TAHITI'S PILOT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19164, 22 November 1927, Page 11

TAHITI'S PILOT.

ACCOUNT OF COLLISION. (acstralian and n.z. cablb association.) (Received November 21st, 10.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 21. At the Greycliffe enquiry, Captain Carson, who was piloting the Tahiti at the time of the collision, gave evi-

aence tnat he saw tne Vireycnne aneui of him going to Garden Island and hac her in sight all the time. Leaving Gar den Island wharf she was two ships lengths i'rom tho Tahiti. Tlie Grey cliffe headed for Shark Island and h< steadied tho Tahiti for the north eiu of Shark Island. After passing Gardei Island he overtook the Greycliffe rathe) rapidly. He was travelling from si: to seven knots. The ovortaking proces' ceased just afterwards. The Grey cliffe was then four points on his bov and a ship's length from the bridge oi the Tahiti. When abreast of Clarl Island the Greycliffe altered her cours< very rapidly towards him, closing ii very quickly. He ordered the helm a starboard and stopped both engines, am then immediately ordered the port en gine full speed astern and sounded twe blasts of the whistle. All these orders were given practically simultaneously He thought the ships were going tc clear, but the Greycliffe appeared tc cross at an even more acute angle thai: she had been doing. The angle of th« collision appeared to be between fortj' five and seventy-five degrees. Witness estimated the Tahiti's speec at the time of the collision at eight knots, but the engine's going asterr took some of the way off. From the time the Greycliffe altered her course to the time of the collision was liali to three-quarters of a minute. • Up to the time the Greycliffe altered her course witness was not conscious of any risk or danger. He followed a course as far as possible in accordance with the sailing directions. Asked if. as he was overhauling the Greycliffe, he saw no reason to slacken speed, witness said he saw no such reason. The case for the Navigation Department then closed.