THE WARATAH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 226, 29 October 1909, Page 2

THE WARATAH.

MBit SUPPOSED FATE. BLOWN IP AND SUNK. WHERE IT HAPPENED. By Cable—Press Association.—Copyright Received October 28, 11.1.i p.m. London, October 28. Lloyds have received a detailed account from the captain of the steamer Harlowe, which states that what he supposed to be tjie Waratah was sighted six miles oil', smoking liercely. Two explosions occurred, with » lew seconds between. The captain only heard of the Waratah a few days lieforc he arrived at Manila. He presumes she was returning to Durban. He estimates that she lies in twenty fathoms.of wnter, between Cape Hermes and the St. John River. (The St. John River Hows iu.o the Indian Ocean about two hundred miles south of Durban.) FURTHER LIGHT. By Telegraph.—Press Associal : un. Hamilton, October -J,. The following extract from n lelier received here from the Old Country appears to throw more light on the late of the Waratah than anything that has vet appeared in the colonial press:— ' 1 fear there is no hope of seeing the Waratah reported found. An oll'tier of tho Ortona says there is no chu ice of it. It appears that when she arrived at Durban the agents, finding the price of frozen meat was better there than in London, took it all out nnd sold it, leaving the middle of the ship emptv. They arranged to load with maize at Capetown, and «i trim the ship, but, ' having met with very bad weather on ' leaving Durban, she could not stand it, ' To make matters worse, they loaded coal on her decks in very large quantity, ' and, Die hold being empty, this made her 100 heavy to lift lo high sens, The Ortona and the Waratah left Sydney together, and were i|| company to .Melbourne, where their courses purled—the Ortona via the Canal and the Waratah ; via the Cniie. This will all come out ' when the Hoard of Trade inquiry >its. as it will do when finally all hope is abandoned. The captain of the Waratah liad bccii fiO odd years at sea, and this was to be his last voyage, lie had bought a little house at Liverpool to live in on his retirement."