THE MISSING WARATAH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2601, 8 September 1909, Page 5

THE MISSING WARATAH.

SEARCH VESSEL TO START TOMORROW. United Press AssoourioN—Copyright. (Received September 8, 12.35 a.m.) CAPETOWN, Sept. f. The Union Castle liner Sabine is to sail, probably on Thursday, to make an extended search for the Waratah. Every shipmaster, be he the; captain of one or the great mail steamers or of the crankiest and most evil-smelling tramp afloat on the ocean, nurses the hope of some day earning a small fortune by salvage work. A well-known Melbourne nautical man, who is an authority on such matters, estimates that the safe conveyance of the Waratah into port would be worth to the rescuing ship at the very least between £25,000 and £30,000. Of this sum the captain of the rescuing vessel would receive from £ISOO to £2OOO, and his crew about £3500 or £4OOO, divided on the basis of seniority and personal risk. “There is a common impression," he said, “that th© salvor is entitled to one-third of the value of the vessel and cargo, rescued, but that is not so. 1 don’t think a mail steamer—to which time, of course, is of immensely more value than it is to. a ‘tramp’—would get more than £30,000 salvage. for towing the Waratah 1000 miles into safety; and her captain would certainly, not receive more than £2OOO. Bargains at sea between two masters as to salvage may be set aside. The judge holds that the high seas' is not the place to drive a bargain, especially; when it may be with one of the parties to the bargain a matter, perhaps, of life and death, and many such bargains have been annulled.” In the case of the Waikato, which was floating in the Indian Ocean for 103 days, £16,500 salvage and costs was awarded by the Admiralty Court to the tramp steamer Asloun, which towed her into Fremantle; and a claim by the owners of the barque Tacora, which rendered her assistance, and was damaged in so doing, was settled out of Court for £3OO and costs. The Waikato was valued at £44,000 for salvage purposes, and her cargo at £97,694. Th© consignees of cargo, of course, pay their share of salvage, which is collected by a general average being levied on all goods before delivery. _____