CABLE NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2741, 21 February 1910, Page 5

CABLE NEWS.

When the captain and Mr. Day were summoned from the 1 chart-room and arrived on deck, Mr. Day states, he pointed out an albatross sitting on something, and the steamer was brought round to make an examination, with the result, Mr. Day states, that he was fully convinced that tile object on which the albatross was perched was tho trunk of a body with the arms ami legs missing. They did not see any of the bodies previously reported as observed by the apprentice and the ongi.neer, but Mr. Day states that pieces of bodies were floating three of four feet deep in the water over a big area of sea, with a flock of birds hovering around.

ALLEGED DELIBERATE SUPPRESSION OF INFORMATION.

For some reason or other, which Mr. Day .can merely surmise, this was not reported to the lieutenant of H.M.S. Forte when the latter put off in a boat in Simons Bay, to which the Tottenham had run for shelter, to make inquiries as to whether she had seen any signs of the Waratah. Mr. Day says strict instructions were given on the Tottenham to say nothing of tho affair, and that he overheard the apprentice, by request, give an account of what- lie had seen to a gentleman whom he believed to be the agent for the Tottenham or who had something to do with the ship’s cargo at Melbourne, and that the apprentice was then advised to say nothing of the affair as it might cause friction.

“Let me here remark,” Mr. Day added, “lost people think this ‘a book,’ or that I bear prejudice against anyone that such suggestions, if they are made, art 1 absolutely incorrect. I deny any prejudice; and any statement I have made 1 am willing to make on oath. My reason for making! this statement now is that, while I was on the vessel, orders were given to keep the thing quiet, and now I. am off the vessel I am free to speak rnv mind in regard to what I saw and what others on the ship told me. They saw I Iftid clear discharges and credentials from all the ships on which I have served.” Three gentlemen in Westport state that they heard the story of what was seen from the second engineer, who is reported as stating that he is positive that he saw the body of a child float past the ship, and that' the effect of what they saw tha| day put them off their food for several days. The Tottenham carried Chinese firemen, one of whom is reported as having remarked at the time, “Plenty people in sea.” The Tottenham left Westport on "Wednesday tor Ocean Island, about ten days’ steam. She is to stay there for from a month to six weeks, and then leaves for Labuan, Borneo, en route for Europe.