INCIDENT AT HEADS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1939, Page 7

INCIDENT AT HEADS

TWO ROUNDS FIRED

INCOMING STEAMER

SIGNALS NOT OBEYED

The Wellington defences fired two rounds yesterday morning to "brinfc jto". .the steamer City of Delhi at the | entrance to the port. It was subsequently explained that the- signals of the examining officer aboard the; examining, steamer had not been understood on the City of Delhi. An official statement giving the> circumstances of the incident • was issued last evening as follows:— •.- '•'" ."When: the City of Delhi approached Wellington early this morningj the examination steamer with the. examining Ipfficer? pri fcoard ..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 special pattern, 10 fe^ by 8 feet. •.• .-,'.; : "•''■■ ;■••■•■■;• ]■:■■;■ -;■-' "Thfe City of Delhi took no notice ol the examination; steamer and did not reply to the examining'; officer's'ihail, but: proceeded withpUt apparently reducing speed. The examining officer therefore Had no option but to signal the examination , battery, to bring^her to, or stopher, whichis itornially effected by firing a round of plugged shell across her bows. In this case;* second round was necessary before thii order was understood and obeyed: The examining officer, then boarded the vessel, and was informed that his'signals had not been Junderstppd. :c v-s;^ "It is well known that/examination, services are established in, : times^of emergency at the principal; British ports all over the world, and the Admiralty' draw special attention to thit in a notice to mariners published annually, with which every shipmaster should be familiar. The notice contains this paragraph: 'As the institution of the examination se^ce ■ ,^]M probably j>6 unknoSvh to Cv^ieiif desiring to enter the port, especial* care should be taken in approachiri|r-{the ports, by 'day' br nighty to keep a s|i||fi look-out for any vessel carrying: the flags or lights mentioned in paragraph (7), and to be ready }tp "br|iig:^t6" 1 : ? at once when.hailed ; by her -or warned by the firing of «a gun or sound' rocket. In approaching Jby ■ nigM' any; j>^aa the British Empire, serious .delay >s«iji risk vnU be avoided il^four efflcient a;ll« round lanterns, two;red and WS.^^?» are;kep't:available'-.ifbr ijse^-~'%i^- ■