Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-08
STEAMER POMMERN
IS FOUND LEAKING
BY INSPECTORS
Damage to Pipe Believed 0c-
casioned BY Hot Fires Under
Boilers When They Were
Burned Out; Electric Pumps
May Be Needed

y
Listed to port five degrees and with
water in her hold above the double
bottoms ranging from a few inches to
10 inches deep. the condition of the
giant refugee merchant steamer Pom.
mern Is such today from leak, which
was first noticed Sunday morning,
that electric motor pumps will prob
ably be installed to remove the water
so the leak can be repaired.
At 1890 this afternoon II was learn
ed from reliable source that the leak
is coming from an emergency outlet
pipe designed to carry water out from
the bilge to sea in case OF leak de-
veloping in the ship.
inspector Heney Investigates
At 10 o'clock this morning u. s. In.
spector OF Steam Vessels and Boilers
Thomas J. Heeney was seen coming
from the Pommern. He was dressed
in overalls and had been making an
investigation OF the Pommern's con-
dition. He refused to make a state
ment but indicated that the leak was
gradually becoming worse and infor-
red that II could be repaired before 1t
becomes serious. He made an inspec-
ton at o'clock last evening. having
been notified to do so by Acting Col
lector OF the Port Raymer Sharp, who
was informed several hours before by
Capt, William r. Foster, harbormas-
ter. and the armed guards on watch
in the engine room, that the leak was
gradually increasing.
Leak Noticed Wednesday
noticed at o'clock Wednesday
afternoon that the Pommern was list,
ing to port about five degrees" said
Captain Foster. the harbofmaster. at.
noon today. Captain Curtis, the as.
sistant harbormaster, and / went
aboard. We found the water rising in
the engine room. evidently coming
from a copper pipe ON the port side.
We reported this to Acting Collector
Sharp. who sent inspector Heeney
down to make further investiga-
tion."
tner Hulls Seem Sound
Captain Foster said that the Pom
mern is the only vessel Of the refugee
fleet leaking at the present time, I'VE
are patrolling the harbor night and
day. he said. checking up the draft
on all the German steamers three
times a day and also at night. None
of them are altered. The Pomuiern's
draft is not yet changed but she has
a list to port. We are using two ma
troll launches at night, each containing
two army men and one customs In
spector." Captain Foster said he does
not think the Pommern leak to be In.
territorial. 1T would have been more
thorough II they had started the leak
on purpose" he commented.
Early this afternoon Il was learned
from reliable source that Inspector
Heeney, assisted by Customs Inspect
or Martin J. Scully, found conditions
approximately as follows when they
inspected the Pommern last night and
today:
Damage Fully Located
Aracing all the suction pines and
the pipes connected with the sea-
cocks, they finally located the leak
coming from six-inch suction pipe
connected with the main sea-cocks. |
The pipe runs from the engine room
through the engine room bulkhead un.
der the port boiler into the fireroom.
The leak was evidently caused by |
the burning-out of the Pommerns |
boilers by her officers and crew, the |
officials found. The superheated boil |
ers burned out a gasket, letting in a |
small flow Of salt water from the out.
side, through the pipe intended to
force bilge water out of the ship in
case of emergency.
The depth OF water which had leak
cd IN through the outlet pipe was
found to range from few inches to
10 inches over the top OF the tanks
double bottom) at the after end of
The port boiler.
Although the leak Is not now of a
serious nature 1t might easily become
fcontinued on pake twol