PERILS OF THE SEA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 180, 29 July 1912, Page 4

PERILS OF THE SEA.

THE TH ItKK KINGS DANGEB. CAPTAIN" ATWOOD'S OPMION. ■ Captain E. B. Atwood, of the New Zealand section of the Imperial Merchant Service Guild, and shore superintendent fox tie W«stport Coal Company, ds at present on a visit to Auckland. The important question of •where the proposed new light&ouse a* the northernmost point of New Zealand should be —North Cape or Three Kings—is a subject in which Captain Atwood is peculiarly interested, for he was master of the ill-fated Hingamite when that vessel, travelling in a dense fog, was wrecked on the Three Kings, on November 9, 1902. Though Captain Atwood has since been completely absolved from all blame in connection with tho catastrophe— Supreme Court hating found that his course would have (been a safe one had the Kings not been incorrectly charted—he is none the less convinced of the perpetual danger which threatens all New Zealand bound ship. •picg so long as the Ring 3 remain unlighted. Seen by a "Star" representstive this morning, Captain Atwood willingly gave expression to his opinion, and ' indicated how he thought the Three ICings danger might be doubly indicated for the protection of ocean-going ressels. : Referring to the recent controversy on the suitability of site, Captain AtwooJ said he was certain that a light on tha Three Kings would, beyond all quesion, be more beneficial than a light on the North Oape. Master ma-xioers were almost unanimous about that, and the petition organised by the Auckland ■Chamber of Commerce, and signed byover 300 shipmasters, had clearly indicated what expert opinion was...- Yet i b&tih the last Ministers in charge of th« ' ■ Marine Department had failed to. be convinced. It had hitherto been stated as an objection that a light should net be placed 'behind existing dangers, but the principle on which all the great lights I for itihe guidance of mariners -were built . was the reverse of this contention. One had to go no further away than Cape Maria van piemen for an (illustration. There the light was at the back of very real dangers in .the shape of the PSadiora Bank, and the Columbia Reef, wbdeh jaa out for a distance of five or Six milev The North Cape, on the other land, wa* a bold headland, with no hidden perils ii the immedioite vicinity. The Big King, on the other hand, was un Meal site for a lighthouse. Every nntriner-aidmitteg the dangers which existed there.-: The Kings, in nautical <berm, constituted' th« " land fall," wMdi every mariner desired v to pick up. After that a light Was ' scarcely necessary at all to find the way down the coast. On the Big King titer* were two good landings, plenty of water, and a fine sight for a lighthouse* It would, moreover, be possible to estaWisti a signalling apparatus on ithe West King, to be worked by submarine cable from the Big King. - ; Last week, wiMlo in Wellington, Captain Atwood, accompanied by Oaptiia Wetson, waited on the new Minister for Marine (the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher), and laid the position before him, with the result that, as already announced, tha Minister has given instructions that the .proposed light on the North Cape shall not be proceeded with until further inquiry lias 'been made as "to wihetier shipping would .be better served by a ligikt''r <on the Big King. .. t