MARITIME DISASTERS.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12772, 20 April 1910, Page 3

MARITIME DISASTERS.

LOSS OF THE WARATAH.

FURTHER EVIDENCE AT THE INQUIRY.

SEVERE CRITICISM OF THE VESSEL. ■ . '

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Melbourne, April 19. An ex-seaman of the Waratah, ir evidence before the Board of Trade inquiry stated-that th© vesselcould not rid© 6eas at ill, and bumped her nose right down into the trough of tho waves," while seas broke right over her The engines shook the -vessel a great deal, and as a result some of the gear of tho mizzenmast became, loosened, Witness said he had assisted to repair it. but in 24 hours it was loose again. He heard the chief officer saj to a passenger, "I will be glad when this vessel reaches London again, because I don't think. she will be able to stand a heavy storm." Witness alleged that the Waratah was the worst rigged ship in respect to ship's apparel that he had ever sailed in, and the most unsteady boat h© had ever been

Mr Latimer, a shipping clerk at Sydney, stated that the second officer told him in January last year that he didn't like the vessel at all, as _he thought she had a deck too many. 1 The second mate also second officer also said fie got a scare when coming round in the vesseft from the builder's yard to London, as^e thought she was going °™*™* e J broadside in heavy weather in the Uig--1V Mr Richardson, chief mechanical engineer of the Geelong Harbour Trust, who was a passenger to Durban on the ill-fated voyage, said that he commented to the.captain on the slow recovery of the steamer when pitching. Captain Ilbery had replied she' was a little that, way, but it must be remembered that there were many tons of. dead weight to shift. The captain added that when the dead weight got in , motion it took power to stop it, and that when it stopped, it took considerable force to start it in the opposite direction. -