No Lights or Sails.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 March 1923, Page 1

No Lights or Sails.

SC I ICON MR’S STRANGE BEHAVIOUR. AUCKLAND. March Kb \ strange story has been brought' W Auckland concerning the unuccountalde lii'ii'i\ ionr of an .'.ineriean schooner sighted alum! 190 miles west of Cape Marin. If nrmises are correct. tbo v,..,el should prove to be the fouria a -11 d : -liooner Lottie Bennett, which . oil, ,! |mu W aiiganui on Aiarch dth.. wi|li a local crew admitted by the captain to Ik- largely iuex|>erienrod. It has been reported to the Collector of Customs that the AYnihora on Surnlav signalled to the AA’anaka that at 5 o’elo.-k that morning a schooner was sighted without sail set. and carrying no lights, though it was not thcn_day- ' light. No at I empt was made by the

s,,liooner 1o sigm-1 the steamer. At 0 a.m. imxl day tlio same schooner was sighted by tin' Manuka. All sails were furled, though there was a light breeze from the X.X.F. The schooner, apparently. was travelling dnwlv AY.X.M - Again the -i.- II- ,' mule no sic-

mil. The major if th • Manuka describe" the ship seen as a fir "-masted American schooner. ’I lie Lottie Bennett has four masts, but as the selmoner was seven or eight miles a.vay, visibility wot,ld mil ie too favourable. Th.s de-

tail may quite likely be subject to revision. A t least one observer on the steamer made the ship out as having tour nutsi.s. There was sufficient wind to render the use of auxiliary engines sui erlluoiis. and it is pointed out that, even if the engines were being run. it w ould lie eu-f'unary to have sail set : i 'ioady the ship. There is no information to indicate that the ship was travelling I v auxiliaiy engines however and it is significant that the Lottie Bonnette is without such auxiliary power. The lepori of the captain of the Manuka has been forwarded to the Alai'ine Department. and steps are being taken to fliseovei the identitv of the schooner. StYDXFY. March 19 ('apt. Harris ol (he AYaihora. ridicules the statement ilia! lie reported a derelict vessel after leaving Auckland, and says lie sent a Morse si"'ia! to Mamiku that a five ma.-tod scbootier was lying in her track. Tie prosumer, some passenger with a slight knowledge of the .Morse code mistook the message and spread the rumour.