The Pilbarra Goldfield News, 15 October, 1912.
We are pleased to see that the
members of the Road Board. are
not allowing the matter of an
adequate water supply for Port
Hedland to die a natural death,
and we hope to see a strong
agitation started shortly for this
most important requirement—an
agitation that will not cease its
clamoring until the work has been
begun. Cattle are brought in to
be shipped away, and from the
time they are yarded until they
are placed on board the boat the
animals do not get a drink. At
the time of the Koombana disaster,
the Bullarra had to steam to
Broome to get a supply of water
before she could go to search for
the ill-fated vessel; and quite recently
the Wyola had to get 15 tons of water
from the Bullarra before she could
proceed to Fremantle. It is hard to imagine
why the agitation (started a good
many years ago) for an efficient
water supply for Port Hedland
was ever allowed to drop.
It remains my contention that stability issues caused the loss of the Koombana, rather than steaming into the heart of the cyclone to the southwest. It was overtly impossible for Captain Allen to have successfully pressed up all his tanks within a 2 hour time frame and gale conditions.
"The free surface effect can become a problem in a craft with large partially full bulk cargo compartments, fuel tanks, or water tanks (especially if they span the full breadth of the ship)" wikipedia.
Courtesy Trove and Wikipedia
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