SHOTS ACROSS BOWS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 4 September 1939, Page 14

SHOTS ACROSS BOWS

SIGNALS IGNORED INCIDENT AT WELLINGTON EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Two shots were fired across the bows of the steamer City of Delhi, off the entrance to Wellington Heads yesterday morning, when she failed to heed a signal given by the examination steamer to heave to. It was later explained that the vessel failed to stop because the signal had R ot been understood. The official explanation of the incident states that when the . City of Delhi approached Wellington early yesterday morning, the examination steamer was on duty at the entrance to the port. She was flying the examination service flag, which is a rectangular red, white, and blue flag, of a special pattern, 10ft by Bft. The City of Delhi took no notice of fhe examination steamer, and did not reply to the examining officers hail, but proceeded without apparently reducing speed. The examining officer therefore had no option but to signal the examination battery to bring her to, or slbp her, which is normally atfected by firing a round of plugged shell across her bows. In this case a second round was necessary before the order was understood and obeyed Tne examining officer then boarded the vessel, and was informed that his signals nad not neen understood. It is well-known that examination services are established in times _oi emergency at the principal British ports ail over the world, and th: Admiralty draws special attention to this in a noficc to mariners published annual.;-', ,v:th .vin..- e shipmaster should be familiar. The notice contains this paragraph:—“As the institution of the examination service will probably be unknown to vessels desiring to enter port, especial care should b e taken in approaching ports by day or night to keep a sharp look-out for any vessel carrying the flags or lights mentioned in paragraph (7), and to be ready to bring to at once when hailed by her, or warned by the firing of a gun or the sound of a rocket. “In approaching by night any port ■in the British Empire, serious delay and risk will be avoided if four efficient all-round lanterns, _ two red and two white, are kept available for use.”