ROTORUA LOST

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9619, 27 March 1917, Page 5

ROTORUA LOST

VICTIM OF U-BOAT ALL HANDS SAVKD EXCEPT A STEWARD. PASSENGERS HAD BEEN LANDED Mr Bennett, general manager of the Now Zealand Shipping Company, at Christchurch, yesterday received cabled advice that the company’s lino liner Rotorua, 11,180 tons. Captain Sutcliffe, had been torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel. She. had landed her passengers at Plymouth, and was going on up Channel when dis* aster overtook her. All tile officers and crew were saved except one man, a steward named Williams, who signed on the vessel in Wellington.

The Rotorua was the second largest vessel of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s fleet, being gross, as against the Rcmucra s 11,Ml tons- The Rotorua’s principal dimensions were:—Length, 484 ft; beam, 02ft; depth to tho upper deck, JoltShe was built seven years ago at Dumbarton by W. Denny and Bros., who wore also responsible for her engines, a unique combination of the reciprocating typo and turbines. Tho engines developed 8000 horse-power, fired by five single-ended boilers. Tho Rotorua attained 18 knots on her trials. Th’’ insulated space had a capacity of 100,000 carcases of mutton; the refrigerating machinery being duplicate, each machine was capable of indopendcntJy operating tho entiro insulated space of the ship. The passenger accommodation was or a'luxurious character, one-berth staterooms being a feature of the vessel, and in the first, second, and thirdclass improvements had been made upon previously-built liners, ‘ "Walnut or mahogany furniture was used in the state-rooms, and electric fans and bells wore fitted in the first-class cabins. The first dining saloon, which was capacious, had a white enamelled hardwood ceiling, with waxed oak panels on the sides.

Captain I. A. Sutcliffe, who has been trading to New Zealand for many years, was in command of the Tongariro prior to joining the Rotorua. There were four deck officers in addition to the master, and ten engineers. Tub vessel was equipped with a wireless plant.