SYDNEY FERRY DISASTER

Evening Star, Issue 20318, 29 October 1929, Page 9

SYDNEY FERRY DISASTER

CLAIM AGAINST UNION COMPANY THE THEORY OF INTERACTION Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, October 29. (Received October 29, at 9 a.m.) Expert evidence on the theory of interaction is now being given before 3lr Justice Halse Rogers in the Admiralty Court, which is hearing a claim against the Union Company arising from the Greycliffe disaster in No vember, 1927. The judge announced that he had read a large portion of the technical evidence given by Sir John Biles, on interaction, and there was a complete divergence of opinion among the highly-qualified gentlemen on either side, one of whom said that there were certain wave influences from an overtaking vessel and that the Greycliffe was ne-er in the sphere of any influence which would turn her, while the other set of witnesses held that the raising of the water at the head erf the ship ould cause a pressure of water which would have the effect of turning the vessel. Defendants, moreover claimed it was impossible to make any experiments of any value. The judge added: “In the circumstances I am still in a state of openmindedness.”

Mr Manning, K.C., counsel for Sydney Ferries, Limited, the plaintiffs, obtained the consent of the court to four representatives of the Ferry Company going aboard the Tahiti on her outward voyage on Thursday in order that they might make certain observations from the bridge and the engine room while the vessel was steaming down the harbour, on condition that the Tahiti should be handled under instructions from the pilot. The judge pointed out that it would he difficult at the same time to provide a vessel of the Greydiffe’s size for this demonstration owing to the danger of a hitch occurring.