LOSS OF THE WARATAH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 213, 17 December 1910, Page 5

LOSS OF THE WARATAH

THE ENQUIRY IN ENGLAND. By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright. London, December 15 Mr. Dickenson, magistrate, presided at the enquiry into the loss of the Waratah, and the following acted, as assessors: Admiral Davis, Command*r Lyon (of the Naval Reserve), Professor Welsh, and Mr. J. H. Mallet. Many counsel represented the Board of Trade, the owners, builders, and relatives of the passengers. The builders testified that there was no change in her displacement during construction. The Waratah was the ordinary type of vessel, and was in no wise experimental. EXPERT EVIDENCE. REPORTED CONVERSATIONS DENIED. Received 16, 9.50 p.m. London, December 16. Mr. Laing, representing the Board of Trade, in opening, said the Board had received no adverse reports. After her first voyage the vessel was valued for insurance at £150,000, and was insured for £130,000, with an additional policy on disbursement of £15,000 in the ,event of total loss. It was untrue that Captain nbery had 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 Ilbery. He would call a man named Sawyer, who had left the Waratah at Durban because she was top heavy. This man would relate his dreams. Mr. Berry gave evidence that if a vessel lay right over on her side, so that the masts were parallel with the sea, she would still have a tendency to right herself. The' Waratah, had fine righting powers. It would take 290 tons, placed at the side of the vessel, to give her a list of 15 degrees. He was of the decided opinion that no list would account for her loss. If Captain Ilbery rectified the list of 15 degrees by moving coal, it may have been done to allay the passengers' fears. Commander Lyon suggested that if the vessel's tanks filled during a very heavy swell, such as they .got in that part of the world, it would be very dangerous.