MYSTERY SHIPS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 October 1925, Page 11

MYSTERY SHIPS.

STRANGE TALK ON WATERFRONT.

W HA Tis the meaning of recent mysterious manoeuvres of foreign vessols off the coast of New South Wales, particularly Newcastle? The first occurrence to arouse notice at the beginning ,of the year, when a .Japanese steamer, for no apparent reason, came close inshore near Lake Macquarie. A few weeks later the Havo, a Scandinavian steamer, under Japanese charter, excited comment by her peculiar movements off Newcastle. More recently, there has been similar happenings, and there is talk on the waterfront in Sydney of a mystery ship which 1 behaved in a peculiar way near Newcastle only a few weeks ago.

The authorities are frankly puzzled (says the Sydney Sun). The Customs officials scout the idea of smuggling. An obvious alternative is that foreigners for purposes of their own are making observations or soundings in our coastal waters, but there is a reluctance to assume that even if such is the case, this involves any danger to Australia, beyond what her stretches of undefended coast-line and empty hinterland in themselves'suggest. There is no law —no navigation regulation —to prevent anybody who pleases taking soundings around our foreshores, or even in our harbours, to check our Admiralty charts. A foreign Consul, if he wished, could openly charter a launch ancVsurvey the coast at his leisure. It has never in time of peace been thought advisable to hedge our coasts with the restrictions that keep prviug eyes from tlie fortified ports of Japan or the frontiers of European countries. Such activities with our vast coastline and sparse population would be perhaps impossible to enforce. But the authorities could be pardoned for feeling some irritation at manoeuvres which even bad navigation can hardlv explain, particularly when, as in the case of the Havo, the vessel when signalled to sheered off and refused to answer. And in the case of a ship that behaved mysteriously more recently, it is stated that when the wireless log was examined it was found that all the pages covering the period of the cruise along the Australian coast, had been torn out.

The Havo was a Scandinavian steel steamer of 48(51 tons under Japanese charter when she was in these waters last February. Her crew was Chinese, but there were said to lie two Japanese commercial men aboard. On Tuesday, February .17, the sighaliuastor at Nobby’s was astonished to see the Havo, Which came from the south, suddenly head f(»r the shore. Thinking the navigator had mistaken the headlands he signalled “Danger, stand off.” The Havo slowed down off Nobby’s, and would make no reply to a pilot, steamer and a tug which went out to her. Latei; she steamed northwards on her voyage to Japan, keeping close to the shore. A remarkable occurrence which many connected with the Havo was reported a day or two later by a Mercwethcr newsagent, who related' how he was aroused by a knocking at the door late on Sunday night. His caller was-'Ji woman, who, speaking with a marked foreign accent, asked if a vessel could' anchor off the Bar Beach, which is-a ■Vv mile north of Merewether. The mancould uot enlighten her, and she then inquired the way to the beach men- I tioned.

MANOEUVRES OFF N.S.W. COAST

The Federal authorities inquired into the whole affair, • but' the inquiry led " nowhere. .One theory was that the master of the Havo had headed for the i shore as a threat to the Chinese .crew, who had become troublesome.. ' The Chinese previously had tried to’ desert, and it is stated that the Havo, in fact, came back from the East, later with another nondescript European crew, some of whom deserted in Australia—glad to get away even without their pay. A theory advanced- in one quarter, but hitherto unpublished, is that the mysterious woman had some friend on the Havo and wished to get aboard. The Havo could not have taken her as a passenger, and had a stewardess been put on the articles of a cargo boat of this character it would obviously have caused comment. Was the Havo trying to take an unofficial woman passenger aboard? . ' \ But there was nothing like this to account for'the manoeuvres of the Japanese steamer off Lake Macquarie entrance. or of vessels —some certainly Japanese, that have meandered off the Newcastle coast. In-some cases steamers have deviated twelve or fifteen miles from their course, without apparent reason. . - '

Is . bad navigation the explanation? Have the captains been trying a new navigation system of their own? r . “The ships in question are not smart Vessels, nor of the sort where one would imagine smart navigators aboard,” said a shipping man discussing the subject. “Again, if they were taking soundings, why should they go over the same ground again?” It is recalled that some years ago comment was aroused by the fact that almost every Japanese who visited Newcastle took'a camera ashore with him, and used it freely. Now Japanese in Newcastle rarely carry camoras. Apart ; from the comparative' novelty of the camera in those days the Japanese have) a thirst for information. “In every nation there are people who consider that they are serving their country by finding out all they can about neighbouring countries, and perhaps nowhere is the sense of disciplined patriotism so strong as among the Jap-A aneso,” said a traveller who has studied the Japanese and ,thcir language. -.-.. “If they thought information could serve their country in any way they would get it.” . As an example of'national disciplinehe pointed out that one never heard of a Japanese behaving badly or getting into trouble abroad. Jf a Japanese in Australia, for instance, did anything to v brink' himself and his country into disrepute lie would be given marching orders by his consul and would obey them.

Anotlver suggested .reason that might . cause the Japanese to desire information about Australia, is that in Japan,'-.; in peace as well as in war, there is an extensive prohibited, area, extending in some places as far as eight miles from V the coast. Even Japanese citizens are forbidden to carry. camoras in -certain parts of their own country, and .a place like Australia, where -there is almost complete freedom to observe and take soundings may prove a temptation even .wherb the motive is indefinite. -It is a fact that charts of Australian ports can be obtained by any navigator. .J ■As for land maps, a Sydney resident Te- t . . . cently wanted one showing the rail- , ways'of New South Wales. The pur- ; i chase was made, and on the back were . - the words, “Printed in Japa-.”