THE WAKATAH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14148, 25 August 1909, Page 7

THE WAKATAH.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—

London, August 23. H.M.S. Pandora has returned to East London from her search for the Waratah without having sighted the missing liner. THE PAPAROA'S SEARCH. (Received August 24, 9.56 p.m.) Hobart, August 24. Tne Paparoa. $Mch arrived to-day, searched along the Agulhas bank for four days, and afterwards kept a sharp look-out for the Waratah, failing to discover any wreckageThe captain is of opinion that the Waratah. has broken,down, and 16 probably drifting south.

THE AGULHAS CURRENT. Shipmasters generally share the opinion of the captain of the Paparoa, that the Waratah is still afloat and adrift in thegrip of the Agulhas current. Many believe she will be found in the direction of the Crozet group of islands, which are sout-h.-«aet from Capetown. .It is in this direction that the main body of the Agulhas current flows. The currents on the south and <?;iet coasts of Africa are formed by the great main drift of the Indian Ocean, which advances to the westward, and, meeting resistance from the island of Madagascar, begins to split near the islands of Mauritius .and Bourbon. One portion passes northward of Madagascar and strikes the African coast near Cape Delgado. Here' it again splits, one portion flowing. southward through the Mozambique Channel along the coast past Cape Corrientes and on to Natal. The southern portion of the main drift passes south of Mauritius, and thence south of Madagascar and direct on to Natal, where it unites with the stream from the Moi zambique Channel, the two thus forming the great Agulhas current. The Agulhas current, as it flows south-west and west, skirting the South African coast, -is described as an enormous body, of warm water. .It rushes by the shore at a distance of from three to about 120 miles, progressing at from 3£ to 4£ miles an 1 hour. Its greatest strength is near the edge of the Agulhas bank, in about 22deg. 'east, where its main body is deflected to the southward as far a.s 40deg. 6outh, where the north-east Antarctic flow opposes it, and drives the main portion of it back into the Indian • Ocean, but with diminished strength and temperature. The remainder passes on, and loses iteelf south of the Crozet Islands and Kerguelen. A small portion of the Agulhas current passes round and over the south part of the Agulhas bank, and branches off to the northwest. It flows past the Cape of Good Hope, and is joined by the connecting current of the South Atlantic, which then collectively ■ form a wide • stream, and flow northward up the west coast of Africa. The Waratah could not have gone this way. She must have followed the main: Agulhas current south-east, where it runs at between 90 and 100 miles per day. But ' she would not drift at this rate. She might cover any distance from 10 to 40, or even 50, miles per day. Thus she may float within a few hundred miles of the Crozets or Kerguelen before being picked up, or, failing that, she may sweep slowly into the Indian Ocean across towards St. Paul and Amsterdam Islands, over the Australian-South African ocean route. Here she would stand a fair chance of being sighted by regular traders. Though , the average northern limit of icebergs is within 200 or 300 miles of the Cape of Good Hope, they are rarely seen above 43deg. south; and there is little danger of the Waratah meeting them,, for she would not drift that far unless she got into the portion of the current that disperses near the Crozets and Kerguelen, which is unlikely. .."•..'',''