LAST VOYAGE OF TAHITI.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18652, 22 August 1930, Page 9

LAST VOYAGE OF TAHITI.

Ventura’s Great Exploit. CAPTAIN AND CREW HONOURED. United Press Association —Bv Electrio Telegraph—Copyright PAGO PAGO. August 20. The most serious and emotional upset of the Tahiti rescue seems to have been the fainting of two women during the course of the rescue operations. Stories of the Ventura’s remarkable exploit echoed through Pago Pago today, as she sailed away to San Francisco. after making a seven hours’ stop to facilitate the handling of the survivors. The air lines were swamped with messages of thanks and congratulations for Captain Meyer and the crew. A banquet was given to the rescuers and rescued. The first assistant engineer, Mr Thomson, of the Tahiti, is also hailed as a hero. Every signal station in the harbour spelled out “Well Done” in international code flags as the Ventura approached. Sir Hugh Allen praised the conduct of the ill-fated liner’s crew. None of the passengers he said knew of the danger until hours after the propeller shaft had broken. He added that the fight to keep the Tahiti afloat and the rescue operations were carried out as if they were drilled. Bishop Bennett said the passengers became slightly nervous when a commotion was heard among the crew, but came on deck only to meet smiling officers and stewards, who requested that they don life preservers. When the lights went out on Saturday night, flashlights served the sleepless company.

Bishop Bennett said: “There was no uncertainty among the passengers and crew of the Tahiti. All hands were admirable in handling the situation. It was done so well that it seemed to lack direction.”

Chief Officer Trask of the Ventura said all the boats of the Tahiti wsre scuttled, and the air tanks smashed. When the ship did not sink as rapidly as expected Captain Toten and the ship’s carpenter went aboard her and opened two watertight doors and ran for it. They had time to laugh, however, when the carpenter slipped on the wet sloping deck in his scramble back to safety. The Tahiti sank in five minutes. Captain Toten and his crew of 149, and 17 of the Tahiti passengers left the Ventura here. PRAISE FOR CAPTAIN TOTEN. KNOWLEDGE OF THE SEA. United Press Association—By Electric Teleprapli—Copyright NEW YORK, August 20. A message from Pago Pago states that bands and residents greeted the Ventura upon arrival. The chief engineer, Mr Knudsen, of the Ventura, came in for a large share of praise for his performance on the long run to the Tahiti, in shutting down on the ice plants, and other auxiliary plants in order to save all steam for the dash. The passengers and crew of the Tahiti were apparently little the worse for their strenuous experience. All were loud in their appreciation of the manner in which the rescue was effected. To those who continued to press Captain Meyer for further details, the skipper reiterated his earlier praise of the Tahiti’s personnel. “Several times Captain Toten decided to put the passengers in the small boats, but his excellent judgment, his knowledge of the sea and of his own vessel, together with the calm, sympathetic, but firm control of the situation, kept the passengers and crew from this exposure.”

Captain Meyer discounted his own part of the thrilling race across 750 miles of unchartered sea to the Tahiti, and praised the excellent seamanship of British sailors, who, he said, prevented a tragedy. Details of Wreck. Of the details of the wreck he spoke freely: “The port shaft of the Tahiti was carried away and with it the shaft of the propeller at 4.30 p.m., Friday, tearing a hole in the ship, and rupturing the tunnel. This allowed water to rush into No. 3 and No. 4 holds and the engine room. The second assistant engineer on watch was washed away from the tunnel door by the rush of water, but by a heroic effort closed the door. The engine room was flooded, putting the ship in total darkness, with only flashlights to work with, and with water over 11 feet in the engine room. They immediately rigged an extra pump and pumped water from Nos. 3 and 4 holds. The stewards assisted with the pumps and buckets, and by main efforts the ship was held afloat. The Ventura first heard of the plight of the Tahiti at 3 o’clock on Friday morning. A general call from Suva asked all ships within range to report. We immediately offered to proceed to the assistance of the ship if wanted, and shortly afterwards received a request from the manager of the Union Steamship Line. We immediately directed our course towards the Tahiti, and at the maximum speed. Strong westerly winds and a heavy swell retarded our progress, but we drove the ship through, and sighted the Tahiti at 9.15 on Sunday morning. The passengers were then trying to put on life jackets. We arrived alongside, and the Peiiybryn was standing by to render assistance if necessary and she assisted with her lifeboats in the transfer of the passengers. We immediately started picking up the passengers and crew, and at 1.30 p.m. all hands were safely aboard the Ventura.” Heroism of Engineers. The passengers speak in glowing

