TIME ALONE WILL TELL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3561, 28 June 1912, Page 5

TIME ALONE WILL TELL.

WILL THE STAR OF CANADA BE RAISED ? STRONG CONTINGENT OF SALVAGE EXPERTS. A TRIAL RUN WITH THE PUMPS LAST NICHT. WHAT THE DIVER HAS ASCERTAINED. VESSEL GRIPPED BY PAPA VISE. IF EVERYTHING SHOULD GO WELLmay BE FLOATED OFF BY SUNDAY. SALVACINC OF CARGO COMPLETED.

A day of calm again yesterday, though, there was a long ground swell an evidence which gave those in charge of salvage and lightering operations around the stranded liner Star -of Canada considerable trouble. The stricken ship herself, too, was feeling the s\yell, and swayed and rolled considerably nDon her papa bed, although apparently she did herself but little damage. The motion on deck last evening was very noticeable, and was verv similar to'that experienced on a ship at sea in*a light breeze. The stern* is floating high now that so much cargo has been taken out, and the anchors which are out from this part of the vessel stood her in good stead.

A Heavy Strain

As she rode last evening to the •gentle swell, her stern swung freely and rose at a lift of five feet or more. Each lift, tlie whole ship shook as she was sheered shorewards and there was a perceptible pull on the anchor hawsers. Tt was a big strain on her every time, as indicated by the general creak and quiver. This, of course, was increased by the fact that she is now prncticallv an empty ship. There are four anchors out in all—the tw-o ship’s anchors which have been out since the stranding, the one put out at about amidships by the Tuatea on Tuesday, and one put out from the stern Yesterday. The grip of these is sufficient to hold a liner much large! than the Canada, so that there need be little fear of her dragging and breaking away. The anchor-lines are good, and the anchorages appear to be firm.

in th? Holds, The holds forward of the bridge were the scene of great activity yesterday. The pumping plant and salvage gear which had been brought by the Nilyua and Tcrawhiti from Wellington bad been placed in position in Nos. 1 and 2 holds yesterday. The plant consists of three ten-inch centrifugal pumps that will lift about 3500 tons of water per hour, while the six-inch pulsomoter pump will hit an additional 500 tons per hour. These me all worked by the Star or Canada’s own steam. 'There is about 30 feet of water in the forward holds at high tide, and the pumps were all ready for working yesterday evening and given an initial test for an hour. A Satisfactory Trial. The result was very satisfactory, remarked one of the experts when questioned last evening bv a "Gisborne Times” reporter on tli© subject. The water was reduced considerably, and if the weather still bolds good the steamer will be safely got off by Sunday night. There was nothing they could not cope with as rax as investigations showed np to the present. . . , i V number of holes were out m the port side of the ship yesterday m order that the Terawhiti, which goes alongside to-day. can insert the pipes connected with her pumps into the holds and so help to reduce "the water. Removing The Debris. Between the ’tween deck and the shelter deck in No. 2 hold the water is washing about as the vessel moves with the swell. Just under the shelter deck can be seen small rafts floating about carrying men who are gropiim about for hatches or debris which niudit get in the way or the pumps when working. This work was carried out to a late hour last night. In No. 1 hold the wool was still being salvaged, but practically the whole of this portion of the cargo has been removed. It is possible that the wet grain in uNTo. 3 hokl will na\ etn be jettisoned, hut the frozen meat in the after holds will be left for the present.

The Experts. Quite a number of experts have arrived to supervise and inspect salvage operations. Mr Birkett, Marine Superintendent for the Union Company, is at present here, and Mr Cordocr.,. or the*shore repairing staff of the same company, is'also giving assistance in connection with the Pumps.. Captain Plunkett arrived on Wednesday yo ie present Lloyds, and to-morrow Mr J. D-midis salvage expert, arrives to relieve Mr Birkett, who has to proceed to Wellington • .My Parnells has had wide r^rdWaddition to ‘those already here. A Diver on t~s Scorn; .Messrs Richardson and Co’s AA'eka arrived from Napier yesterday morning with Mr G. Lloyd, a diver m The employ of the Napier Harbor Boat d . He was put on board the bt.ii of

Canada immediately, and, his services were at once availed of, but his investigations were restricted owing to the heavy swell. His services were necessary on. account of the fact that the Board’s diving gear is aboard the Maui at Auckland. The Bireiest Men.

