SEEMED TO DRIFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 273, 18 November 1927, Page 7

SEEMED TO DRIFT.

Greycliffe's Course Prior To

Ferry Disaster.

NAVAL WITNESSES.

SYDNEY, November 17.

The Marine Court continued its inquiry into the disaster to the ferry steamer Greycliffe.

William ;ryant, chief petty officer on the destroyer Success, stated that he was accustomed to estimate the higher speeds of vessels from 14 knots. On the day of the collision between the Tahiti and" the Greycliffe he was on a pontoon at Garden Island. When the Tahiti passed she was nearer in than usual and her speed was about 12 knots. After the Tahiti had passed the pontoon rocked as it had never rocked before. This was caused by the Tahiti passing. The Greycliffe and the Tahiti appeared to be converging. Then the Greycliffe altered her course in such a way as made the two vessels converge more quickly. Fifteen seconds later - the collision occurred. With the aid of models and a chart witness showed how the Greycliffe, after she changed her course, crossed the Tahiti and was struck on the port quarter by the bow of the liner.

Just before the accident, said witness, he saw steam come from the side of the Tahiti. That indicated that two blasts of her whistle had been blown.

Walter Halliwell, another; petty officer on the Success, said he was also on the pontoon at Garden Island on the day of the collision. He saw the Greycliffe alter her course. She appeared to be drifting sideways to port. The wind was very slight at the time. He observed the drifting movement when the ferry steamer was 400 yds from the pontoon, and it went on continuously until the collision occurred.

The Tahiti passed the pontoon travelling at about 12 knots. She appeared to be making up speed and was heading on the same course as the Greycliffe. After describing the swilling of the water around the pontoon as the Tahiti passed, witness said he had not observed a similar condition before. Large overseas vessels did not usually pass so close to the pontoon. Witness could oiijy account for the collision by the drift of the Greycliffe.