NAUTILUS DRIFTING.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 190, 12 August 1931, Page 1

NAUTILUS DRIFTING.

Engines Again Break Down in Arctic Seas. REPAIR WORK HAS FAILED. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copy light. (Received August 12, 11 a.m.) TROMSOE, August 11. Sir Hubert Wilkins’s submarine Nautilus is reported to be adrift in the Arctic The engines suddenly stopped shortly after leaving Tromsoe. The crew worked all night in an unsuccessful attempt to effect -t-pairs. The unreliability of the engines of the Nautilus has given rise to fear as to the success of the attempt to cross the North Pole under water. It has already been announced, but not officially, that Sir Hubert Wilkins will not attempt the feat this year, but will carry out exploration work in the vicinity of Spitzbergen. When a steamer from Tromsoe bearing the reception committee, and scores of fishing beats went out to escort Sir Hubert Wilkins’s submarine Nautilus to harbour, the vessel was found to be drifting owing to damage to her electric steering gear. After receiving assistance the Nautilus reached the quayside. The Nautilus broke down in midAtlantic on June 14 while on her way to begin her great adventure under the Polar ice She was towed into Cork harbour on June 23 with her bridge swept away and with many of her crew in a state of exhaustion. She was towed for 1500 miles by the United States warship Wyoming, which took charge of her when the engine breakdown occurred. Ten miles from Cork harbour the tug Morsecock took over the towage from the Wyoming and brought the submarine into port.