The busiest men are the engineers, Who, besides the usual multifarious duties -to perform down below in order to keep up steam, are looked to on all sides for assistance and advice in everything that concerns the work of pumping and salvage in general. They are, in fact, a pack ef tired men, and have experienced a minimum of sleep since the steamer went aground on Sunday. The chief-engineer, Mr. Brooks, has had an extremely arduous tipie, and has enjoyed the wholehearted support of an energetic staff. Even now, Jus labors a- - e on the increase rather than the decrease, for he is really superintending the slogging work down in the lipids. Second Engineer Mr TV. Carrick, third Mr A. McDonald, fourth Mr H. Campbell, fifth Mr H. Dixie, sixth Mr H. C. Cook- and Messrs R. Fraser and J. Lawrence, chief and second refrigerating engineers—all are working heart and soul in au endeavor to save the rock-held steamer. What the Pumps do. The chief engineer, in a conversation with a “Gisborne Times” reporter last evening, said that the progress made so far was highly satisfactory, and that absolutely everything possible to ensure the ship’s safety was being done. Four fine pumps had been fitted up, two centrifugal and one pulsometer, and all were in exec limit order. __ Two centrifugal pumps were in No. 2 hold, and one and the pulsometer in No. 1. The pumps were driven by -steam from the Canada’s own engines, and transmitted by means of an arrangement with the engineers. Between 5 and 6 p.m., the pumps were given a few minutes’ trial, and they worked excellently. Then at 7 o’clock they were started again, and Mr Brooks was more than delighted with the success which resulted. For an hour the pumps worked without stop or breakage, and sucked up and coughed out the water at* a* rapid rate. As the chief engineer explained, it was a difficult matter to know how much good was 1 done, although the water was at a much lower level after the effort, the confusing factor being that the pumping -"’as done on a receding tide. Nevertheless, a big impression was made, and Mr Brookes is sanguine of the success which will meet the efforts of the pumps to-day, with the probable addition of the Terawliiti’s plant.

Embedded in Pane.

Diver Lloyd, of Napier, is m attendance, and, in his grotesque garb, descended into the sea yesterday. He went over at the fore end of*the ship and was below for some time, although the disturbed sea served to make his-passage a perilous oneClose investigation, whs impassable, hut he succeeded in discovering that as the theory upheld, almost half of the steamer is settled down hard on a bed of papa. Whether she is badly punctured or her plates are loosened, lie was unable to say. This remains to lie seen and will he known within tlie next- day ci two.

All'Depends on the Weather

“What,” the reporter -asked of the Chief Engineer, “is, frankly, vour opinion of the steamer’s .position ana her chances?” ' ■ -That/’ he replied, “is a difficult question. Salving a steamer is the most uncertain thing in tlie world. Personally, I am hopeful and believe that when we get tlie water out, sue will be easily floated. But it is, as I sav, a matter of uncertainty, and time will tell. She may he rented, but I do not think so.” “Should the sea not become calmer, what then?” ••Nell,” came the ready response, “good weather means everything. If the seas don’t- remain calm, then tlie work will be harder, and—well, her chances would he duller, they -would be pretty bad.” Mr Brooks, proceeding, said that once she was floated, the steamer would be safe. “Once she is afloat," he said, “we will stop her up somehow. We will bind lier with mats, and that will stand out as far as Auckland.”

In ths Engineroom. At the invitation of a courteous engineer a “Gisborne Times” reporter' made an inspection of the engine-room, descending the steep steel ladders many feet to where the engines lay gleaming massive and,beautiful in the sheen of the electric light. To the layman it was a wonderful sight; to the engineer it was ordinary. He talked learnedly of condensers and thrustshafts, of air pumps and throttles, while the pressman wondered and pretended that he understood. Tlie stoke-hold' also was visited. It was wonderfully cool in here, and until the furnace doors were opened one found it remarkably difficult to l>elieve that there were fires within yards. The operations of the forceddraijcffit apparatus were explained, and a return being made to the en-gine-room each individual part of the ship’s great mechanism was talked of, the guide according each a loving pat as it was passedThe visit was a memorable one, though quite beyond lucid description, the one main fact being forcibly impressed! upon the mind that whereas the forward 1 part of the ship was feet deep under water the engine room was dry and well-ordered, while men were at their posts as if awaiting the telegraph to ring “stand-by.” There was only a slightly dented plat© to speak of the Star’s Unenviable experience.

Deserting ths Fo’c’stle. While the ship is swinging .freely astern, she is fast in her natural vice at the bow, and a sickening creak accompanies each swell. The fo’c’stle is, therefore, not an over-pleasant place to sleep in, and there is an added danger in the fact that water is near at hand. It is above the ’tween, decks and the men are afraid that the bulkhead protecting their quarters might give in. There is frankly not much fear, but, still, it is more than superstition that has driven the men from their usual abode. It was a novel ' sight last evening to see a host of men, sailors,.firemen, greasers, trimmers, sleeping in every possible <40 rnor' astern. Most of them, fully clothed, sought the warmth of the engine-room and slept • soundly about the deck entrances and the steel platforms leading to the engines. Even

so near to the consistent clank of the machinery and the hiss of the steam, they appeared to rest as though snugly in hunk. A Centre of Interest. Kaiti Beach continues to be thronged by interested siglit-seers and not a few people are voyaging around the unfortunate steamer by means of motor launches. Those in charge of the tenders ard being pestered with inquiries for trips, hut people havo to be refused, as it- is positively impossible for anyone to board the -Canada while salvage work is proceeding. Today the stranded liner will doubtless be even a greater centre of attraction, for intense interest is being taken in the operation of pumping her out. THE WEATHER FORECAST. HIGH WESTERLIES PREDICTED. ’[’lie Government Meteorologist’s forecast is: Cloudy and unsettled weather has prevailed with rain in fiart-s. The barometer has fallen everywhere with increasing northerly and westerly winds. Present indications are for high westerly winds veering to a southerly gale shortly. The barometer will probably fall for a few hours in the north, but a rapid rise may he-expect-ed, soon. Rain is probable generally. Snow may -be -expected on higher levels .and colder weather.