LOSS OF THE DEVON

Northern Advocate, 1 September 1913, Page 5

LOSS OF THE DEVON

CAPTAIN'S EVIDENCE

CONFUSION OF LIGHTS

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 1

An inquiry into the wreck of the Devon opened to-day before a Court consisting of Dr. McArthur, S.M. (president), and Captains Bollons and Black.

Captain Counce stated that the Devon went ashore at about 7.43 p.m. When he picked up Pencarrow light he continued on the course for Somes Island light. A squall of rain obscured the light for about five minutes and afterwards he picked up what he took to be the red light of Somes Island. When he found himself in the red light he ported to get into the white sector again. Shortly after that he saw he was too close to the rocks near Pencarrow Heads and he went hard to starboard. The vessel struck heavily abaft ' the bridge. So he put the engines full speed ahead, but a minute later the lights went out and the firemen came on deck, saying the water was coming into the stokehold and engine room. The night was rough with squalls and strong wind. He didn't think it was necessary when he got into the red light to go out to sea again to pick up the white sector. He took the red light to be the red sector, not the shoal light, because the sector was a 16-mile light and the shoal light only, about a four-mile light Both lights were of the same kind—fixed.

In reply to counsel, witness said his explanation of the disaster was that he took the red Falcon Shoal light to be the red sector of the Somes Island light, and took what would have been a correct course in that case. The Falcon fixed light was exactly on the bend between the red and white sectors of the Somes Island light.' If the Falcon light had been an occulting light it would not have been possible for the wreck to occur.