. the Rotomahana was near Wellington Heads, but, being unable to pick up the light, she turned south and, steamed Blowly till the weather improved somewhat. When at half-speed she made three knots an hour against the gale »nd eleven knots with the gale. The Maitai was two days late in arriving from Sydney, which port she [eft on Monday. A heavy southerly gale commenced on Tuesday evening, nnd continued until Cape Farewell was iighted on Friday afternoon. The steamer passed Cape Farewell at 4 p.m., and then ran into such a heavy southerly, with high seas and thick, rainy weather that she was hove-to from 10 p.m. on Friday till 10 a.m. today when the weather moderated and the' Maitai steamed into the harbour j»t noon. The coastal steamer Kahu arrived from Napier at 2.15 o'clock yesterday afternoon, having taken eighty-five hours on a trip Iwhich usually occupies twenty-four houfyJ She left Napier on (Wednesday night, and, except for an Interval of twelve hours sheltering at Oastle Point, had been battling with jt-he elements until two o'clqck on Saturjday. Her position at the Heads was fcerious. ' The sea, according to Captain Thompson, was tremendous, the weather thick and the coal bunkers of the Vessel at a low level. There was not Enough fuel to Cake the vessel through khe straits, and Captain Thompson had great difficulty in making port. Perhaps the toughest experience was that of the little steamer Tasman. She left Nelson for Wellington at 4 a.m. on Baturday, and when a few miles from Cape Terawhiti shipped a heavy sea, which washed clean over the bridge into the engine-rooms and the saloon End badly started the bulkhead under the bridge. It opened the deck seams »nd carried away the bridge deck ladders and the hatch over the forehold. Captain Cox decided to put back and lan into Oyster Bay, where he confertod with the captain of the Charles Edward. Captain Cox then took the Tasman to Picton, and had the deck temporarily recaulked. The 6teamer ran across to Wellington this morning. During the trip from Picton a heavy jea smashed in a port in the forecastle, »nd seas went over the vessel and again

into _he\engine~room 3 the vessel having to be stopped to enable the broken port to be blocked. NAPIER, March 21. The Wimmera had a rough passage from Wellington to Napier.