PLANS MADE FOR WANGANELLA TO BE MOVED NEXT WEEK

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 January 1948, Page 4

PLANS MADE FOR WANGANELLA TO BE MOVED NEXT WEEK

(P.A.) Wellington, Jan. 16. After being kept afloat by compressed air for what is believed to be a world record time—since the end of May—the liner Wanganella is expected to move from Clyde Quay wharf to the floating dock on Monday morning, the anniversary of the day on which she struck Barrett’s Reef. Plans which have been made are subject to the weather being suitable, but unless there is a particularly high wind the Wanganella will be moved across the harbour by three tugs. The ships engines will not be used as vibration from thjm might affect the sealing of the forepart of the ship and the buoyancy gained from compressed air. The ship will move stern first until near the dock, when she will be turned to enter bow first. In the eight months that the vessel has been at Clyde Quay wharf 100,000,000 cubic feet of air have been used, which is equivalent to one and a third square miles of air one yard deep. At atmospheric pressure the depth of the equivalent air would be fen feet, The chief engineer (Mr. J. Wylie) said to-day that because of the excellent sealing work done on No. 3 hold, those on board had had a minimum of worry. A few leaks had occurred but they were soon discovered' and repaired. Apart from minor troubles, there had been no failures of the machinery in use.