THE "LIST".

Truth, Brisbane, 14 May, 1911.

Scarcely a steamer goes North from Brisbane 

without the decks being covered with cargo, 

and at times passengers are compelled to climb 

over perishables to get on board. 

By what can only be considered good fortune, Yongala departed Flat Top with minimal deck cargo - or at least that is what was reported....

Strange stories have been circulated concerning the Yongala 

since she disappeared, and the opinion has

got abroad that she was not classed by

seafaring men as what is commonly styled by 

them "safe." We have heard about a "list" she 

is said to have had when she left Flat Top, and 

about pig-iron ballast that is supposed to have

been in her at one time, and also about

men having left her because they got the notion 

that she was "a coffin ship."

This is a highly revealing comment and it makes complete sense that Yongala probably had a list. However, no mention, officially, was ever made.

Last Sunday the writer was returning

by train from Pinkenba, and he heard

a couple of seafaring men discussing the

Yongala. One of them said he lost a

brother in her, and he stated openly that 

his brother assured him before her last 

trip that the steamer was not safe, and that 

he would leave her but for being ashamed 

to do so. Another of the party exclaimed, 

'What about the other ship? I am on her. I 

know she is no safer, and yet I don't like 

to leave her."

The other ship, namely Grantala, identical to Yongala.

Of course, this may be nothing more

than superstition, but when men, who

appear to know what they are talking

about, give public expression to such

serious statements, the need for earliest

and fullest investigation and inquiry is

evident.

Those who will feel inclined to defend

the Government authorities will, no 

doubt, make the excuse that the shipping 

company did search the scene or the dis-

aster, and contend that there was no need 

for the Government to do so earlier than 

weeks afterwards; but that

excuse will not satisfy citizens. The

company would not have been likely to

convict itself if the discovery had been

made that the loss of the Yongala was 

due to the condition of the vessel 

when she left port, or to something that

would take the company liable for

heavy damages. Though a company is

said to have neither a body to be kicked,

nor a soul to be damned, the persons

who are in control are human and practice 

self preservation. 

For this reason, if 

for no other, it was the duty of the

Government to have a thorough search

made as soon as there was reasonable

grounds for believing the vessel had met

with mishap. In fact, there should be

in every important port steamers retained 

by the Government, or owned by

the State, to go to the relief of vessels

reasonably supposed to be in distress.

In Brisbane, there are some suitable

craft which would serve the purpose,

but the Cabinet Ministers put them into

another service, and they are mostly 

engaged for pleasure trips. 

The Otter and the Lucinda might have been used to

search for the Yongala weeks ago with

out the cost of much to the taxpayers,

but those vessels are too cosy to be sent

on such a mission, and the authorities,

for shame's sake, seek to make amends

by sending one of the oldest tenders

on the coast, to investigate when there

is not one ray of hope, for the 200 (122) souls

who were on board when the Yongala

was last seen.

Why has there been so much delay in

culling an inquiry into the circumstance

surrounding the disaster? Can anything

be gained by delaying the publication of

authentic information relating to the

Yongala, and to her condition when she

sailed on her last voyage. We are told

that she was heavily laden when she left

Brisbane, and it would be interesting to

know whether more cargo was put into

her at Flat Top. 

No on both accounts.

We have also been

told about that "list," and particularly

of how she was loaded or relieved of

some of her cargo might clear up all

of the doubts lingering in the mind of

auspicious citizens. We have had the

story of the pig-iron ballast explained

by the representatives of the shipping

company, but not until it is confirmed 

by men who were working on the vessel 

at the time it is said to have been removed

will the public be satisfied. 

Over matters that would tend to relieve the

public mind might also be explained at

a proper inquiry. For instance, the

height above deck and weight of the

funnel, the build of the Yongala, the

actual amount of cargo she carried on

her decks, the state of her machinery

and propeller, the condition of her steer-

ing gear and boats, 

There is no denying the significance of Yongala's huge funnel. I have commented on the wind catchment factor, particularly in cyclone conditions, but the weight of the structure also contributed hugely to the top heaviness factor. This was such a significant factor that Grantala had her funnel reduced in later service.

Grantala later known as SS Figuig.

Yongala's funnel, which was built into the vessel = not likely to break off during a gale and therefore contribute to dragging the steamer over.

courtesy SS Yongala, Mystery of a Generation. 

the truth concerning 

men who are said to have left the

ship at different times because of the

belief that she was "a coffin" and many

other things that are talked about by

people in all places. There certainly is

some mystery surrounding the disaster,

and the authorities will be wanting in

their duty to the community if the inquiry 

is not opened at an early date,

especially as seafaring men are constantly 

on the move, and material witnesses may 

not be given an opportunity to throw

light on the mystery.