DOWN BELOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 209, 4 September 1930, Page 11

DOWN BELOW.

"MEN WERE WONDERFUL"

WATER FLOODED IN

MEN STAYED TILL LAST.

NO FLURRY OR CONFUSION,

"Give all the praise you can to the engine-room staff who were on duty when the smash came," said Mr. A. Thomson, second engineer, who was in the engine room at the time of the mishap. "I cannot speak too highly of the two greasers. Messrs. Rook and C., Douglas, and the three firemen, Messrs. J. Dignan, <A. Florey and W. Geddes. Right from the jump they behaved like meii and did their jobs without flurry or confusion. Everything was carried out in the most orderly fashion under the circumstances. As a matter ''of fact, when the water rushed in through the tunnel to the engine-room they still stood to their posts—truly, they were wonderful. When it came to a skeleton crew to see who would remain below, the whole of the firemen, and greasers tossed up. They are the best crowd of men I have ever, had anything to do with in my life.

"Rook was greasing the starboard engine when she went. I rushed to the after-end of the tunnel, and was met by a flood of water. The starboard engine was racing madly, and Rook'was endeavouring to shut off steam. I rushed to the engine and managed to stop it. Meantime, cool and collected, Rook went to his post, and when I called to him he had one of the watertight compartment doors almost closed. Although the water was increasing rapidly, every man below stood to his post and did not leave the engine-room until he was practically forced to. The men's first consideration was for the passengers."

Vibration Not Excessive. Mr. Thomson said the position looked very serious at the start. It appeared as if the Tahiti would sink rapidly, but later it was found that 011 account of the measures taken below she would remain afloat for several hours. When asked if the vibration on the Tahiti was excessive before the accident, Mr. Thomson said that seeing she was a light ship it was nothing out of the ordinarv. As a matter of fact he had been 011 such vessels as the Lusitania and other Atlantic boats, and their vibration in comparison ;'was greater. Even when loaded the Tahiti had a certain amount of vibration.

Mr. Thomson was asked if it was a fact that the Ventura used her boats to transfer the passengers. "No, she did not," he replied. "All the passengers were transferred in the Tahiti's boats. The Penybryn's boats were used to transfer the mail. The only boat used from the Ventura was after ours had been scuttled, and Captain Toten went aboard the Tahiti to have a final look round, a few minutes before she sank."