THE WARATAH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 6 September 1909, Page 7

THE WARATAH.

UNDERWRITfiRS AND SEARCH PROJECT MUCH PESSIMISM. ATJSTRAIiIAN' MONEY OFFERING AT . ■'.-■-■■- 90 GUINEAS. (Rec. September 5, 5.5 p.m.) ; ."....■"-■ ;London, September 4. A meeting of Jvoudon underwriters cussed tho 'proposal for cc/rpperation with the Commonwealth Government in a search tor the Waratah outside.familiar tracks. Thuagb the schemo is likely to be warmly supported, feeling among underwriters is extremely pessimistic. ': .•; ■ ■ ; - • It is, hovever, still possible to reinsure the Waratah. at 90 guineas per cent. Numerons offers have been received from Australia during the past few days to write j the risk at that rate. ■■-.'. [A Melbourne cablegram in Saturday's issue statedV "Negotiations are almost, completed for the dispatch of a special steamer to search for the Warataji.' Tho cost is estimated at about ieOOO for a, three months' cruise. The expense is to be borne in equal , shares by the Federal Government, the owners of the Waratah, the underwriters, and public subscriptions,"] '■ IS THE WARATAH A CqoD SEA'BQAT? ,;'. CONFLICtING'iVIEWS.' ' ■,-.-' Sydney j September 4. , Tho statements made by a passenger whos left the Waratah at he was not pleased , .with. her. qualitica and considered .she o long to recover herself —are not bqrno'out .by another pae-. senger who arriyed by the Waratah at D ur .- ban> The. latter scouted the idea that ,tho steamer had too much top hamper. .He de-; dared that the Waratah behaved splendidly 'in bad weather. : v ' '':'. _. ' .--,; '. ,

MENARANDRA RETURNS. STEAMER EQUALLY OVERDUE WITH WARATAH. AND IN SAME WATERS. London, September 4. Tho French steamer Menaranjka., ton 3, 39 days overdue Madagascar for East London, has put back to Treguarez (?) in a, damaged condition.

- ■ /SMALLER SHIP :'. •■ ■..' | HER CHANCE WAS EEEMED WQKS£. . ' ■■■■■;. /■■ •■ ' WAEATAI'S. . -,";.■; ~. ; - The'case of ■ tho, Slenarandra, 10G5 tons, has aniriterestiug bearing on that of the Var,atah, 5300 tons. The Menarandra, from-lladagascar I'qr East London (300 miles, sooth of Durban),' was expected to, r-sach her. destination : about. duly 28,, about or just prior, to tho date pa which, the Waratah was. expected to reach Caj» Town. Neither turned tip, yet neither h.as ticjen , picked, up in the course of the (extensive seorch'-nude in South Afri.can>and .'southern vaters..■' Thij smaller steamer with , the single screw how struggles'uack J to-port. Can tho.i'arger steamer with tho twin screws bo trusted to, dp. the same.? ;: 'When the Menarjindra as well as the W&ratah becanio overdue, it was suggested, thit the Me'naraudva ■ had possibly-.' encountered- •'■ the Waratah while shywas drifting- helplesely,, and was assisting her to. regain., port. The /Menais andra, it was then pointed out* would cross the currents, in which' the Waratah is. supposed, to. .be * dieting.' The, arrival of ■ the, Menarandra. eliminates , tho . supposition, thsyf-jhe inight be o?si?ting the - Wa'rawh. , \ •.'• ",;'.■ ".-■'',. .'•. ■ 0111 thp other hand, if tho smaller.' steamer survived the. storm of which various captains speak so eloquently, why not the larger? , A day 3go the Waratah's chance would., hate besn pronounced■ much tho •b.ottoi.vone.- On A,u»nst 23 the Lpml.on " Daily t Telegraph. : ■ eipressfd confident opinion that.tho-Menarondra was lost. About' the s'amo lime ah,' paper com-: mented:— "\Vhilo. ; it- is ■■improbable'J.-th.uti-tn*. Waratah, o.wiug to- her- size^'>onld founder, there wpiild be considerable pro.baWlity- of the. Jfenarandra doing-so; Bat hore again the. fact, that no'.wreokage has been w;ash<d, ashore uisfeo.unts the. theory/ that 'she/has met -with, dis- - The reappearance ofthe ilenarandra eliminates one otlier theoryr-that. she- and the Waratah'had collided and both, sunk, Thp^qrt-.to whi'oh the. French steanier, has : p.\(t; back, is parently-a place' in. Madgascar. :....' .' ■ ■". •■ ■■ The Mcnavaiulra is a steel screw steamer t>l ma tons, if owned in BunkiAv Fraiiee, 'and'is I sunplied 'irith triple expansion engines., .■, . '■ The.- Menarandra was.built in. Germany ui 18i)i), nineteen yeo.rs.agQ. .-• Tho A\arntah. was cqmplcted at. fljajsgp.w last : year,; \\ . ; :.