THE LOSS OF THE WARATAH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 220, 11 January 1911, Page 5

THE LOSS OF THE WARATAH

REASSURING EVIDENCE. By Cable—Press Assoeia tion—Copyright London, January Oi At the Waratah enquiry Sir William White, naval architect, gave evidence that the stability curve was very good. Complaints that the vessel was too high out of the water were unwarranted. If the cargo was disposed according to evidence, she could not have foundered through instability. The metacentric height was satisfactory.

A FALLACIOUS IMPRESSION. Received 10, 10.50 p.m. London, January 10. At the Waratah enquiry it was shown that the dead weight amounted to 9204 tons, including n cargo of 0350 tons and 250 tons coal on the spare deck. Sir W. Whit* said there was nothing unusual in the Waratah's superstructure and decks. He did not think there was the slightest foundation for the theory that she was so high in the water that she 'would be dangerously exposed to wind pressure. It was fallacious to deduce from the ship's inclination of two or three degrees under a slight wind that the metacentric height was wrong. If a vessel went over on her side and then found a position of equilibrium it was not necessarily unsafe. The passengers who thought the Waratah slow in rolling had probably only had experience of fast rolling vessels. The Lusitania and Mauretania took twelve minutes to swing out to out.