THE ALLEGED NARROW ESCAPE FROM COLLISION BETWEEN THE HERCULES. AND RANGATIRA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1469, 31 October 1872, Page 2

THE ALLEGED NARROW ESCAPE FROM COLLISION BETWEEN THE HERCULES. AND RANGATIRA.

An Auckland telegram published in, this journal some days ago stated that the schooner Hercules nearly collided, with the steamer Rangatira, through, the want of lights on the latter. As such a statement is calculated to injure:, the reputation of Captain Renner, who. was then in command of' the Raugalira,. we publish the following extracts from the Auckland Evening Star, which, without throwing any light upon the question as to what boat was guiltv of; negligence, completely exonerates Capt. Renner from all blame. The first paragraph which appeared in the Star was. as follows: The schooner Hercules ran a narrow escape from collision at a quarter past two this morning with the steamer Rangatira, about live miles the other side of Tiii Tii.i. The captain and two hands were on deck at the time, when, one of them sang out that he saw land a head. This was. considered impossible,, and on closer scrutiny it was discoveredto be moving. The captain then found that it was a steamer going full; speedy without either side-lights or a masthead light. He hailed her to. port herhelm, and she just eased off, passing. him in close proximity. That a steamer should be steaming out of harbor with* out exhibiting lights is highly reprehensible, and an infringement of the. harbor regulations. We understand' that Captain Black has reported, thecircumstanqes to. the Collector of Customs, and the matter will form a subject foi judicial inquiry on the return of the steamer.

In the succeeding issue the com.iviu.nication appeared :. — We have much pleasure in giving in-, sertion to. the-following, .letter with re--ference to. the statement respecting theRangadra in our yesterday's issue :-*-. " To the Editor of the Evening Star*-— - .Dear Sir,: —Please oblige Uv contradicting in your issue of tin's day the statement ia yesterday's having reference La the steamer Rangatira, a* the- spot, whore the accident happened is quitoout of tlve Rangatira's course, and shewould be at least fifty miles from there: at the time mentioned, she having left here at 6,15 p..m. the previous- day You will, I am sure, at once see that, unless explained it might do the mastei,, Captain Rennei (one of the most eare--ful men on the coast), a. serious injury. —Your* truly, F. Combes. P.&— Thesteamer, I hear, was the Challenger." This letter elicited a reply from, themaster of the Challenger, as follows :

"To the Editor.—Sir,---With reference to a .statement made by Mr F.. Conines, * that it was impossible thfr steamer referred to by Capt. Black, of' the brigantine Hercules, • could havebeen the Rangatira,' and who concludes, therefore, that it was the Challenger* allow me to inform him and the public that the Challenger left Wangarei at 10 p.m. on Monday, bound for Kawan,, and that at the time stated by Captain Black, qmuter p tst two a.m , the Challenger was not more than a mile off Point Rodney. It was, therefore, highly improbable that we should meet the Hercules, seeing that both vesselswere steering almost parallel courses;; and if, as Captain Black states, the strainer passed within ten or twelve yards of his vessel, the Challenger,, being a high-pressure boat, would have been distinctly heard, if not seen. As. to our lights burning, a number of passengers saw the lights taken down at. daylight, and they were then burning brilliantly.—l am, &c, J. Murray, p,s. Challenger."