The Quetta Disaster

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 114, 20 March 1890, Page 3

The Quetta Disaster

1 Bbisbane, Slarcii 11. The following information obtained from the postmaster. Captain Heats, shows the probability of the Quetta having struck- on an unknown rock : : — The steamer Thales, 830 tons register, drawing 1 5ft Sin, while on a voyage from Hongkong to Sydney on the 24th of March, 1 887, reported having struck on an unknown rock two miles south-east of the spot where the Quetta is saidi to have been wrecked. JShe had aboard 407-pas-sengers iand' brew* her passengers being Chinese. The Vessel ?ras considerably damaged, but was able to reach Oooktown., , Captain - J. . S; Withers, formerly commander of the Quetfca, writes to the press on certain criticisms which have been offered on the subject: of the disaster. He says :-— " I did not ' intend to give any opinion or make any remarks regarding the fearful wreck of my old ship, but the leading artiole in the Courier rouses my ire, and I should be neglecting my duty did I allow it to pass unchallenged. The whole appears to me to be the': writings pi .someone entirely ignorant . of nautical matters. It is bad taste and utterly wrong to imply want of care on the part of those in charge. ■ I do not know who the seafaring men - mentioned may be, but I think they want kicking if they did say, before any inquiry could, be . held, that the ffciuetta was out of her. course,, in face' of the pilot's and commander's statements. Again, with reference to the landmarks, the idiots who say these things should kuow that those marks are taken in conjunction with compass bearings, aud are:' checked- Repeatedly, and I feel convinced that the ship was well and carefully navi gated. Pilot Keating I-know -tbbtr ekilful, careful, .and : attentive, and it is the RQTSt possible , f Qrm ;th^ suspicion of fault Jbefore~ enquiry/ An extremely: close sutvjßy is: neoesjary all along the coast from Eockhampton to Prpudfoot, N which;. is- an,, immense undei^baKag, jl(uf ft^obuldj have been done long-ago. I remem- - ber- Captoin r.Hanna^ r ; she , ; , best authority on the whole coast,, saying some seven years ago he would not j go outside Albany Pass, as it was. not properly surveyed, and I' have never, teen once outside in coneequsnce ; but the Admiralty recommend that tjac^aod-^EUot-Keatiug ::;wc quite riffht^dtt usiiig\iibfcsiA%anyj^Pisßjire^ omre» J «*«at ; car 6, bbaci#^#ri«t^a^k >«J eo*timdl&p ef3ioa&*g .Matter ate