cally Undamaged

"Morinda" Ashore

Resumes Voyage Practi cally Undamaged

THE Burns Philp steamer “Morinda” at 4 o’clock in the morning of March 28, when steaming from Bush man’s Bay to the island of Tangoa, in the New Hebrides, in intense darkness and blinding rain-squalls, ran on to a coral outcrop off the south-western corner of Malo Island, and began bump ing heavily. There were only about ten passengers aboard, and they included Mr. Joy, the British Resident Commis sioner in the New Hebrides, and his wife and son.

Everyone below rushed on deck, but Captain R. Perry and his officers de clared that there was no immediate danger and calm was restored.

When dawn broke, it was seen that the steamer was fixed amidships on a coral reef, about 50 yards from the beach. She remained there all day on Monday, bumping heavily at times. She swung from the point where she was held amidships. There was deep water fore and aft.

In response to radio messages the French sloop “Rigault de Genouilly” left Vila hurriedly, to give whatever assist ance was possible.

The “Morinda’s” officers were con fident that they could refloat the vessel, especially as the tides were getting higher. Attempts to refloat her on Monday failed.

The French warship appeared about 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, and the “Morinda’s” passengers and mails were rowed across to her, taken aboard, and landed later at Luganville.

At 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29, the “Morinda” was successfully floated off the reef, apparently undamaged. She picked up her lifeboats, and resumed her voyage to Tangoa.

The section of the Pacific where the “Morinda” grounded is very badly charted, and vessels cruising in that region literally feel their way around — they are in constant danger of bumping a coral outcrop.