FOUNDERING OF TAHITI

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1930, Page 11

FOUNDERING OF TAHITI

STORY FROM RESCUE SHIP

PEOPLE SAVED JUST IN TIME

TRIBUTES TO SEAMANSHIP

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.

Rec. 8.45 p.m. . Vancouver, Aug. 19. A dramatic description of the foundering of the Tahiti is furnished by Captain W. R. Mayer of the Ventura, who gives full praise to the coolness and seamanship of Captain Toten and rather neglects to recount, his own part in the adventure. Captain Mayer describes the damage when the Tahiti’s propeller was lost and the steps taken to cope with, the inrush of water into the ruptured tunnel. He tells his dash in the V entura to the scene.

“We sighted the'Tahiti at 9.15 a.m. or. Sunday,” he says.- • “The passengers were trying to put on life-belts as we arrived alongside at 10.30, and at 1.30 all’hands .were safely on - board the Ventura;”Passengers spoke in glowing terms of -the coolness and fortitude of Captain Toten and the heroic efforts of the engineers and all the crew of the Tahiti, which was rolling inJong swells. This indicates that splendid seamenship prevailed during the rescue. The radio officers, with only auxiliary apparatus working owing to the dynamo being below water with the engine-room flooded, added new laurels to their already good record.

The Tahiti was foundering rapidly when Captain Toten and the last of the crew left at 3.40 and she went out rf sight at 4.42. One-third of the ship stood perpendicular above the water when she dived. The position is latitude 24deg. 40min., longitude P66deg. 15niin. The New York Times in a leader headed “Saved by Wireless” states: “The case of the Tahiti is worthy of honourable mention in the annals of the -sea. The officers and men of the Tahiti and the Ventura behaved handsomely, those of th© Tahiti by fine seamanship and good discipline and those of the Ventura by the rescue in a heavy sea without loss of life. Captain Mayer,-of the Ventura, has won golden opinions from his employers. “There is comfort and hope in wireless, since a captain and his men fight harder to save their ship and passengers when they know another ship is on the way to rescue.”

OUT OF THE “RADIO POCKET.”

STORY FROM THE VENTURA.

Rec. 9.40 p.m. Pago Pago, Aug. 20. Although the Ventura had expected to arrive here at 1 p.m. she has not made the speed which she hoped. She has, however, finally - escape'd from the radio pocket which shut her off from communication with the shore and theie has resulted an. exchange of communicitions between Captain Mayer and Governor Gatewood Lincoln of American Samoa. Various passengers have also wirelessed brief accounts of their experiences to newspaper correspondents. Governor Lincoln has outlined, the details of the Tahiti disaster as indicated to him in radio exchangee. After the ship’s losing a propeller the after-peak was flooded, stopping the ship. The leak continued to gain, partly flooding Nos. 3- and 4 holds and the engine room. The Ventura responded to radio appeals and started for the Tahiti immediately. Meanwhile the Penybryn, Abtinos -and Tofua all responded but they were smaller and slower ships than the Ventura. On Saturday at 1.30 a.m. the engineroom bulkhead threatened to give way. It was at this point that the “abandon ship” SOS call was sent out, intimating that the lifeboats had been lowered, after which the Tahiti lost radio contact with many Pacific stations for several hours. “The battered wall held, however, and the crew continued pumping hard. A report from the Ventura that she expected to arrive at 2 p.m, Sunday and a message from tjie Penybryn that she expected to arrive at noon Saturday gav<? the crew new hope. T “The Tahiti’s engine-room at daybreak on Saturday was beyond control with the water threatening, to kill the dynamos. Again the Tahiti reported ‘abandoning ship’ but did not do so, being encouraged by messages pertaining to the arrival of the Penybryn. Ths new position reported on Saturday afternoon put the Ventura four Lours close.. The Ventura was making 10 knots, which was better than anticipated. “Due to differences in navigation calculations the Penybryn failed to sightthe Tahiti as soon as had been expected. The Penybryn to fire . rockets which were sighted by the sinking ship at 7.40 p.m. on Saturday. During the night the Penybryn stood ready to take 01? the passengers, crew and mail at a moment’s notice, but due to the somewhat improved situation this was de ferred pending tlio Ventura’s arrival as plans had already been made for th-j north-bound passengers, including Sir Hugh Allen and Bishop Bennett, to continue their voyage on the Ventura, which at that time was expected to arrive at 8 a.m. on Sunday. “In the forenoon the Ventura sighted the Tahiti. By 1.50 p.m. all the passengers, members of the crew, the mad, light baggage and a consignment of gold was aboard the Ventura. The Tahiti sank at 4.42 p.m. and the rescue ship proceeded to Pago Pago.” It is explained here by nautical men that the delay in the arrival of the Ventura at Pago Pago is obviously due to the very careful and slow navigation made necessary by the ship being compelled to cut across from one navigation route to another and the danger of unfamiliar reefs compelling Captain Mayer to proceed cautiously.