Question 1, Mr. Tom Powell of Gold Coast Queensland Australia asks, can you throw some light on the ship Geulph that read at night a signal T.A.H. which supposedly came from the ss Waratah?
Answer Q 1, Yes there have been many press versions some of them varied and some to create mystery for readers, the following may give you a realistic version about the Guelph on that particular night.
ss GUELPH.
DEPOSITION OF JAMES NORTHCOTT CULVERWELL,
MASTER OF THE ss GUELPH.
On the 27th of July 1909, I was in command of the steamship Guelph of Southampton,owned by the Union Castle Steamship Company Limited, and at 9.51 pm that day, (Cape Mean Time). The Guelph was abeam of Cape Hood Light House (Latitude 33 degrees 2 minutes south, Longitude 27 degrees 54 minutes east) at a distance of 8 miles and her course was N 52 Degrees East. At this time my third officer, Mr. Blanchard reported that he had sighted a steamer distant about 5 miles outside the Guelph and bearing S 52 degrees East true of her (Guelph). Mr. Blanchard who was unable to make out the vessels name but reported to me she was a passenger vessel, and the Morse Code he had made out T.A.H he thought it was the Waratah. She was carrying ordinary navigation lights, but Mr. Blanchard did not report to me how she was heading, or what her speed appeared to be. At that time in question the weather was not clear enough to enable the ship to be seen , and her lights and Morse Code signal only were seen. The wind was westerly, fresh, moderate and increasing but no sea. The vessel we thought was the Waratah was not in sight fore more than 10 to 15 minutes, and so far as could be judged she was in a position, and on a proper course for Cape Town. The foregoing particulars are entirely from memory but I think they are fairly accurate.
Signed Captain James Northcott Culverwell,
Sworn 2/2/1910 at St. Michaels Rectory, Cornhill in the City of London, before me H.Martin Holmes,
Commissioner to administer Oath's in the Supreme Court London.
Copy: Deposition
Copy: Deposition
Mr.Thomas Roskiloy Blanchard
The third officer of the Guelph made a very short affidavit, He claims he was not sure as to the exact
date but said "if the master said it was the 27th in his statement then it must be correct." He further claims he cannot remember which ship signalled first, whether it was him or the Waratah but stated that he was very proficient in the Morse Code. When I endeavoured to signal to the large steamship, the weather was westerly and fresh, but there was no sea on, the next day, when nearer Natal (Durban) the weather became very rough with heavy seas.
All the particulars are from my memory and I believe them to be correct.
Signed Blanchard 3rd mate.
Sworn 24/3/1910 before Ivan Alton Sampson Surveyor of Customs and justice of the peace for The Cape in the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope.
One thing is for sure both men have confirmed there was no storm or heavy sea at the time of passing an unknown ship, I crossed checked this with the entry in the Clan Macintyre's log book for that time and a similar weather report was entered, so, no big storm as reported in various articles.Going by the description of the wind force I estimate it was either force 4 or 5 using the Beaufort Scale.
THIS IS THE MOST PROBABLE DESCRIPTION GIVEN.
The above figure shows the Guelph's course in red heading north easterly, the blue course line is heading south westerly which Blanchard thought was the Waratah. The green lines show the Guelph 8 miles off the light and the other shows a ship 5 miles outside of the Guelph and bearing from her. I do not for one minute believe Blanchard thought it was the Waratah unless he knew it was on its way to Cape Town, you don't exactly sail a coastline with a list of ships you can expect to meet along the way, unless the information was given to them by the Lloyd's agent in Cape Town. If the ships had been in sight of each other for 15 minutes at most, 5 miles apart and in the sea conditions described, they could have exchanged up to ninety words between them. Every officer wishing to become proficient in lamp signalling had to flash 6 words per minute to satisfy the Board of Trade examinations. After 10 or 15 minutes all Blanchard got was T.A.H from the other ship? I actually think he was whiling away his time talking to another ship and signing off when Capt Culverwell entered the bridge to check on their position from the light house. The other ship ended his message by not saying good by but used the lazy slang (tat ta) or (tat ah) which was quite common in certain parts of England especially the sea port of Liverpool.
ss WARATAH.
The third officer of the Guelph made a very short affidavit, He claims he was not sure as to the exact
date but said "if the master said it was the 27th in his statement then it must be correct." He further claims he cannot remember which ship signalled first, whether it was him or the Waratah but stated that he was very proficient in the Morse Code. When I endeavoured to signal to the large steamship, the weather was westerly and fresh, but there was no sea on, the next day, when nearer Natal (Durban) the weather became very rough with heavy seas.
All the particulars are from my memory and I believe them to be correct.
Signed Blanchard 3rd mate.
Sworn 24/3/1910 before Ivan Alton Sampson Surveyor of Customs and justice of the peace for The Cape in the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope.
One thing is for sure both men have confirmed there was no storm or heavy sea at the time of passing an unknown ship, I crossed checked this with the entry in the Clan Macintyre's log book for that time and a similar weather report was entered, so, no big storm as reported in various articles.Going by the description of the wind force I estimate it was either force 4 or 5 using the Beaufort Scale.
The above figure shows the Guelph's course in red heading north easterly, the blue course line is heading south westerly which Blanchard thought was the Waratah. The green lines show the Guelph 8 miles off the light and the other shows a ship 5 miles outside of the Guelph and bearing from her. I do not for one minute believe Blanchard thought it was the Waratah unless he knew it was on its way to Cape Town, you don't exactly sail a coastline with a list of ships you can expect to meet along the way, unless the information was given to them by the Lloyd's agent in Cape Town. If the ships had been in sight of each other for 15 minutes at most, 5 miles apart and in the sea conditions described, they could have exchanged up to ninety words between them. Every officer wishing to become proficient in lamp signalling had to flash 6 words per minute to satisfy the Board of Trade examinations. After 10 or 15 minutes all Blanchard got was T.A.H from the other ship? I actually think he was whiling away his time talking to another ship and signing off when Capt Culverwell entered the bridge to check on their position from the light house. The other ship ended his message by not saying good by but used the lazy slang (tat ta) or (tat ah) which was quite common in certain parts of England especially the sea port of Liverpool.
ss WARATAH.