terms of the coolness and fortitude of Captain Toten, and the heroic efforts of the engineers and all the crew in keeping the ship afloat. The fact that all hands were saved by placing them in boats without the slightest mishap, with the ship rolling in a long swell, indicates that splendid seamanship was used. The radio officers with only auxiliary apparatus working owing to dynamos being below water with engine room flooded, added new laurels to their already splendid record. The Tahiti was foundering rapidly when the captain and the last of the crew left her at 1.40 p.m., and at 4.42 p.m. her stern dipped beneath the water and she went down, lifting her bow. One-third of the whole ship was perpendicularly above the water as she went down. The position of the Tahiti when she foundered was 24.44 south, 166.14 west. ROYAL WELCOME PLANNED. HOMECOMING OF VENTURA. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received August 21, 7.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, August 20. The San Francisco City, County and State, and civic and commercial officials are preparing an immense reception in honour of Captain Meyer and Chief Engineer Knudsen w r hen the Ventura arrives here on September 1. The royal welcome is planned to demonstrate appreciation of the officers’ conduct in connection with the Tahiti rescue, which is widely applauded. Especial attention is accorded to Mr Knudsen, who, in point of service, is the oldest chief engineer in the Matson, South Sea and Australian services.

PASSENGERS ENJOY RADIO. PUMPS KEPT VESSEL AFLOAT. United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright (Received August 21, 8.50 p.m.) HONOLULU, August 20. After the Tahiti accident, and while awaiting the arrival of the Ventura, passengers rigged up radio listening sets and heard a description of their own plight being broadcast from Sydney, also the cricket scores in the Test Australia v. England. There was difficulty when the passengers were instructed to take their positions beside the lifeboats. They refused to remain in place, as they were more interested in the radio sets than in the lifeboats. One young man was in the engineroom shaving when orders were given to abandon the ship. He showed no concern or hurry, and when told to hurry up, he said that he wanted to have a nice clean shave before boarding a foreign vessel. The British Ensign was hoisted before the Tahiti took her final plunge. Captain Toten boarded the Ventura in the last boat, bringing along with him an American Ensign, which was unfurled just before reaching the Ventura amidst cheers from both British and American passengers. All the passengers stood in silence, with hats removed ,as the vessel took the final plunge, the older members of the crew and officers \vho had been in the Tahiti a considerable time shed

tears, and were unashamed of their emotions. All the lifeboats of the Tahiti had holes knocked in the air tanks, and then plugs were pulled, and the boats : allowed to sink after the rescue work i was finished. “ Abandon Ship.” The crew was very well drilled ill “abandon ship” practice, and each time a call came, there was marked precision and calmness, with the pas» ! sengers taking part as if it were an j everyday occurrence, and were staged for their entertainment. The mala ; passengers passed jokes among th* women and children. The mail was removed by Mr J. GL Greig, New Zealand Government agent, from compartments in the watertight bulkheads, of which many were bulging from the pressure on the other side. About twenty-four bags were wet from the wash and spray In the boats. He took off 23 bags of first class and registered mail. The balance, which comprised second class mail matter, was abandoned. The only injury or loss of life was the ship’s pet canary, which was a wonderful singer, and will be remembered by all ex passengers. While being handed from a Tahiti boat to toe Ventura by a passenger, the cage was dropped overboard, and toe bird was drowned. When described as a hero, the Chief Engineer said: “Don’t call me the hero. The hero is the fellow who made the pumps. The pumps worked wonderfully, without the slightest hitch, and it was due to them that we were able to remain afloat until the arrival of the Ventura.” Before the arrival of the Ventura, the Tahiti’s stewards took charge of the bailing apparatus, which was rigged over number three and four hatches. With large eighty-gallon receptacles on the end of a wire attached to winches, they continued hoisting and emptying water over the side without a pause from the time of the accident to toe abandonment of toe ship. Not Permitted to Sleep. The passengers were not permitted to sleep, but remained in the social hall and lounges. Mattresses were spread on decks, also rugs and blankets, etc. Passengers were continually in the mood for dancing to jazz music coming in over the radio from Sydney and Wellington radio stations. After the last passengers and mail had left the vessel, Engineer McPherson and Assistant Engineer Thompson shut off toe oil fires, which were keeping up a sufficient head of steam to keep the pumps going, leaving the pumps to operate on the remainder of the steam in the boiler, while they left the vessel. The Tahiti was slow in sinking, and the carpenter returned, smashing the glass lights in the portholes with a sledge-hammer, thus saving the Ventura time in standing by until the derelict menace was removed.