LIGHTING COOK STRAIT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1586, 1 November 1912, Page 3

LIGHTING COOK STRAIT.

MASTER MARINERS' yiEWS. - A TONGUE POINT LIGHT PREFERRED, . > STRONG REASONS WHY. The following petition, which speaks for itself, was forwarded to the Minister lor Marine, the. Hon. V. M.. B. Fisher, yesterday, by Captain C. M'Lcan, of the s.s. Tarawera:— , .. ■ ! ' [Copy.] WeUingtou, October 18, 1912. Hon. F. M. &. i'isher, . . . Minister tor Marine, Wellington. Sir,—We, tlie undersigned master mariners, in activo .service, and frequently navigating Cook • Strait, desire to inform you that in the matter of the erection.' of a. lighthouseon the- northern-shore of the Straits, we are- strongly of. the opinion .that Tongue Point- should bo selected as tho sits. : ■-./.'■ '■ Our reasons areas follow:— 1. Tho Tongue Point is a turning coiner, n-hero (for vessels proceeding, east, or. west) tho course has to lie alferal. '2. It is situated in a vicinity where the tides are strong, and 'uncertain, and navigation in bad wcather,-by "dead reckoning," is unreliable and attended with much risk. • , 3. Tongue Point-has a low elevation, and would rarely be obscured by. tho cloud and mist which frequently coven up the Terawhiti land in bad weather. . i. Tongue is in close proximity to the Karori Rook, Tom's Hock, and the Luna Rock. It would, light up and warn mariners against coming- within dangerous proximity.of that stretch of. foul ground, extending from the Luna Rock, eastward, to Sinclair's Head. 5. It would be a valuable auxiliary liytit . to tho lighthouse on ' Pencarrow Head,which is frequently obscured in bad wwitlier, or has nn extremely short range of visibility. In this case, it (Tongue Point light) would be of .very great assistance to vessels making for Wellington from the southward and eastward, as well as from the westward. 6. The arc of visibility of' a light on Tongue Pojrtt would but (or could jbb made to cut) just dear of tlie Temwhiti laud, so that no vessel could run on Cape Terawhiti, with the light open; and" vess'els, , after passing the Brothers' light, when ixmnd through the Straits towards tho 1 'eastward, would, in endeavouring to open Tongue Point light, be hauiiiig out to sut —and to safety. 7. The. arc of visibility of Tongue Point light (to the eastward) would, when shut in by Sinclair's Head, cut outside Baring . Head by about one mile, and,afto cut just outside TauraKrae Head, This would"; Tin advantageous to vessels soming-from the direction of Cape t'alliser, as no. vessijl could get into Pallister Bay, or strike Taurakrrae Head while Toiigue Point light was visible. -.For.vessslsj'.unning up from the south, or standfng across the Btrail6, ftom' tho direction.'of Port' Underwood or. Cloudy Bay, this cutting of the light would I>o very valuable, especially, at times when Pencarrow, light was obscured, as no vessel could strike Baring Head or the- Arabella while Tongiie Point light was visible.' In this respect/'the shutting out of Tongue Point light by Sinclair's . llea< would constitute an admirable transit mark, which would'approximately give tho mariner his distance off Pcacarrow Head, that light (Penca-rrow)' was not vis--, ible." ..It.would mirk a line oi safety i'roni all dangers between. Sinclair's Head and Taurakirae Head.. Beyond.this,-the navigator should not go- by "dead , reckoning," but by obtaining a bearing of Tonguo Point light, he could fix, his position and proceed, with care,' to'pick up (tiia ofte.i-obscuwd) , Pencarrow,. 8. One otherstrorig reason for putting'a' light on Tongue Point lies in the fact that, on the northern, side of ':Cook.- Strait the-soundings are irregulor atid vety apt to be misleadiiig, "'Thestrong.'tides make it often risky to stop.:tho ship, to take a cast of tho lead; and ofteil when this is done the strength.'of the tidei'sweeps the lead away and makes soundings, unreliable, i' '"" "■'.'. .',' . 