THE SEA TRADITION

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 219, 16 September 1930, Page 6

THE SEA TRADITION

The finding of the Couyt that .inquired into the loss of the Tahiti is just what Avas expected. The ship met with one of those rare accidents that the sea seems to keep in reserve to show man that he is not yet completely its master. By great good luck and by the skill, courage and devotion of the ship's company, all were saved.. The Court, as was anticipated, praises this conduct on the part of Captain Toten and all under him. It was, indeed, in line with the best traditions of the sea, and it should be recognised as such by everybody. Captain Toten and his deck ..officers will not misunderstand us when we call special attention to the work of the engineers' department. It was the men below who,. working in water and at risk of being suddenly overwhelmed, kept the ship afloat. As our contributor "Lee-Fore-Brace" pointed out in his article" on Saturday last on the heroism, of engineers in disasters, the, engineer has not been given his due recognition. He has Worked, and sometimes died at his post, out of sight, and too often'out of sight lias been out of .mind. McAndrew said; that what he had seen since ocean-steam began left.no doubt for the machine, but what about .the man? '■; *■ '. _ ' \ Mine at the last —when all is do 110 it all coines back to me, The fault that leaves six thousand tons a log upon the sea. . . In the Tahiti's case the machine failed, but the men were true to their tradition, and .what they did gives the world an opportunity of i acknowledging the heroism of-their calling.