THE PERILS OF THE SEA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10241, 2 September 1909, Page 4

THE PERILS OF THE SEA.

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] (Per Press Association.) THE RAKAIA OUT OF HAND. Received September 1, at 10.10 p.m. London, September 1. The Rakaia on the 26th was spoken in latitude 12.34 east, longitude 0.12, not under command. [The Rakaia, when spoken, was off the west coast of Africa.] THE OSTERLEY GRANGE DELAYED. Received September 2, at 8.30 a.m. London, September 1. The steamer Osterley Grange is delayed at Colombo owing to the bending of one of the piston rods. Received September 2, at 10.10 a.m. Brisbane, September 2. The salvors reported last night that the Waipara was afloat and the pumps were keeping the water down. There is every prospect of moving the steamer into tiic river to-day. THE MISSING LINER. Received September 2, at 0.40 a.m. Melbourne, September 1. The German steamer Goslar, from Port Elizabeth, saw no trace of the Waratah. . The Federal Government decided to despatch a steamer to search for the Waratah, and sent a cable to_ the Cape Government inquiring if a suitable vessel capable of making a long search was available there. .

The steamer Geelong, which arrived at Adelaide from the Cape, and the Arawa both kept a sharp lookout for the Waratah, but saw no trace of her.

NO GROUNDS FOR DESPAIR

(Star's Correspondent.) Auckland, August 31 Captain R. M. Cliffe, of Auckland, discussing the question of the steamship Waratah's safety, expressed an emphatic opinion that there are no grounds whatever for despair. He bases this opinion upon his own eventful experiences at sea, which he thus narrated to a Star representative—"l liave read with considerable interest the opinions of all and sundry on this subject. As 1 have been in the same predicament in exactly, or nearly, the same place as the missing steamer, I think it will be granted that I know a little of what lam talking about. In 131)2 I was in an American barquentine on the voyage from New York to Now Zealand, and we lost our rudder and mizaen-mast, and sprang the fore lower-mast and blew the greater number of our rags away in latitude 42.19 S. and longitude 38,36 E. Of course, we were disabled, and being in'the roaring forties,' we suffered a good deal of damage to our bulwarks and such other of our deck gear as would not stand the continual wash of the heavy seas that frequently made tlieir way aboard us. The vessel was the Elinor Vernon, a well-known American vessel which used to trade here constantly in conjunction with the marque Alice, and both flew the white star of Arnold Clievey and Co. Both were commanded by two sailors of the old school, men who were sailors of the old school and gentlemen. Captain Cliadburn, our commander, was a man in every way, and it was whilst racing the barque Kathleen Hilda, of this port, from New York to New Zealand that our little mishap occurred. I will give you a drift of the vessel after she was disabled, and it will perhaps show that, though the Waratali may bo missing for even six months, there may still be hope of her turning up. "After the mishap we drove to the southward as far as latitude 54 S. longitude 87 E., this taking us some, two months. We then made some northing, and very slowly we went to the north and eastward till wo reached latitude 24 S.' and 105 E longitude, this taking nearly another two months or so. We then drifted slowly west, striking very fine weather and a good many calms. When within 400 miles of Mauritius we managed to fix a jury rudder, and we sailed up to Mauritius under our own canvas, after being close on nine months at sea, seven of which were spent drifting about the .Southern and Indian Oceans. I have traded considerably on the South African coast, and between South Africa and Mauritius, and have also run the easting down a few times. The Agulhas current flows down the eastern coast of South Africa, its direction being south and west until it strikes the Agulhas Bank, when part of it is deflected to the south and east, the other portion still keeping on towards the westward and west-south-west. The portion that is deflected to the south and east is felt as far as 54 S., for it must have been this portion ol' it that assisted us to make so much southing. My idea is that the Waratali" has got into this current, and is now making her way slowly south and east, especially to the southward. Unless she gets too far south she may escape damage and eventually get into the same current as that which brought the Elinor Vernon to the north and east, and so finally she may work her way into the track of shipping. Of course there is a good deal of danger from bergs. In some parts of the year tliey are fairly plentiful and there are also a few islands lying loose around there, but still with all this there is a good chance of her turning up. It is preposterous to think that a well-found vessel of this size is going to founder because there happens to be a gale or two of wind. Disabled she may bo, and most probably is, but if he had foundered so close to the track of shipping there would have been some signs. If a sea comes aboard of a vessel nowadays the passengers holloa and squeak, and to please them the captain says it is the worst gale he has been in for forty years. Why they always say forty years is beyond me, but I suppose it sounds good. I have started to run the easting down, and from the time we have started until we arrive in New Zealand, we haven't seen the decks, and only occasionally felt them, and yet when we arrived and the master was asked what sort of a passage he had, he answered, 'Oil, fine weather passage,'and it was. Anyway, I reckon there is every chance of the Waratah turning up, and I for one won't give up hope, for I have seen my own obituary notice twice, and both times I turned up even more lively than when I disappeared." WRECKAGE IN NORTH ISLAND. (Pee Press Association.) Wellington, September 1. The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department received the following message at 6 p.m. from the postmaster at Mangonui: "Mr F, Wagner, of Pukenui, reports finding 25 lifebelts to-day on the west coast beach, about 20 miles south of Cape Maria. The belts are covered with blue and white stripes. They appear to have come ashore to-day. A heavy north-east to north and north-west gale is blowing. Mr Wagner is searching as far as Cape Maria to-morrow. I have instructed Pukenui to come on at 7 p.m. for instructions." Auckland, September 1. The Collector of Customs received the following wire from Mr F. Wagner, of Pukenui (206 miles from Auckland, situated on the Howhora River) . to- i day: ''l found 25 lifebelts on the west coast to-day. Five appeared to be marked with blood, and are covered with blue and white stripes. They came ashore to-day, and a search will be made along the coast as far as Capa ' Maria Van Dieman. To-night a heavy gale from the N.E.N, and N.W. is raging."