9. We also desire to inform you that the coastline between Tongue Point and Taurakirao ' Head,' has' : beeng ' the scene of. many /' disasters • and -..accidents, tho- greatest..number occurring' between . Tongue ... Point and Sinclair's Head. The Penguin would not-have been wrecked had there been , a' light on Tongue Point,, nor would the SvS. Nambucca. have been, totally lost on Sinclair's Head. . From the .time, of the loss of tho City of Duncdin, to thel.ossof-the Penguin, including the wreaks of the barques Sirius, Wellington, Heversham and Grassmere, the brig".Oceana," the striking of tho ship Nelson t and all the minor accidents and. casualties, too nii- ' merous to mention, there is no doubt that they occurred mainly, through .the strong tides in that vicinity, which make .navigation uncertain; and through, the tiderips and rough seas-and outlying dangers',. Although ' many of these disasters occurred in daylight,'' yet it'.only .emphasises the need for facilities which will render the, navigator independent of "dead reckoning" in that locality; and it is not by any means an esaggpratibn to State that of those which o'cciirred. at 'night,! they; would have been, avoided-had there been a light on Tongue Point! ■'' ■ 10. In the' matter:., of. ,oivr favouring. Tongue Point as' a sitp.'fbr the light,-as against Cape TeraSyhiti, we beg to inform you that 'if there • was no light: on The Brothers,.then ;the casd for- Capu Terawhiti, as a s.ite, would bo ■ materially strengthened; but., as all. vessels coming from the westward must.pass-The. brothers, and as that ..lighthouse is only' 13. miles from Cape Terawhiti (and as vessels passing The Brothers .would be in the arc-of Tonguo. Point light before.-likrbig steamed half that distance), .we corisi'der' that>the risk of a vessel striking Cape Terawhiti would be well provided against; Tho same line of argument applies to' vessels bound the Straits. They would' generally see The Brothers before they-lost Tongue Point in bad-weather. •'.,■' 11. We also desiro to refer ..to tivo arguments that have been Taised . against Tongue Point as a site for the proposed lighthouse. • .'■■■■.'■■■■■■■. -■■■•' The first is: "That it is unwise to erect a lighthousp behind a danger"; and the, second, which figures as a reason for not; doing' K), is that "shipmasterSi in endeavouring to pick up Tongue:'-jPoint' light mightbp led into a iazardous proximity to the outlying, danger?;" In dealing with the former, we , beg to draw your attention to, first: That tfore are already 27 lighthouses on. the coast of New- Zealand erected Ijehind dangers." Second: That in . lighting headlands (with 'outlying reefs or foul gtoniid) it is obviously impossible to" have''"lights'in' front of them unless light-ships or lighted buoys;aro used. ;• ' . • . ■. ■ One of the first in coast lighting is that thelight should be erected on the danger or as close.to it as possible. ..•■".■-. ■- . • ' . t With regard-to- the second argiimen't: We desire .to assure you that, in vie* of the dangerous character of the Tongue Point- locality,' its strong and -uncertain tides, the absence of reliablo soundings, its stormy winds, rough: seas, and/danger- , ons tide-rips, no shipmaster would; in storm, thick weather, or calm, "go fossicking" for -Tongue' Point light.. 12. Finally wo desire to inform you that all consideration :cpnceraing tho' site for a lighthouse anywhere betweon Sinclair's Head and Cape Terawhiti, must be subject to tlie recognition of the fact that in bad weather and when it is most ur- , gently wanted, Pencarrow light, ns a I guide for clearing' tho dangers about I Tom's .Rock; is practically of little, and ', often, no'use/ as itds too frequently db- , , soured.' .If Pencarrow light was of a- , lower elevation, then it would serve the- . purposes it is supposed to-fulfil, but ever-.. ! then it would not .be'.'so'safe and reliable t a guide, as'.a light' on Tongue Point. . , In conclusion, we beg. to ..remind' vdu ' that we are asking, for a ■"warning light"—a. bad weather light—in a,, d'aniiorous. vicinity. We hope you will consider that the -pressure of. modern- times -iind tlio raacting. .requirements cf tho 1 travelling public) in the matter of i lirompt arrivals,, and the making of i train and other. eomwetions are,-often, I not without their , bffic-ftt on shipmasters; I and in view.of the iiumbci' of accidents i and the amount of mortality that lias I occurred-on that part of. the coast, we i trust you will decide tin Tongu* Point I .1? the site, and so gite ■ us. a i facility which v\\\ ai-n-ays be risible, and .us -djai) , ficX«fiiaß".

