MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16892, 17 November 1922, Page 7

MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

THEORY OF DISAPPEAR-

ANCfc..

'I lie loss of the Waratah was one ol the greatest mysteries of the sea. The vessel, winch was Homeward bound Horn Sydney with 300 passengers on board, left Port Natal on July 20, 1900, for Cape Town and lias novel been heard of since. At first it was thought that the vessel’s machinery had broken down ns a result ui the heavy gales which came up alter her departure from Port Natal, and the complete absence of wreckage seemed to support the- theory. .Several vessels including cruisers. carried out an exhaustive search until August 20, but nothing was found not even wreckage. On August 20 the search was abandoned as hopeless. To account for the absence of wreckage the opinion was expressed at the time that the. Warn tali turned turtle. The last that was seen of the Waratah was on July 27 when the liner Ouelp sighted her off Hast London. Communication was attempted but the signals were indistinct. However the Waratali was not flying distress signals. The Waratah was a new steamer, hav ing been built in 1908, and she was considered a very fine passenger boat. She belonged to Lund’s Blue Anchor Li ne. The Joss of the "Waratah brought into prominence the question of making it compulsory for all ocean going liners to carry wireless. A message- from London. at the time stated ” Tho uncertainty regarding the Ward tali provides the underwriters with a fresh argument in favour of making the installation of wireless telegraphic apparatus compulsory on all ocean liners. The message added that there was i Bill before the United States ( <ingress making this installation compulsory on ocean steamers carrying not fewer than fifty passengers, and that Mi Winston Clmjchill was considering the introduction of similar legislation in the Britisli Parliament.