WELCOME ILLUMINATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15390, 27 August 1913, Page 10

WELCOME ILLUMINATION.

SEARCHLIGHT PLAYED ON WRECK. [BY TELEGRAPH.SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

Wellington, Tuesday. By the direction of the Prime Minister, the 'Government Dorset searchlight was turned upon the Devon wreck last night. Tho resulting illumination was of us© in more- than one way. It enabled those who were at Pencarrow Head to gain eome accurate idea as to the state of affairs aboard the wrecked steamer, and, in addition, was of gyea£ assistance to the wreck party under Captain John6on, which made its way along tho hill to Pencarrow in the small hours of the morning. Another effect of the searchlight beam was to enable the men aboard the steamer to see the rescue party approaching to their assistance. One of the shipwrecked mariners stated to-day that he and his comrades were greatly heartened by the light.

WHERE THE VESSEL LIES.

SCENE OF PREVIOUS WRECKS. [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Tuesday. Pencarrow Head, where the Devon has been wrecked, is on the eastern side of the entrance to Wellington Harbour, or on the right side when making the port* .There is a bold cliff with a lighthouse on the summit. Low, straggling rocks, above water, extend off the head for over a quarter of a mile. Where the Devon has gone ashore is one of the ugliest spots conceivable. The beach there is fringed with a projection of jagged wave-thrashed rocks, over which in southerly weather huge rollers curl and break and rush ashore in swirling masses of white foam. To the southward lies the open Pacific, stretching away to the Antarctic, and over this great stretch of water the southerly swell has practically no, obstacle to break its force until it crashes on the rocks lining the coast at the southern end of the North Island. Even in comparatively calm weather, with a southerly swell running, the sight 010117 the coast line at the harbour entrance ' a magnificent one, as the long, green swells reach the black rocks and climb up and over, and finally rush past, an irresistible torrent of foam. In heavy weather, the whole coast-line is deeply fringed with bubbling white foam, stretching hundreds of yards out from the shore.

The water at Pencarrow Head, according to the charts, runs fairly deep well in towards the rocks. There are from 5£ fathoms within a biscuit's-ihrow of the beach. The beach itself at this point in a narrow strip of gravel, flanked by a fairly tall and steep cliff, on top of which is the main Pencarrow Lighthouse. The lowlevel light is at the beach level, and it is within 100 yards of this latter light, apparently, that the steamer lies. No rescuing Vessel could hope to approach the spot from the seaward in such weather as prevailed last night, and no boat putting out from the shore could live a minute in the breakers. . Equally dangerous would it be to attempt to launch a boat from the stranded steamer, even if such a course were possible, with the waves constantly breaking over her. About 30 vessels, principally small sailing craft, have at different times during the last 70 years encountered more or less serious disaster at, or near, the entrance to Wellington Harbour. Two small vessels have been lost at Pencarrow Head on practically /the same spot as that upon which the" Devon has come to grief. These were the schooner Maggie Patterscn, of 81 tons, which was lost on July 19, 1881, and the ketch Felicity, of 23 tons, which was wrecked on September 13, 1910. Other vessel! which have been lost at Pencarrow Head are as follows: — Supply, December 6, 1870; schooner Nile, May 18, 1876; barque Carlotta, 310 tons, November 9, 1878; and the Vinnie, May 13, 1892. Other wrecks in the neighbourhood of Pencarrow, at Palliser Bay and Cape Palliser are as follow :—Rory O'More, schooner, Akaroa to Wellington, total loss in the early days ; Cleopatra, little steamer, Nelson to Wellington, total loss, April 6, 1868; Waihopi, steamer, total loss, November 10, 1871; Progress, total loss, January 23, 1880; Emerald, ketch, total loss, April 23, 1887; Waitaki, steamer, • total loss, April 23, 1887 ; Wainui, steamer, stranded on a rock for five minutes, May 16, 1888; Lizzie Guy, schooner, total loss, November 10, 1886; Delemira, Dunedin to Maiden Island, total loss, December 8, 1896; Zuleika, total loss and loss of life. Dunedin to Wellington, April 16, 1897; Bcnavon, London via Port Chalmers, to Wellington, total loss, November 11, 1903. As she struck the pilot in charge dropped dead ; Addena, Lyttelton to Wellington, total loss, October 13, 1904.

PREVIOUS MISADVENTURE.

OFF AFRICAN COAST LAST YEAR. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Tuesday. In Brisbane, during September 1912, an inquiry was held* regarding an incident which occurred on the Devon while she was off the African coast, some time previously. Captain Robertson stated that he left Durban on July 29, 1912, and met a rough sea- Twenty-two minutes later, iust after leaving the bridge, he felt a heavy jolt. He did not know that the vessel had struck. .There was nothing showing above water. Next day the saloon doors were found to be all out of true position, and the pillars of the 'tween decks buckled. He reckoned the steamer was in 20 fathoms of water when the incident happened.