CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 36, 8 March 1909, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE LOSS OF THE S.S. PENGUIN. To the Editor. Sir,—'though criticism may not be difficult after fatalities are over, it might be permissible to suggest that however safe the course pursued by the Penguin might be, in fine weather, light winds, little sea, and no uncommon currents, iu Cook Straits, it could scarcely be the light one on the night of the fatal 18th February last. It would almost look as if, owing to the h'ard S.E. gale, heavy sea, and perhaps some abnormal current, tihe steamer had been making "leeway/ 1 drifting in-shore, from the time she left Tory Channel until strik.: !g on 1 the rock, known or unknown, i ad it seems a little odd that a wider berth is not given to a lee-shore by vessels in the Straits in bad or rough weather. A more southerly direction, than t'hat taken, with full steam against wind, sea and tide, might have enabled the Penguin to fetch dear of tihe reefs, before, as it were, rounding-up towards Pencarrow light and Wellington Head 3. Though by compass her head might be ( right for good weather, she actually / might be running parallel to, and inside, a securer seaward position, driving in-siore. In case of disaster boats are little else than farces in high or brokin seas, unless built of some clastic material eueh as_cork or india-rubber, so as not to be stove in by the sea; heavier, also low, to give them a tendency of righting themselves if capsizing. A strong electric "light, white or red, placed, if possible, on a portion of Tom's Rock reef, which is accessible from the shore, might be of service or benefit to shipping. The direct reason of the boilers exploding on the Penguin is not distinctly obvious, unless the flood of cold sea water caused some form of contraction, inducing a sudden rebound of steam pressure within tie boilers did the mischief. The fires could not be otherwise than extinguished.—l am, etc., C.W.W.