THE THREE KINGS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1518, 14 August 1912, Page 2

THE THREE KINGS.

-— { — • LIGHTHOUSE OR LIGHTSHIP? (By Telegraph-Press Association.! Auckland, August' 13. A proposal made by the Minister for Marino (the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) to place a lightship at the Western King in lieu of a lighthouse was mentioned by a reporter to a number of prominent teamen this morning, and one and all.were equally emphatic in their condemnation of tlio scheme. Captain It. Crawford, when seen prior to tlio departure of the 'J'ofua for the Islands, said that he,was surprised that, anyono with a knowledge of seamanship and conditions nt tbo Three Kings had the temerity to make such n. proposal. Ono might as well try to anchor a lightship in mid-ocean as at the Western • King. If the first heavy.-gale did not smash the.vessel to pieces on the rocks, thero would bo a grave danger of her breaking away from her moorings and becoming &■ tncuacc to tlio navigation of stcamors which were guided by the posi- . tion. of tlio light. Lightships were quite obsolete for use at such a place, and were only employed in river channels and on sandy banks. In his opinion "n light on Three Kings was an urgent necessity, and the only satisfactory solution of tho problem would l>e a modern lighthouse. Captain li. Smith, late of the Union Company's service, who can claim- to speak with some authority on the question, said that in the first heavy westerly gale there was nothing to prevent the lightship breaking awjv from her moorings. If experts were to make an examination, lie felt sure that a site lo serve vessels approaching from all directions could be found. In all hjs experience he had jiever seen or heard of such a thing as a lightship on a wild rock-bound coast like that of the Three Kings. Captain Norgrove, a well-known coastal master, makes a rather interesting suggestion. The big King is 900 ft, high, and its summit is an ideal site for a lighthouse. Presumably the Marine Department's expert; opine that it would be impossible to land the material required for the construction purposes. As an alternative, Captain Norgrove suggests the possibility of excavating one uf the rocky peaks on the island, and projecting a light therefrom.