THE WARATAH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1040, 1 February 1911, Page 5

THE WARATAH.

BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY. QUESTION OF STABILITY. Bs Telecrapli— Press Associatiun—CopyrleW London, January 30. The Board of Trade inquiry into the loss of the L;nid liner Waratali, 8000 tons, which disappeared between Durban and Cape Town in July, 1009, with 300 persons aboard, was resumed to-day.

Mr. J. Dickinson, Metropolitan Police Magistrate, presided, and had with him as assessors Admiral Davis, Commander Lyon (of the. Naval Keservc), Professor Walch, and Mr. J. ][. Hallett.

W. Y. Lund, junior, of tho firm of W. Lund and Sons, owners of the Waratah, was recalled. Counsel pressed him to say why ho accented the designer's opinion as to the stability of the vessel in preference to Captain Ilbery's when urging the demurrage claim. Witness was unable to say or remember what Captain Ilbery said about the rejection of his opinion.

William Lund, head of the firm, gave evidence that the builders and his son designed the Waratah. He had not heard that the vessel was wanting in stability. Captain Ilbery watched the building of tho steamer. lie was unable to account for his absence from the important heeling experiments. Mr. Steel, navel architect, denosed that he was satisfied with the vessel's stability, and believed that the loss was duo to accident. It was inconceivable-, that she capsized, unless' water get in. SOME -PREVIOUS EVIDENCE. ■ The "Standard of Empire" of November 23 states:— The Board of Trade is holding an inquiry, into the loss of the Blue Anchor liner Waratali, which was last. sighted on July 27, 1909, off the coast of South Africa. ■ A steward who had served on the vessel,giving.evidence, said that tho vessel always had-a list-on ono side'or tho other.' Sho', jya's . breaking crockery nearly all the way. . The vessel creaked considerably, and the whole of the wooden top seemed to move. The ironparts used to open out from the deck, and round the saloon doors tho painted wood would separate from tho bare wood for about two inches. It was possible to put one's finger in the crack between the dock and tjie beam. A Leeds scientist, Professor Bragg, said that he had made a voyage Mi-board the Waratah, and that he thought she was unstable. Other witnesses. stated that the ship was topheavy.

Sir. I , '. W. Lund, one of the owners, said the- Waratah was an improved Geelong. After the first voyage, Captain llbery, tho master, said she was a most comfortable ship, and satisfactory in every way, but that in; a liijlit condition he did not think , she,,was, <is stable as the Gee-, long. He had never heard any suggestion., before the Waratah started on her second voyage, that sho was unseaworthy. It was not true that sho was built as an experiment, or that Captain Ilbery threatened,to leave if the boat-deck were not removed. The chief surveyor to Lloyd's Register said the Waratah was a thoroughly well-constructed- and strong ship. ,

An extraordinary story was told by -Mr. C. G. Sawyer, who was a passenger in the VVnratah on her last voyage, and was booked to Cape Town. He said he noticed that the vessel had. a big list to port, ana afterwards.. to starboard. She Tolled a great ideal, and tho passengers' complained of it.' He formed the opinion that he had better bo off the ship. At Adelaide ho had heard the third and fourth officers express tho opinion that tho ; Waratah was top-heavy. "Vbout three or four days before wo got into Durban I had. this most unusual dream." ho said.- ''I saw -a- m'an ; with a longsword in a peculiar dress which I had never seen before. He was holding tho sword in his right»handj -and it was/cov-i ered with blood. I saw it three times most distinctly." Mr. Sawyer took' his dream us a warning, and, 'fortunately,' landed at Durban.