LIGHTHOUSES AS MAGNETS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 1349, 11 June 1907, Page 2

LIGHTHOUSES AS MAGNETS.

A SATIRICAL THEORY.

The loss of the collier Easby, on tjie New South Wales coast, under the very eye of Gabo lighthouse (says the Sydney Bulletin) recalls the satirical theory that lighthouses serve as magnets for ships. The lost Easby deposited its bones a few miles from where the Ly-ee-moon struck on a fine calm night, and drowned 50 people within coo-ec of Green Cape lighthouse. The ill-fated Catterhun was Tost in sight of Seal Rock light. The Suevic the other day., piled up under the protecting beams of the Lizard light ; and there is also the case of the-iflHstralia;: off Port P,b!ilrp*Heads, wrecked within the danger zone of the entrance lights. The president of one of the Australian Marine Boards hadia startling experience of the offhand ways, pf shipmasters. He was visited a ye& pr two ago by the captain of a famous pail steamer,who haughtily complainep of the behaviour of one of the be|t known lighthouses on the Australian coast. The light used to be a clear white radiance which he knew welj, but it was on this occasion an. unmistakable ired, and the master demanded to know why such an .important alteration had not been published in Europe. The president, too amassed to speak, grabbed a handy Admiralty List, and there the captain read that the white light changed to red whenever a vessel got too close in shore. The mail steamer had gone full speed through the danger zone, and only good luck saved a Avell-known vessel from the fate of the Australia.