The Clan Macintyre 2, that exchanged signals with the Waratah at 6.00am on the morning of July 27th 1909 near Port St John on the east coast of South Africa. The above photo shows the Clan Macintyre entering Capetown harbour on another occasion assisted by a tug on her port side. Note the white box behind the funnel with two small portholes, this was the accommodation cabin of the cadet officers on board. The 4th officer that exchanged signals by Morse lamp was Mr W.E. Carson who initiated the first signal to the Waratah. The Waratah was on the starboard side of the Clan Macintyre to within one mile or less, some observers have claimed the Waratah may have been in some trouble yet the observers from the bridge of the Macintyre stated that deck lights were switched on at this time, which indicates the normal routine of washing down of the wooden decks taking place prior to passengers taking their morning constitutional before breakfast.( Nothing seemed out of the normal). After the Waratah passed across the bow of the Clan Macintyre and headed out into the full strength of the current and disappeared out of sight at 9.30am newspaper reports claimed a storm took place. In actual fact and from the log book of the Clan Macintyre and with the evidence of Mr. Purssey Phillips at the inquiry the following was recorded. At 8.00am the wind was northerly and moderate, at 9.40 am wind began to freshen from westward, got to the west at mid- day, fresh in the afternoon then died away at sunset,(about 5.30pm). All readings were from the log book and signal book of the Clan Macintyre produced at the Inquiry.
Between 9.40pm and midnight on the 27th, the wind began to freshen again, at 2.00am on the 28th wind and sea increasing, vessel plunging heavily shipping heavy water- ran at half speed. In my book I have dealt fully with the evidence of Mr. Phillips and captain Weir of the Clan Macintyre before the inquiry, which runs into some 15 pages far to long for a small blog.
