AMAZING STORY OF SINKING OF TAHITI IS TOLD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19154, 21 August 1930, Page 1

AMAZING STORY OF SINKING OF TAHITI IS TOLD.

THRILLING ACCOUNT OF WRECK GIVEN BY CAPTAIN MEYER

Water Eleven Feet Deep In Engine Room Within Few Minutes Of Disaster

(.United Tress Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received August 21, 9.50 a.ru.) NEW YORK, August 20. A MESSAGE from Pago Pago states that bands and residents greeted the Ventura upon her arrival. The chief engineer of the Ventura, Mr Knudsen, came in for a large share of praise for his performance on the long run to the Tahiti in shutting down on the ice plant 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 w'as 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 almost decided to put the passengers in the small boats, but his excellent judgment, liis knowledge of the sea and of his own vessel, together with a calm and sympathetic, but firm, control of the situation, kept the passengers and crew from this exposure,” he said. Captain Meyer discounted his own part oi the thrilling race across the 750 miles of uncharted sea to the Tahiti, and- praised the excellent seamanship of the British sailors’, who, he said, had prevented a tragedy. Of the details of the wreck he spoke freely. “ The port shaft of tha Tahiti carried away and with it the shaft ot the propeller at 4.30 p.ni. on Friday, tearing a hole in the ship and rupturing the tunnel. This allowed the water to rush into No. 3 and No. 4 holds and the engine room.

“ The Second Assistant Engineer on wateii was washed away from the tunnel door by the rash of water, but by an heroic effort closed the door. The enfirne room waa flooded, putting the ship in total darkness. With only flashlights to work with, and with the water over eleven feet in the engine-room, the engineers immediately rigged extra pumps and pumped the water from No. 3 and No. 1 holds. The stewards assisted with pumps and buckets, and by main effort the ship waa held afloat.

nett said: “There was no uncertainty among dhe passengers and the 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 that all the boats of the Tahiti were scuttled and the air tanks smash-

When the ship did not sink as rapidly as was expected, Captain Toten and the ship’s carpenter went aboard her. They opened two watertight doors and then ran for it. They had time to laugh, however, when the carpenter shipped on the wet and sloping deck in his scramble back to safety. The Tahiti sank in five minutes.

“The Ventura first heard of the plight of the Tahiti at three o’clock on the morning of Friday, when 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 Steam Ship Line. Full Speed to Rescue. “We immediately directed our course towards the Tahiti at 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 when we arrived alongside. The Penybryn 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. 1 all hands were safely aboard the Yen-, tura. “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. Splendid Seamanship. “The fact that all hands were saved by placing them in the boats without the slightest mishap, with the ship rolling in the long swell. Indicates that splendid seamanship was used. The radio officers, with only auxiliary apparatus working owing to the dynamos being below water, and with the engineroom flooded, added new laurels to their already splendid record. “The Tahiti was foundering rapidly when Captain Toten 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 water as she went down. The position of the Tahiti, when she foundered, was. 24.44 south, 166.14 west.” Women Faint. 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 lanes were swamped with messages of thanks and congratulations for Captain Meyer and the crew, and a banquet was given to the rescuers and the rescued. The first assistant engineer of the f Tahiti, Mr Thompson, also is hailed as J a hero. Every signal station in the har-, hour spelled out “Wei! done” in the international code flags as tlie 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 broke. He added that the fight to keep the Tahiti afloat and the rescue operations were ca-ried out as if they were drill. Handling Admirable. Bishop Bennett said that the passengers became slightly nervous when- a commotion was heard among the crew, but came on deck only to meet the smiling officers and stewards, who requested that they don l.’fe-preservers. When the lights went out on Saturday night, flashlights were served out to the sleepless company. Bishop BenSE eS iE Si S @S HE Hi OsE SI tU US S 3 Si © HI 83 S S 3 3! !

Captain Toten and his crew of 149 and seventeen of the Tahiti’s passengers left the Ventura, here.

PENYBRYN DESERVES OUTSTANDING CREDIT.

PAGO-PAGO, August 20. When Captain Meyer was informed that in San Francisco plans were being made to accord him and his crew the reception of heroes, he modestly disclaimed any outstanding credit for what had been an act of duty, performed according to the code of the sea.

“The Ventura did her duty. She could do no more, and would never do less,” he said. “The bravery of the little Penybryn must not be overlooked. Her master with much more limited facilities, in an even finer sense, performed an act of duty in accordonce with the code of the sea.”

When the passengers learned that the Penybryn, which had been the first hope to them was known herself to be in danger, there was much heartfelt regret expressed and questions whether something could not be done to help the little steamer which is running short of coal on its run to Aucki land, and may face an oncoming southwest gale. Fervent hopes were expressed that she may successfully reach Suva, where she is heading to recoal.

THERE IS COMFORT AND HOPE IN WIRELESS.

NEW YORK, August 19. j In a leader headed: “Saved by Wire* j less,” the “New York Times” 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, the Tahiti’s by fine seamanship and good discipline, and the Ventura’s by the rescue in a heavy sea without loss of life. Captain Meyer has won the golden opinions of his employers. There is comfort and hope in wireless, since a captain and his men will tight the harder to save their ship and the passengers when they know that another ship is on the way to the rescue.” SYDNEY PRESS OBJECTS TO CAPTAIN’S SILENCE. SYDNEY’, August 20. The evening Press, Sydney, severely criticise the failure of the Ventura’s master to respond to early radio queries from Australia regarding the condition and circumstances of the Tahiti’s passengers. The United States Consul here, Mr Roger Tredwell, points out that the radio station at Pago-Pago is owned by the United States Navy Department, and, therefore, the captain of the Ventura was not entitled immediately to respond through that station to commercial traffic, but he'was able to take command of that station and send emergency messages, which he actually did. announcing the safe rescue c£ all the passengers and also the fate of the Tahiti’s mails and the ship. His next duty was to report to the company. Then, doubtless, other radio traffic was dealt with in order of precedence. EE! [*j m ggj Hi [U is gun in Hi m jig g| @ @ (*}