ON THE SINKING TAHITI.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20028, 9 September 1930, Page 5

ON THE SINKING TAHITI.

PASSENGER'S LETTER. ■ CAUSE OF MISHAP DISCUSSED. SPLENDID WORK OP OFFICERS AND CREW. The possible cause or causes of tlio smash which resulted in the loss of the steamer Tahiti are discussed in a letter from a passenger, Mr H. Black, an engineering graduate of Canterbury College, and an experienced practising engineer, written to his father, Mr E. Black, of Durham street. "Even before the final disaster the ship was stopped several times for engine repairs," writes Mr Black. "As an engineer it appeared to me from the start that the vibration was excessive and that something was wrong. I now firmly believe that the final breakage was due to fatigue in the metal, due probably to misalignment of the shaft. • "The vibration was severe, and not of the type I would have expected even in a boat fitted with reciprocating engines. It was practically impossible to writo at all on the Tahiti, and now I am,on a very similar boat of the same age, and practically identical with the Tahiti (perhaps a little smaller), and I ean write with ease. The vibration is' not nearly so vicious. "I dare say the whole condition of the boat will be threshed out in due course, and, after all, a passenger is perhaps not competent to pass a weighty opinion, but I may say we passengers had discussed many times before the disaster the condition of the ship, and I myself was fully convinced that things were not as they should have been.. I fear, however, the cause will novor now be known, as all evidence is buried. It may really have been a flaw in the metal, but why, if this were so, it should have broken in calm weather instead of during the last trip from Australia to New Zealand during the terrible storm encountered I cannot understand. Everything seems to me to point to misalignment and ultimate fatigue of the metal" Praise for Officers and Orev. Mr Black, in bis letter, writes a long and very interesting account of the loss Of the ship. Bepeatedly he returns to | the point that the behaviour of the [ whole ship's company, officers and crew, I and also of the passengers, was beyond praise. Further extracts from his letter follow: "The first inkling we had that anything was wrong was on the Friday morning at 4*30, when there was a crash and, severe vibration for a few seconds. "Following this one engine stopped, and the other was kept rotating for a few more" minutes. Apparently the propeller shaft broke suddenly, and the engine raced, throwing that broken and>:Jroocki»g :* in the side of'the vessel, at the stern, thus letting the water In. On the othei band/ it is possible that the propeller with, the broken piece of shaft attached may have fallen out of the ship or eaused damage to the .stuffing-box through which the shaft passes through the ship. The water immediately rushed in, and flooded the boilers and engine-room. The engineers and staff worked like men possessed almost up to their waistß in water, whieh was swishing about with the roll of the ship. Every man in the engine-room at that time was a real hero. There was not the slightest sign of panic " "The engineers made wonderful efforts, and the watertight bulkhead doors were closed and packed as well as possiblo, and shored up with heavy timbers, and-the engine-room pumped out with the little remaining steam, and the toilers fired up a little. She Passengers. ""All the passengers-wore assembled in the first-class saloon, complete with life-belts, and with as much clothing as they could possibly get on. We lay anywhere,- had sing-songs, cracked jokes and. everybody was wonderful—not a sign of panic And the way the women behaved was a revelation. Even the children were quiet. "The stewards were truly remarkable. Meals wore served regularly and good they were, teo. The cooks even baked scones and were dressed in their white Jackets! AH passengers had to have their lifebelts on wherever they went, and the crew had theirs handy, gnd on when not working. One gets (mite, used to sleeping and lying about in a life-jacket; by leaning forward and placing the chin on the front, a good rest is Obtained for the head! Baling. "Meantime the bulkhead was shoved up as mentioned, but still the water was gaining. ... So the afterhatches were removed and baled as fast as possible with the winches and 100gallon drums. Only two of these were available 'so what appeared to bo a hot-water boiler (about 50 gallons) was used on-one winch, and a number of men used backets fastened to short pieces of rope. These, however, were soon smashed to pieces. The drams and boiler were also leaking and knocked about considerably, but they just managed to hang out until the end. . . . The stewards were divided into shifts, even the bakers and butchers were put to work in their aprons. These men were wonderful, working like demons, wet through, and without sleep. The winches were going like mad and everybody in * remarkably good. spmts. "More than keeping the baling going nothing could be done except to pray that' the bulkhead would not give way, an 4 that help would be speedily forthcoming. • • ■ ' ■ I "All passengers were kept to the saloon at night: and several times were called on to,stand by. Once we even went so far.as to,get alongside the lifeboats with ,the crew ready to lower away However, we were ordered back again.: Some played bridge, whilst others slept. But most just and thought—and thought, I can re-call-a remark* by a wojnan on the valiant'efforts of. one, of the snorers. "What a prodigious noise to emanate from such a little man!" ■ i Safety at Last. !"0n the second morning we found the Norwegian boat alongside, and there was great elation, and soon afterwards we were got into the boats and pushed off—thank goodness, In daylight. There was no rush, and everything was done in perfect order. The Norwegian boat was standing a few Wmarecl. yards oft- and e» the horizon

could be seen the Ventura steaming towards us at full speed. "We waited in the boats for about an hour, and drew alongside the Ventura in turn and elambered aboard—a few were actually sick in the boats, but I did not hear of any panic. One woman fainted, and was hauled on board like a sack of potatoes, but generally the Tvomcn behaved wonderfuljy well. "I am convinced that our salvation was due to the weather, as it made baling possible and the launching of tho boats practicable with safety. It was also fortunate that the after holds were empty, as had they been full, baling would have been impossible. "As I have stated before, the officers, erew, and passengers were wonderful throughout, and particular mention must be made of the engineering staff, who slaved in the water in the first stages, .the crew and stewards who did the baling. These are the men who really saved us" all.' And yet many of, .these escaped wifli pracfieoUy naihi&g<"