whon turning or passing that dangerous Wo are, sir, yours respectfully, Robert J. Hay (s.s. Nikira), Thomas M. ■ Jackson (s.s. Haivera), Jas. G. Watson (s.s. Pateeua), AV. D. Camftrwi (s.s. Pqhcrun), H. P. Platts (s.si Tavium), Bobert Jolland (s.s. Soirthci'ii), ■ F. Forbes (s.s. Buahine), A. 11. Edwin is.s. Monovvai), A. Henry (s.s. Waverley), F. A. Hemming (s.s. Eimntaka), J. Nelson (s.s. Rum), J. Jamieson (s.s. defender), Herbert ' Coward (s.s. Wimbledon), A. Peterson '(sen. Lizzie iiiylor), John Carlson (s.s. Eippic-/, ' .Thoiupson' (s.s.- Arivpawa), 1)>. Kitchio (s.s. Ikpourita), Albert Kemp (5.3. Whakarua), G. Wilkinson (s.s. Blwilieim), "William Waller (s.s. Wimmefa), S. Kolm (s.s. .loliu), J. S. Macno (s.s. Kia Ovu), Alexander C. Murray (s.s. Cygnet), E. Harvey (s.s. Queen of the South),. J. .AY. Baron (s.s. Waipori), K. 'Hart (s.s. Jlanaroa), James -Wills (s.s. Wutahi), J. rf. Borquist (brigantinc AVanganui), C. Clift (s.s. Warrimoo), A. W. Davy (s.s. Kiiii), A. Carson (s.s. Waitemata), : L. Larson (s.s., Woqttoii), J. C. Cowin (s.s. Himitauiji), A. H. Rsk (s.s. Aorere), 1 , . AV. T. Bold (s.s. Koinataj, Geo. Lambert" (s.s. Arahura), .T. AV. W. llqluies (s.s.' Takapnnn), J. .1. . l'ennington (s.s." Krttawa), A. H. Williams (s.s. Flora), Ephriam Harris (s.s. Mokoia), -AA r iliiam S. Gordon (s.s. Storm), Ivou 31. Barr (s.s. Eakiura), T. \V. iloltiitt <E.AI.S. Tainni), C\m. . Ci'oucher (sch. Mcoa), Johi\ Christian fs.s. Ivgatoro), D. Mac Donald (s.s. Brisbane), A, E. Prydo (s.s. Koonya), B. B. Invin (s.s. Haupiri), W. A. AVildnian, jua. (s.s. ICaitoa), L. AVorrall (t.s.S. Maunganni), .T.-TJreu (s.s; : Surrey), D. Cameron (s.s. Corinua), A.' P. Gibson (s.s. liana), Robert Hodge? (s.s. Gertie). i SUPPLEMEKTAEY PETITION. v (Names ■ Collected by' Captain' M'Lenn.) Hon. R-M. B. Fisher, Minister for Marine, Wellington. Sir,—Wβ, the undersigned master mariners, are strongly in favour .of Tonguo Point as a site fov the proposed lighthouse on the Teraivhiti side ot Cook Strait. W. Manning (s.s. Mararoa), D. Jl'Lyan (ssi. Miheno), P-. J. Foster (s.s. > Talnrie); J. Hynn (s.s. AVanaka),..Tdlm Gibb (E. 31.5. Makura), W, Barlow (s.s. Eakauoa), F. J. Vickcrman (s.s. Alexander), B. U. Aldwell, (t.s.s. Maori), ■J. M'Farb no (s.s.' Opouri, AV. G. Scott .(s.s. Kaitaki), J. M. ." Scott (s.s. Tewaku), E, M. Weddlo (s.s. ; Melbourne), T. A. Gibbons (s.s. ■ Canopus),, Chas. M'Lean (s.s, lariw wera). ... -..: ; . ■':'':