THE LOSS OF THE ss WARATAH IN 1909
THE ss WARATAH AT CAPE TOWN IN 1908 ON HER MAIDEN VOYAGE.
A POSTCARD PROFILE OF THE WARATAH UNDER FULL STEAM.
AFTER AN EXTENDED ABSENCE FROM POSTING OF MY PAST ARTICLES I HAVE DECIDED TO RESUME POSTING MORE HISTORY AND FACTS ON THE EVER INTRIGUING DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SS WARATAH. THE PASSENGER SHIP DISAPPEARED EITHER LATE AT NIGHT ON THE 27TH OR IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING OF THE 28TH OF JULY 1909 IN A STORM OF EXCEEDING FORCE OFF THE SOUTH AFRICAN COAST BETWEEN DURBAN AND CAPE TOWN. MANY READERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE REQUESTED ME TO CONTINUE WRITING WHICH I AM MOST PLEASED TO DO SO. I HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN INUNDATED WITH EMAILS FAR TO MANY TO HANDLE AND REPLY TO THEM ALL. BY WRITING AGAIN I TRUST THIS WILL EASE THE BURDEN OF TRYING TO ANSWER ALL THOSE EMAILS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THERE ARE FAR MORE MANY PEOPLE THAN I ANTICIPATED THAT HAVE A FASCINATION IN WANTING TO GLEAN INFORMATION ON THIS UNFORTUNATE SHIP ESPECIALLY FROM A MARINERS PERSPECTIVE.
MANY WRITERS AND BLOGGERS HAVE IN REFERENCE TO THE WARATAH DESCRIBED THE LOSS IN A SENSATIONAL MANNER CALLING IT THE GREATEST UNSOLVED SEA MYSTERY OF ALL TIMES. I FIND THIS FAR FROM THE TRUTH BECAUSE MANY THREE DECK SHIPS OF THIS CLASS HAVE DISAPPEARED WITHOUT SO MUCH OF A MURMUR OR PUBLICITY EQUAL TO THAT SURROUNDING THE WARATAH. AT THE TIME OF HER LOSS WITH 211 SOULS, THE PRESS OF THE TIME MADE MUCH OF IT AND THE THEN PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH BOARD OF TRADE WINSTON CHURCHILL WAS FORCED TO INITIATE A COURT OF MARINE ENQUIRY WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A COMPLETE WHITE WASH WHICH I HAVE DEALT WITH IN PAST WRITINGS WITH MORE TO COME IN FUTURE POSTS.
I CANNOT ASCRIBE TO THE OVER USED TERM MYSTERY IN THE CASE OF THE WARATAH, WITH THE LOSS OF EVERY SHIP THERE IS A CAUSATION OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER. THIS COULD BE DUE TO HUMAN ERROR, POOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE VESSEL, EXTREME WEATHER AND VIOLENT SEAS, BAD MANAGEMENT BY THE SHIPS OWNERS, INCLUDING BAD MANAGEMENT OF THE SHIPS OFFICERS, ALONG WITH FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS AT SEA, INCLUDING POORLY PLACED CARGO RESULTING IN CREATING INSTABILITY. THE ONLY REAL MYSTERY TO ME IS THE ACTUAL LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE OF WHERE SHE LAYS RESTING ON THE SEA BED. THROUGH PAINSTAKING RESEARCH AND BEING MOST CAREFUL IN ASSEMBLING THE FACTS PRESENTED FROM RELIABLE SOURCES, AS A NAVIGATOR I BELIEVE THAT SOME TIME AGO I HAD CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED AN AREA OF PROBABILTY AS TO WHERE THE WRECK IS LAYING. THIS AREA IS NO WHERE NEAR OTHER AREAS WHERE MANY MULTIPLE SEARCHES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED RESULTING IN AS MANY FAILURES.
,MANY HAVE BEEN LURED BY THE PROSPECT OF RECOVERING 300 TONS OF GOLD RUMOURED TO BE ON BOARD. THIS HAS PROVED TO BE A FALLACY SPUN BY GOOD STORY TELLERS WHEN IN ACTUAL FACT IT WAS THREE HUNDRED TONS OF LEAD INGOTS WHICH IS ALSO DESCRIBED AS BULLION ON BILLS OF LADING, ALL THE MANIFESTS OF THE WARATAH FOR HER LAST VOYAGE SHOWED THAT NO GOLD WAS TAKEN ABOARD AND PLACED IN THE STRONG ROOM. WHILE IN THE U.K. I PERSONALLY VISITED THE BANK THE BANK OF ENGLAND IN LONDON AND OTHER BANKING INSTITUTIONS WHERE GOLD WAS USUALLY CONSIGNED TO BUT COULD FIND NO TRACE OF GOLD EVER BEING SHIPPED ON THE WARATAH FROM AUSTRALIA OR ANY OF THE COLONIES OF SOUTH AFRICA. I SHOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF THANKING YOU ALL FOR YOUR INTEREST AND SUPPORT, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE COPLIMENTARY COMMENTS GIVEN IN YOUR PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE, ESPECIALLY FROM THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF READERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA.
