"Papuan Chief"

Inaccurate Reports Regarding Salvage and Insurance

ACCORDING to reports in Sydney newspapers (which formed also the basis of a statement in the “P.1.M.” in December), there has been a good deal of misconception regarding the Steam ship Trading Co.’s steamer “Papuan Chief”.

It was reported in Sydney that, after the crew failed to get the vessel off the reef a second time, she was “abandoned to the under-writers”. It appears that this was not so.

The position is that the vessel origin ally went on a reef in August, about 70 miles from Samarai. The captain and crew, by great efforts, got her off, under her own power: but she leaked badly, and was beached. She was patched up, and headed for Port Moresby; but again the water entered, and she was beached again. A third time, they got her afloat, and she was within 70 miles of Port Moresby when the water gained again, and she then was carefully beached on a smooth bottom, in a well protected position in Eagle Bay.

A contract was then made, through the insurance company, signed by Steam ships Trading Co,. Ltd., on a “no cure, no pay” basis, under which Mr.

Stewart, of Napa Napa boat-slip, under took to bring the vessel to Port Moresby, Mr. Stewart succeeded in bringing the steamer into Port Moresby; and the in surance company then paid the claims of S.T.C., Ltd., under the policies—which,

of course, covered the charges of Mr.

Stewart.

The “Papuan Chief” never, at any time, left the possession of the Company, nor were tenders called for her purchase.

The “Papuan Chief” will be repaired at the S.T. Co. slip, when it is conveni ent. Meantime, the coastal services are being carried on by substantial, but smaller vessels. One is the “Malvin”, 44 tons, powered with a 90 120 h.p. Thorni croft engine.