"Melanesia"

Eventful Voyage of "Melanesia"

Inventiveness of Fijian Engineer Help Vessel Reach Noumea

From a Special Correspondent

Noumea, May 20.

ON the afternoon of May 16, the small motor ship “Melanesia” (she belongs to the SDA Mission) limped into Noumea after a voyage from Sydney which (as the local residents would say) was “tres mouvementee.”

The “Melanesia” is under the command of Captain William H. Reece who has been a mariner for 46 years .

Captain Reece is well-known in Madang, New Guinea, and recently he was com missioned to take delivery of the vessel in Sydney and deliver her, under her own power, to Suva. “Melanesia” is of about 20 tons. She was built in 1940 and during the war rendered good service to the Royal Australian Navy.

Reece with a crew consisting of a friend and six Fijians left Sydney on May 8.

Two days later they were 60 miles west of Lord Howe; at that stage the motor began to overheat. The voyage was continued with the aid of a jib and a good breeze until the following day when the engine was restarted and with continued aid from the jib, carried the vessel on towards Suva at seven knots. On May 13 the motor stopped completely due to a broken valve spring. There were no spares aboard.

A large steamer was sighted heading north and by means of signals—the “Mel anesia” carries no radio—the vessel was spoken to. Reece asked that his position

be transmited to Sydney. After giving the course to Noumea the steamer dis appeared, heavy rain preventing Reece from ascertaining her name. Several hours later the American destroyer 692 was sighted and by shouting loudly Reece communicated with her, Reece still speaks hoarsely after this effort at com munication. The destroyer’s captain, Captain Gay, answered by loud speaker and after giving Reece his position, some food and water, he offered the services of an engineer. The engineer was not needed however, as the Fijian engineer had man aged to make a valve spring out of a refrigerator part. When it was re assembled the motor carried the “Melane sia” slowly toward Noumea, then about 300 miles distant. Within 40 miles of the port the motor broke down and the ever

faithful jib carried the vessel at a speed of 11 knots for the rest of the voyage Captain Reece received his spare valve springs by the Qantas flying-boat on May 23 and next day was able to continue his voyage.