Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
TAHITI PASSENGERS
! AWAIT ARRIVAL OF
NORWEGIAN VESSEL
Master of Disabled Ship
CountermandS Order to
Take to Boats.
THREE OTHER CRAFT
ARE RUSHING TO AID
Uncharted Seas and Ocean Jungle
Between Steamer and
Rescuers.
~ The Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Approximately 800 men, women and
children, passengers and crew of the
Union Line steamship Tahiti, which be-
came waterlogged and disabled in the
South Pacific, $50 miles southwest Of
Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Sunday, were
anxiously awaiting the arrival of the
Norwegian freighter Penybryn, nearest
of four vessels in that general vicinity
rushing to render assistance.
Reports received Saturday in San
Francisco direct from Suva by the As
ISOLATED Press and by the Matson Nav
igation Co from its steamer Ventura
said all on board had taken to life
boats and abandoned the Tahiti.
A report from Wellington, New zea-
land, at am. Sunday. New Zealand
time G. pm, Eastern standard time
Saturday., said the master OF the dis
abled ship had countermanded the or
der to take to lifeboats and arrival of
the Penybryn was expected Sunday
afternoon New Zealand time Transfer
of passengers and crew to the peny-
hryn was to take place before dark.
The Tahiti, one of the largest ships
plying the Pacific, left Wellington Tor
San Francisco August IL, with Ito pas
sengers and crew OF 142. IL was que
in San Francisco August 20.
Lost StarbOard Propeller.
The vessel got into trouble when 1t
lost its starboard propeller and tail
shaft and began to leak. The cause
The No. q hOlO
began to leak early Sunday, New Zea-
land time (9:30 am, Eastern standard
time Saturday,. Capt. A. t. Totem,
master OF the ship, ordered all ABOARD
to lifeboatS.
It was this order that was counter
nnanded. presumably when was
realized the vessel would remain aToat
until the Penybryn could reach IL:
Tn addition to the Penybryn, three
other vessels were rushing to the Tahiti.
These were the Matson liner Ventura,
en- route from Suva: the Tufoa, diverted
from the Fiji Islands, and the Tague,
en- route from Mangala. Inc ventura
was expected to reach the Tahiti Sun
day night, New Zealand time.
Names of the Tahiti's passengers were
not Immediately available: Inc only
name mentioned in dispatches was tnat n.
of Sir Hugh Allen, director OF Lne
british ROYAL College of Music. Inc
sea was reported rough, but the weather
was fair.
Built in Glasgow in 1904.
The Tahiti, a twin-screw liner OF
1898 gross tons, was built In GLASGOW
in 1904. 1t was operated by tne OIloli
Steamship Co under British registry
n is ago feet long, SIS feet VIDE ana
944 feet deep. Its officers are all New
zealanders. Capt Totem was making
his first voyage as its master.
A dispatch from Pago Page to the
Associated Press this afternoon quoted
a radiogram from the Tahiti as saying
they were still holding on and the
Ventura was lis miles away, expect
ing to arrive pm, Sunday Ne"
Zealand time.
Uncharted Seas in Path.
SAN FRANCISCO, August is NP,.--
Uncharted seas and an ocean jungle OF
volcanic and coral arch1pelagoes lie pe-
tween the waterlogged steamer Ianltl
and two of the four ships seeking to
rescue more than 800 persons, her pas
sengers and crew.
The Norwegian tramp freighter Peny-
hrvn. nearest of the four ships, and the
Tagua, were on the same steamer lane
as the Tahiti, disabled in the South
Pacific, AGO miles southwest OF
Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The islands
are the nearest land rating, even dol
on maps.
The other vessels were on a more
northern lane and were forced to pick
their way through thousands of little
islands and patches of shallow water
Next TO the slow Norwegian frelghter
the Ventura was the nearest vessel to
the Tahiti The liners course was ex-
tremely hazardous and was beset WITH
small Jagged islands and submerged
shoals In navigating the shadows OF
the uncharted South Seas the captain
and his mates stand on the bridge and
chart their course as they go, picking
out deep water by reflection of light.
Fast sailing is virtually impossible al
night unless ships are in wide stretch
of deep water which separates the
archipelagoes. For this reason official;
of the Matson line here said 1t was I'M
possible to accurately estimate the timt
of the Ventura's arrival beside the
disabled vessel.