MISSING CANASTOTA.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6142, 28 July 1921, Page 2

MISSING CANASTOTA.

A HOPEFUL VIEWPOINT. “J consider that the C&nastota is still quite possibly afloat, drifting hopelessly/' said a well-known and widely-experienced master mariner to a Wellington reporter. "Yon see," he continued, there have been some striking precedents in which steamers have drifted disabled for weeks without being seen. Take the case of the Perthshire, in 1899, which broke her tail-shaft midway between New South Wales and New Zealand, and although actively searched for was not found till seven weeks later. “I don’t say the Canastota is afloat, but 1 urge that it is quite possible she is drifting disabled. The vessel had trouble with her shaft on the run down from New York to Auckland, and was ,*■ tipped ' at the latter port for repairs. Then, again, the Sydney agent for the vessel affirms that the wireless installation was working badly and was due for repairs. I can't imagine that an explosion of benzine fumes in the Canastota would completely destroy the vessel so that not a vestige—not even the hatches, the ship’s boats, or lifebuoys remained. It seems t-o me that no good reason has yet been brought forward to show that the Canastota has met her doom by an explosion or fire."