IN MY NEXT POST COMING SHORTLY, I SHALL WRITE ABOUT THE POLICY OF THE BOARD OF TRADE THAT ALLOWED UNSEAWORTHY SHIPS TO GO TO SEA.
MANY WRITERS AND BLOGGERS HAVE IN REFERENCE TO THE WARATAH DESCRIBED THE LOSS IN A SENSATIONAL MANNER CALLING IT THE GREATEST UNSOLVED SEA MYSTERY OF ALL TIMES. I FIND THIS FAR FROM THE TRUTH BECAUSE MANY THREE DECK SHIPS OF THIS CLASS HAVE DISAPPEARED WITHOUT SO MUCH OF A MURMUR OR PUBLICITY EQUAL TO THAT SURROUNDING THE WARATAH. AT THE TIME OF HER LOSS WITH 211 SOULS, THE PRESS OF THE TIME MADE MUCH OF IT AND THE THEN PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH BOARD OF TRADE WINSTON CHURCHILL WAS FORCED TO INITIATE A COURT OF MARINE ENQUIRY WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A COMPLETE WHITE WASH WHICH I HAVE DEALT WITH IN PAST WRITINGS WITH MORE TO COME IN FUTURE POSTS.
I CANNOT ASCRIBE TO THE OVER USED TERM MYSTERY IN THE CASE OF THE WARATAH, WITH THE LOSS OF EVERY SHIP THERE IS A CAUSATION OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER. THIS COULD BE DUE TO HUMAN ERROR, POOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE VESSEL, EXTREME WEATHER AND VIOLENT SEAS, BAD MANAGEMENT BY THE SHIPS OWNERS, INCLUDING BAD MANAGEMENT OF THE SHIPS OFFICERS, ALONG WITH FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS AT SEA, INCLUDING POORLY PLACED CARGO RESULTING IN CREATING INSTABILITY. THE ONLY REAL MYSTERY TO ME IS THE ACTUAL LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE OF WHERE SHE LAYS RESTING ON THE SEA BED. THROUGH PAINSTAKING RESEARCH AND BEING MOST CAREFUL IN ASSEMBLING THE FACTS PRESENTED FROM RELIABLE SOURCES, AS A NAVIGATOR I BELIEVE THAT SOME TIME AGO I HAD CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED AN AREA OF PROBABILTY AS TO WHERE THE WRECK IS LAYING. THIS AREA IS NO WHERE NEAR OTHER AREAS WHERE MANY MULTIPLE SEARCHES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED RESULTING IN AS MANY FAILURES.
,MANY HAVE BEEN LURED BY THE PROSPECT OF RECOVERING 300 TONS OF GOLD RUMOURED TO BE ON BOARD. THIS HAS PROVED TO BE A FALLACY SPUN BY GOOD STORY TELLERS WHEN IN ACTUAL FACT IT WAS THREE HUNDRED TONS OF LEAD INGOTS WHICH IS ALSO DESCRIBED AS BULLION ON BILLS OF LADING, ALL THE MANIFESTS OF THE WARATAH FOR HER LAST VOYAGE SHOWED THAT NO GOLD WAS TAKEN ABOARD AND PLACED IN THE STRONG ROOM. WHILE IN THE U.K. I PERSONALLY VISITED THE BANK THE BANK OF ENGLAND IN LONDON AND OTHER BANKING INSTITUTIONS WHERE GOLD WAS USUALLY CONSIGNED TO BUT COULD FIND NO TRACE OF GOLD EVER BEING SHIPPED ON THE WARATAH FROM AUSTRALIA OR ANY OF THE COLONIES OF SOUTH AFRICA. I SHOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF THANKING YOU ALL FOR YOUR INTEREST AND SUPPORT, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE COPLIMENTARY COMMENTS GIVEN IN YOUR PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE, ESPECIALLY FROM THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF READERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA.
IN MY NEXT POST COMING SHORTLY, I SHALL WRITE ABOUT THE POLICY OF THE BOARD OF TRADE THAT ALLOWED UNSEAWORTHY SHIPS TO GO TO SEA.
