WARATAH ENQUIRY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 321, 17 December 1910, Page 5

WARATAH ENQUIRY.

DESIGNERS' EVIDENCE

By Telegraph. - Pro.".- Association. Copyright London, Thursday. Mr Dickenson, Magistrate, pre- ' sided at the enquiry into the loss of | the Waratah, and the following acted I as assessors:—Admiral Davis, Commander Lyons, of the Naval Reserve, Professor Wa-leh and Mr J. IJ. Hallett. Many counsel represented the Board of Trade, the owners and build- | ers, relatives and passengers. Mr Barry, chief of the scientific department of Messrs Darclay and Curie, the builders, testified that the owner! wanted the vessel to be capable of going to sea with coal and water ballast only. but. this was found impossible. Il required also 1200 tons of heavy cargo. The inclining

experiments, when the steamer was launched, were satisfactory. Regarding the width and depth, the Waratah was superior to most vessels. The surface presented on the upper decks to windward was of no consider-

ation, if properly watertight. It could afford extra buoyancy and reduction in weight, though the consumption of coal would not affect its stability, as trimming down would preserve the equilibrium. REMARKABLE EVIDENCE. Recevied December 16, 9.50 p.m. London, Yesterday. At the Waratah enquiry, Mr Laing, representing the Board of Trade, said the Board received no adverse reports after the first voyage of the vessel. It was valued for insurance purposes at £150,000, and insured for £130,000, and additional policy on disbursement of £15,000 in the event of total loss. It was untrue that Captain liberty told the captain of the Mongolia that this was his last voyage, unless the Waratah was materially altered. The captain of the Mongolia never met Captain liberty. He would call the man, Sawyer, who left tho Waratali at Durban because she was top heavy. He would relate his dreams.

Mr Barry then gave evidence. If the vessel lay right over on its side so that the masts lay parallell with the sea, she would still 'nave a tendency to right herself. The Waratah had fine righting powers. It would * take -290 tons, placed at the side, to give her a list of 15 degrees. He was of the decided opinion that no list could account for her loss. Captain liberty rectified the list of 15 degrees by moving the coal. It may have been done to allay the passengers' fears.

Commander Lyon suggested that if a vessel'-* tanks were filled, duringa very heavy swell, such as was got in that part of the world, it was very dangerous.

A STRANGE DREAM. Received December 17, 9.15 a.m. London, Yesterday. At the Waratah enquiry, Mr Peck, one of the builders' directors, testified that the owners did not complain respecting the vessel's behaviour on the first voyage. They complained about the inability to shift from one dockto another without ballast. lie convinced them that her stability was equal to the Ceelong's. Captain Clark, emigration officer, testified that Captain liberty, after the first voyage, said she was a very satisfactory vessel. 11 is exact words were "a very handy ship." Claude Sawyer testified that the Waratah rolled heavily after leaving Adelaide. Passengers were injured by falling on the deck. The vessel had a jerky roll, and was slow in recovering, lie dreamed three times he saw a man with a long sword and that the Waratah was struck by a roller and disappeared. This decided him to leave the ship at Durban. He considered she was top heavy. Lieutenant Bennett, who was third officer on her maiden voyage, said there was nothing extraordinary in the vessel's behavior. She listed four

or live degrees. lie left because he was promoted to another vessel. Mv l,aing: Did you ever tell anyone ; yon left because of some forthcoming alterations which would take two months? Witness: No. A lady in the body of the Court: I "Yes, yes. You told nic and myjius- ' band."