THE MISSING WARATAH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2577, 11 August 1909, Page 5

THE MISSING WARATAH.

CABLE NEWS.

OWNERS STILL HOPEFUL. NO FURTHER NEWS. • United Press Association —Copyright LONDON, August 9. The “Times” states that the owners of the Waratah are still hopeful as to the safety of the missing steamer. The Waratah left Port Natal on July 26th. . * ' > ' The officers of the Guelph’s recognition of the steamer Waratah rests on the third officer reading the lantern flashes showing the terminal letters “TAH,” which were supposed to mean “Waratah.” The Waratah also took on board 2000 tons of bunker coal at Durban. The owners of tbe Waratah have not received any news of tbe missing vessel.

SYDNEY, August 10,

The agents of the Waratah state there was no space on the bridge deck to store coak There was, however, a place underneath known as the bridge. This space was used as a bunker bold. The vessel carried coal in that compartment on her departure from Sydney. A REASSURING THEORY. AN ENGINEERING EXPERT’S STATEMENT. (Received August 10, 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, August 10.

An engineering expert, who travelled from Australia to Durban by tbe Waratah, praises the steamer and her machinery. He declares that the bunker coal assured tho maximum of steadiness.

It is stated that a passenger by the steamer, named Sawyer, broke his journey at Durban under a presentiment of danger. H.M. cruiser Hermes, due at Capetown to-morrow, will join in the search for the Waratah. The owners of the steamer calculate that, if disabled, she drifted towards Cape Agulhas, and was then carried with tho current in an easterly direction. The Admiralty has ordered the warships to search in accordance with this theory.

A RAY OF HOPE. VESSEL WHICH MAY BE THE WARATAH OFF DURBAN. (Received August 11, 12.20 a.m.) DURBAN, August 10. The agents of the Blue Anchor Line at Durban have received a telegram from East London stating that a Blue Anchor vessel has been sighted a considerable distance off, slowly making for Durban, where she will probably arrive to-day, suggesting tbe possibility that it may be the Waratah.

Tho only passengers booked from Wellington to sail from Sydney by the missing Lund liner Waratah were M. J. E. Mullon, who w-as returning to his home in Durban, and Mr and Mrs W. Cousens and infant, of Kaitoke, who were also to have left the steamer at Durban. The Waratah, which takes the name of the emblematic flower of New South Wales, is a new twin-screw steamer of some 10,000 tons register, being 840 ft long, 59ft 3in broad, and 39ft 4in deep, and is built to Lloyd’s highest class. The steamer has two separate sets of quadruple expansion engines, capable of maintaining a speed of 13£ knots. She is divided into eight watertight compartments, and has a cellular double bottom extending the full length of the vessel, thus rendering her, it is claimed, practically imni me from any danger of sinking. The Waratah. has accomodation for 130 first saloon passengers, and upwards of 300 third-class passengers. All the saloon cabins are -placed on deck. There are no inside rooms, every cabin being fitted with a. square window or pert. The accomodation and appointments are said to be of the very best.